Distillery Design Marries Old with New

The distillery and visitor center of Southern Tyrol's Puni Whiskey is getting as much attention as it's award-winning spirits, which are actually the first single malt whiskeys made in Italy. Inspired by the windows in stone barns in the area, architect Werner Tscholl, created a structure for the distillery that honored the traditional local architecture yet kept Puni squarely in the modern aesthetic.

Additional Reading:

• Bertoli, R. 2016. Team spirit: one Italian family has produced a malt distilled with flair. Wallpaper.

Florence Design Week | May 27-31, 2015

At the fifth edition of Florence Design Week, May 27-31, 2015, you will find yourself at the center of the aesthetic debate to express visual, functional, and ethical beauty in the world.

Ermenegildo Zegna: a Passion for Fashion and the Environment

The fashion industry is well known for both creating fads and then moving on from them as quickly possible. Some fashion houses take a very different approach. Take for example, Ermenegildo Zegna. Zegna is an Italian men's line that dates back to 1910. Garmentos know them for their innovative design and exceptional quality but they are also noted for another aspect of their long history...their commitment to the environment. From establishing their own nature conservation area, Oasi Zegna, to making clothes from sustainable materials, the family-lead company continues to make corporate social responsibility the next big thing, as well as a timeless trend.

Zegna's latest achievement was to shoot their Fall/Winter 2012 campaign in their own Oasi Zegna to demonstrate their own "Passion for Nature" and to inspire a passion for the outdoors in others.

Below is a video of the making of the F/W 2012 campaign:

SeanChron - John Malkovich's Technobohemian

Back in 2009, I coined the term "Progress Chic" as a new design style that encompasses the best of contemporary science, design, and culture within its parameters by building on the learning and advances of our past while at the same time inspiring an even more exciting future. I can't think of a better example than John Malkovich's new clothing line, Technobohemian. In his own words,

" I am inspired by the appearance of a bohemian of the new millennium. I thought it was necessary to update the figure of the bohemian but not in the traditional way, it was necessary to make it a cosmopolitan present and fully engaged in the technological world we live in today."

Malkovich has succeeded in doing just that, wearable designs that offer great style. The Spring/Summer 2011 collection, produced primarily in Italy with jeans from Japan, has been catching the eye of the fashion world since it debuted in the Fall of 2010. Now that it is in stores, fashionistas and garmentos around the world are praising the line as well. Colorful dress shirts, jackets, and ties make up the largest part of the collection but jeans, sport shirts, and sporty coats also make appearances. The essence of Bohemianism is an unconventional lifestyle, Malkovich's Technobohemian offers exactly that with emphasis on both unconventional and style. Bravo!

Progress Chic - "Sixty" Shelves by RIMADESIO

Shelves never go out of style, but they do innovate. Inspired by the 1960s, the "Sixty" shelves by Italian RIMADESIO promise to have as fabulous in 2060 as they are today.

Octopus inspired robots

A need to do intricate ocean research in small spaces has produced the latest example of biomimicry. Robotics scientist Cecilia Laschi and her ARTS Lab team at Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna have taken inspiration from one of the most flexible, adaptable, and - most importantly - articulated creatures on earth, the octopus. The Octopus Project, part of the Research Centre on Sea Technologies and Marine Robotics, is set to revolutionize soft body robotics. Most importantly, it will allow ocean scientists to explore areas they never could with current robotic technology such as tiny crevices in delicate coral reefs.

Science Spotlight - Science Festival 2007

Genoa prepares for Science Festival 2007: Curiosity, making science accessible to everybody.

Design Notes - Sustainable Everyday in Milan

Sustainable design Italian style at Sustainable Everyday.