Cantiere Galli Design's Osservatorio Cycle Explores 'Form' in Rome

Cantiere Galli Design, an interior design center founded in 2016 by Eleonora Galli in Rome, continues its cultural initiatives curated by design historian Domitilla Dardi. The center features 'Una stanza tutta per sé,' a space for site-specific installations, and 'Osservatorio,' a talk series examining the state of design. The new theme for Osservatorio is 'forma' (form), a concept central to product design. Dardi notes that form is one of the most used words in design history, shaping how objects connect with people. The series has a new format: for the first time, talks precede exhibitions, allowing designers to discuss their entire experience, including relationships with companies and clients. Speakers include Silvana Angeletti and Daniele Ruzza of Angeletti & Ruzza, celebrating 25 years of their studio in Rieti, and emerging designer Giovanni Botticelli (born 1987 in Rome). Angeletti & Ruzza's early work features soft, enveloping forms that establish an empathic connection with users; they note their most successful commercial projects were the least intellectual, born from intuition. Botticelli analyzes human traits to design playful objects, such as glasses for Mondelliani Glasses and the Equilibrista mirror collection for Swing Gallery, which reference body shapes to create familiar, humorous pieces.