Living as a Designer, Listening to the World
Andrea Trimarchi（FormaFantasma） An Interview with Andrea Trimarchi (FormaFantasma)
The projects exhibited at alter. are selected through a review process by committee members. The committee comprises a diverse range of professionals, from curators at world-renowned design and art institutions like MoMA and the Pompidou Centre, to directors of cutting-edge design media, and designers who are themselves active across various fields. On this website, we will be publishing interviews with committee members as part of our effort to share alter.’s process with the public.
Our fifth committee member is FormaFantasma, the design studio formed by Andrea Trimarchi and Simone Farresin, based in Milan and Rotterdam. Since their establishment in 2009, the duo has expanded their activities beyond product design in the narrow sense to encompass research projects, exhibition design, and various other fields. Having collaborated with numerous companies in recent years, how do they perceive the role of contemporary designers? Through this interview with Andrea Trimarchi, we explore the issues that designers must confront today.
All Projects Relate to Ecology
— Could you tell us about your work and activities to date?
Simone Ferresin and I graduated from Design Academy Eindhoven in the Netherlands in 2009 and founded the design studio “FormaFantasma” together. We then moved to Amsterdam and are now based in Milan and Rotterdam. Our approach doesn’t focus solely on form but values context, which is why we chose the name FormaFantasma, meaning “ghost shape.”
We have been involved in various types of work, from product design to research projects and commission work from companies. The exhibition design we created for “Caravaggio-Bernini. Baroque in Rome” at the Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam) in 2020 led to an increase in exhibition design projects. As we’ve continued our activities, we’ve expanded our collaborations with professionals from a very wide range of industries. Our works have increasingly been acquired by museums and private collections and are also exhibited in galleries.
Nearly all of our projects relate to ecology or ecological thinking. This is because we’re deeply interested in design’s impact on society and its power to stimulate discussion among people.
— What kinds of projects have you been working on recently?
Recently, we’ve had many opportunities to work on exhibition design, such as the Venice Biennale and “The Shakers: A World in the Making” at the Vitra Design Museum. We also frequently collaborate with product manufacturers like Cassina and Flos—we’ve been continuously designing lighting collections with Flos.
With companies and brands, we work not only on product design but also on commission projects that create new experiences. For example, our collaboration with Prada on “Prada Frames” is a symposium held during Milan Design Week, where we don’t actually exhibit products. We organize a series of talk sessions—interdisciplinary symposiums held annually that discuss various themes related to society and ecology.
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This year’s “Prada Frames” during Milan Design Week was held under the theme “In Transit,” questioning the movement of people and objects in contemporary society.
The Expansion of Collaboration Through Research
— FormaFantasma’s emphasis on research is also impressive.
People often discover our work through research projects. We work on many projects with museums and other institutions, where we again treat ecology as a main topic. One of the most important research projects from this perspective was “Cambio,” which we presented at the Serpentine Gallery in London in 2020, where we conducted large-scale research on the timber industry. Subsequently, in 2023, we also presented a project called “Oltre Terra” at the Nasjonalmuseet (National Museum of Oslo). This project focused on wool extraction and production as its main theme, while also questioning the relationship between humans and animals from a posthuman perspective.
These research projects have also developed into collaborations with companies. Cambio has expanded into research on the timber industry in Finnish forests together with the Finnish company Artek, and Oltre Terra has become a project with textile brand Maharam. Our research projects are thus connected to commercial practice as well.
— What was your impression when you received the invitation to participate in alter.’s committee?
When I received the request from Taku (Takuto Imagawa) from the alter. organizing team, I felt it was a very intriguing project. I’ve worked with Taku before and we’ve had many discussions together. What was interesting was that rather than creating a product fair, you were trying to create an exhibition space.
I’m also curious about what young Japanese designers are thinking about now. We ourselves have been continuously involved in nurturing new designers since our graduation. A few years ago, we also created a new master’s program called “Geo Design” at Design Academy Eindhoven. Passing on design knowledge is central to our practice, and I think alter.’s initiative connects to our work. The participants this time are proposing many products, but there are various ideas there, and I feel that alter. will become a place full of new ideas.
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“Oltre Terra” was also exhibited at Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam this year, generating significant discussion.
Designers Need to “Tremble”
— Including educational settings, you seem to have many opportunities to interact with numerous designers. What challenges do you think contemporary designers are facing?
Among the challenges we face, climate change is certainly important. Of course, the problem there isn’t just global warming. Warming is one of the ultimate results of climate change. As climate change progresses, people who can no longer access drinking water or food will migrate, and uninhabitable places will increase. Along with such changes, many other problems will arise.
Contemporary designers must think about the crisis we are living in. In particular, we’ve been discussing the concept of “trembling” a lot recently. This represents the unstable social situation we’re living in now.
However, trembling shows feelings of fear while also connecting to joy. We tremble when we are very happy. I think designers need to be trembling all the time.
Design should not be merely aesthetic. It should always strive for the new and solve problems. You cannot solve problems only with products—ideas are also required. I believe that being a designer today means listening to the world around us.
— The social situations we need to listen to may differ depending on the country or region. What impressions do you have of Japanese design and creativity?
Basically, we try not to connect national or regional identity with design. However, when comparing the West with Asia or Africa, it’s true that there are differences based on the contexts in which designers operate. In Japan’s case, the strong connection to craftsmanship and the development of industries with excellent technology, like the automotive industry, is impressive. This might be similar to how Italian design relates to craftsmanship and industry.
However, what sets Japan apart from other regions is definitely in the realm of sensibility, and I think it takes a very conceptual approach. I feel something religious in Japanese design. This is also related to how people spend long periods of time caring for things when they approach them.
Japanese industry is very active, and speed is demanded in industries around the world, but there’s a different flow of time in the craft world. Japanese craft can be called a design movement with a slower flow of time.
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In projects with Cassina, they present an installation that incorporates theatrical performances.
The Importance of The Physical World
— With technological advancement, various industries are accelerating further.
The influence of AI is very significant. AI is an incredibly powerful tool that dramatically speeds up our work. AI has also made it possible to analyze very complex data that was previously difficult to handle.
However, there are many problems with this. The issue of regulation is critical. While various forms of knowledge have become easier to access, governments around the world haven’t been able to establish rules properly. Without proper regulation, many jobs will be lost, and human critical abilities will also be lost. Everything will become more homogenized.
Unfortunately, some jobs will indeed be lost, but among them are some that aren’t very important for humans. Instead, other areas will flourish. That’s why we think “reality” will become increasingly important going forward. Performance, craftsmanship, and everything that requires being in a specific place will become important.
— In this context, are there any fields or movements that you’re paying attention to?
As I mentioned earlier, ecology is the most critical movement right now. You cannot live as a human being without relating to ecological and social problems.
Looking back at history, designers have always been involved with ecosystems and society. Even considering Italy’s reconstruction after World War II, design played an important role in shaping the country, and the same thing is happening now. That’s why I respect “Design Emergency” by Alice Rawsthorn and Paola Antonelli. This book focuses on what design is needed for, and I think these remain crucial issues.
— Do you expect the projects by alter. participants to present such roles for designers?
What I’m expecting is to see excellent expressions. This isn’t an exaggerated statement. When I saw all the submitted proposals, I felt that alter. is very special compared to other design exhibitions because each designer presents from their own exhibition space. Rather than being like a fair exhibition, it will be like a museum presentation. That’s what I have expectations for, and I hope all participants will achieve success.