“A marvelous experience
First of all many thanks to Daniele, a perfect host, a wonderful design expert and a very nice person.
We recommend Daniele's tour to all design- and architecture enthusiasts and to all that enjoying the brightside of life.
Daniele has opened locked doors for us – a wonderful unforgettable experience with Magis, Kristalia and Valcucine.
Five stars of five – Daniele we will come back!”Andrea and Christian Eisenmenger
Winners of AD Germany 20 Years Jubilee prize
From July 9th to 11th, Architectours had the pleasure of hosting the winner of the AD Germany 20 Years Jubilee prize for a custom design tour and some company visits. Our guest was Andrea, a sophisticated jewellery maker, and her husband Christian. The couple flew from Nuremberg to Verona where we met them and took them on a scenic drive from the airport to the Hotel Villa Luppis in Rivarotta di Pasiano near Pordenone in the Friuli region — where they stayed during their time with us.
Villa Luppis is an old monastery that was built by Camaldolite monks at the beginning of the 11th century, positioned at the confluence between the Livenza and Meduna rivers, that has now been transformed into a superb country house. This elegant estate was used by the Chiozza – Luppis ancestors as a place where they carried out the public relations for their industrial and diplomatic activities. Today, the villa still recalls the splendour and atmosphere of past times, and our guests had the pleasure of dining on the beautiful terrace of the Villa Luppis restaurant.
After a good night's rest, we met the next morning to embark on our design tour! The first company we visited was Magis in Torre di Mosto. We were met by Magis' PR and press manager Micol Fagotto who welcomed us with refreshments before taking us through the various company spaces. Along our company visit, we saw the design library, conference room, creative offices and in-house showroom where we discovered the art of designing and manufacturing series of products that could be matched and combined using different materials. We learnt how Magis dedicates itself to its international public (exports account for some 85% of production), by producing pieces that are 100% “Made in Italy”: a guarantee of high quality. This mandate is in line with the firm's traditions, which has developed from its craftsmanship and cultural roots, that even through the evolving styles and industrial growth of the eighties and nineties, has continued to be recognized as one of the Magis' greatest and most valuable assets.
From the furniture design realm, we moved into the kitchen with a visit to Valcucine — one of the world's leading manufacturers of kitchen cabinets that is based in Pordenone. Valcucine sales expert Roberto Fracassi showed us how the philosophy of the brand is disseminated throughout all aspects of the company — from the garden to the offices to the factory to the products. Touring the manufacturing site, quality control department and art workshop really allowed us to experience how much the technical processes and the creative processes overlap with one another. To conclude, we had the pleasure of being invited to the company's in-house restaurant to enjoy a light lunch with Chiara Martini, the German area manager, prepared of course on a beautiful Valcucine kitchen.
Our last company visit found us at the headquarters of Kristalia in Prata di Pordenone. The company was founded in 1994, by the will of a group of young jazz fans from Friuli who did the smartest, easiest and most instinctive thing one could think of: they took a look at their immediate surroundings – north-east Italy where the company was going to be based – and discovered completely new design sectors through which the best products of this land could be expressed. Their initial offering included mountain boots, the production of automobile parts, clothing and knitwear. After some time, they decided to change directions slightly, moving more towards design innovation. After a short coffee break, Kristalia's Communications Manager Manuel Da Ros, along with the German-speaking Mara Gava from the Sales Department, brought us around to all of the company departments: from the showroom to the factory. Of course, a sneak peek to the Kristalia Club, where the company usually holds jazz concerts and book presentations, was not to be missed.
To get a look into the local culture and architectural history of the area, we headed to Venice to visit one of the most beautiful World Heritage Sites in the world. Cristina one of the most knowledgeable tourist guides in Venice, brought us to discover the work of renowned architect Carlo Scarpa, taking us to experience his Negozio Olivetti and Fondazione Querini Stampalia.
To conclude our design tour, we enjoyed “chicchetti” (side dishes or appetizers) in a typical Venetian tavern and then visited the rooftop of Fondaco dei Tedeschi (refurbished by OMA) along the city's grand canal where we took in the most beautiful and romantic views of the city skyline.
Architectours offers educational design tours and company visits tailored to designers, architects, design students and other creative professionals. We guide you through the headquarters, showrooms and manufacturing facilities of some of Italy's premium design brands, providing you with a behind-the-scenes look of their product development, while also giving you the opportunity to meet with key figures within each company. While we do have set tours, we are open to hearing from you to help build your own customized itinerary, suited to your cultural and design interests. We want you to truly experience what ‘Made In Italy', on all levels, encompasses.
For more company visits visit our design tours page
