Uz Sunbed

With a vision of design that is ethical, understandable and close to people, Silvana Angeletti and Daniele Ruzza design objects that are essential and capable of existing over time. They are in search of harmony and beauty that arise from the effective management of the production process and in response to changes in society and ways of living. They create objects with a soul, capable of relating to environments and people. They have been industrial designers since 1994, when Guzzini put into production their Zazà coffee maker, still in the catalog. Partners in life and work, after graduating in Industrial Design from I.S.I.A in Rome they chose to live in Rieti, far from the capitals of design, to maintain a more authentic vision of the profession, which has to deal with complex issues: from functional and technological aspects to economic ones, from social changes to new user needs.

ANGELETTI RUZZA have collaborated with numerous Italian industrial companies in the fields of furniture (Alivar, Bottega Intreccio, Brilliant, DAA, Emu, Fiam, My Home Collection, Roche Bobois, Rubinacci, Poltrona Frau), lighting (Nemo, Oluce), furnishing accessories and household appliances (Colombo Design, Faber, Hotpoint/Indesit Company, Irsap, Kalon, Tonelli) and bathroom furnishings (Azzurra Ceramica, Flaminia, F. lli Fantini, Gedy, Globo, Graff, Teuco), making essential and functional products. Far from the coldness of minimalism, their objects seek simplicity and authenticity that is expressed in expressive, soft and pure forms.

The diversity of production sectors and the scale of the products, from the industrial one made in large numbers to the handcrafted object in small series, as well as the in-depth study of heterogeneous techniques and materials have allowed them to bring contaminations and experimentation to the various spheres of industry. But always within a dialogue with the project's stakeholders. ANGELETTI RUZZA show in fact a traditional approach to design. The product is born in ongoing confrontation with the company, as a union of specific skills and objectives. With selected realities, with which there is affinity of vision, they build relationships of mutual trust and respect, won and confirmed over time. From 2002 to 2006 they were artistic directors of GSI Ceramica, from 2007 to 2014 of Azzurra, and from 2015 to 2018 of Brilliant and My Home Collection. Today of Bottega Intreccio, KALON and GLOBO. A role, that of the art director, which brings them even closer to companies and with greater responsibilities, as a figure of convergence between different professions that invest and get involved in the enterprise.

ANGELETTI RUZZA have been able to push companies outside their “comfort zone,” understanding their identity and production know-how. And together they have promoted new types of products and research insights into materials, techniques and, more generally, life needs, with a look at more international markets but aimed at enhancing the manufacturing excellence of our territory. Through artistic direction, they pose as a new creative variable that generates change and emotion. The design phase always confronts the real scale: first drawings, then prototypes in 1:1 scale verifying, beyond the two-dimensionality of the screen, the tactile and material qualities and the correctness of proportions. For ANGELETTI RUZZA, the design challenge is to do design in the logic of serial production. And the aesthetics of products always arise in the synthesis of function, attention to detail and knowledge of production techniques. This concrete approach to design has been the basis for teaching courses in Industrial Design at the University of Ascoli Piceno (from 2012 to 2014) and at the IED in Rome (from 2010 to 2018).