During the 2026 Salone del Mobile in Milan, Studio Paolo Ferrari presented two new works: one was "TIBUR / CONTINUUM," carved from travertine, and the other was the MC72 series, a tribute to Italian racing seaplanes. The materials were vastly different, but at their core, they shared the same philosophy.
In April, the entire city of Milan was abuzz with exhibitions. Brands vied for landmarks, designers rented warehouses, and everyone was competing to see whose installations were bigger, more eye-catching, and more likely to generate buzz. Studio Paolo Ferrari, however, never played by that rules. This year, they presented two works, each with a completely different partner: one was "TIBUR / CONTINUUM," a collaboration with the Italian stone workshop AATC and Co. Srl, which premiered in the historic courtyard of the University of Milan; the other was the MC72 sofa series, a collaboration with the century-old furniture brand Poltrona Frau. The former speaks through stone, the latter draws inspiration from airplanes; placed together, the two works seem like a public confession by designer Paolo Ferrari about his design philosophy over the past few years.
The story of travertine begins in Rome.
The material used in *TIBUR / CONTINUUM* is Italian Yellow Travertine. Travertine has been almost ubiquitous in Italian architectural history. It forms the walls of the Colosseum, the pavement of squares, and the columns of temples. Its warm, golden hue was never chosen for aesthetics, but rather because of its hardness and durability, capable of enduring for centuries in open public spaces. Paolo Ferrari's choice of this material clearly involved more than just its texture; he sought the entire historical memory of gatherings and public life behind it.
The placement of the artworks was also carefully chosen. The Cortile d'Onore at the University of Milan has a history spanning centuries, witnessing academic debates, ceremonies, and students chatting and taking shelter from the rain in its verandas. The sculptural sofas and lounge chairs from *TIBUR / CONTINUUM* were placed in this courtyard, and the curves of the stone and the stone colonnade of the courtyard remarkably resonated with each other. Paolo Ferrari said that he envisioned this set of furniture as a "framework of gatherings," rather than as pieces of furniture.
The entire production process is completed in Italy, handled by AATC and Co. Srl. This stone workshop, established in 1995, has long provided custom processing of marble, granite, and travertine for top architectural projects worldwide, possessing a level of understanding of stone far exceeding that of ordinary craftsmen. The yellow travertine ranges in hue from straw yellow to deep gold, with natural pores leaving varying densities of veins on the surface, making each piece unique. The workshop's artisans meticulously cut and polish each piece according to the design drawings, ensuring that every edge and corner is precisely positioned. The sofa's components are designed to be independently arranged and freely assembled, allowing for everything from intimate seating arrangements for two people to open formations for multiple people. The seemingly heavy stone is actually quite flexible.
What a seaplane taught him
The name MC72 comes from the Macchi MC72, a racing seaplane manufactured in Italy in the 1930s. This aircraft set a world speed record for piston-engine aircraft in 1934, exceeding 709 kilometers per hour—a record that remains unbroken to this day. Paolo Ferrari's use of this name for a sofa set is not about exploiting nostalgia, but rather about applying the engineering logic of the aircraft as a design methodology.
For a seaplane to take off over water, the fuselage must find a precise balance between air resistance and buoyancy; any excess weight or lines are cumbersome. Paolo Ferrari said that the starting point for designing the MC72 was imagining the moment a boat cuts through the water—that arc wasn't drawn, but rather a result determined by both resistance and speed. The sofa's low profile, the uninterrupted seat line extending from end to end, and the almost ground-hugging feel are all manifestations of this imagination. Before you sit down, you first see a moving posture.
This piece is a collaboration with Poltrona Frau, a long-established furniture factory founded in 1912 in Tolentino, Marche, Italy. The MC72's fabric is a matte finish, cut to fit every curve of the sofa, neither too loose nor too tight, making the seams almost invisible from the outside. Studio Paolo Ferrari has always had an almost obsessive aversion to seams and visible assembly logic; they want each piece to appear as if it were taken from a single piece of material, rather than being artificially assembled. The accompanying coffee table features a white limestone tabletop and a matte lacquered base, its curved edges echoing the lines of the main body, creating a harmonious whole when placed together.
The post "Between Stone and Flight" first appeared on Pure Luxury Magazine .
During the 2026 Salone del Mobile Milan Furniture Fair, Studio Paolo Ferrari presented two new works simultaneously: one was "TIBUR / CONTINUUM," carved from travertine, and the other was the MC72 series, a tribute to Italian racing seaplanes. The materials were vastly different, yet they shared the same underlying philosophy. In April, Milan was awash with exhibitions. Brands vied for landmarks, designers rented warehouses, and everyone competed to see whose installations were the largest, most eye-catching, and most attention-grabbing. Studio Paolo Ferrari, however, didn't play by that rule. This year, they presented two works, each with a completely different partner: one with the Italian stone workshop AATC…
The post "Between Stone and Flight" first appeared on Pure Luxury Magazine .
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During the 2026 Salone del Mobile Milan Furniture Fair, Studio Paolo Ferrari presented two new works simultaneously: one was "TIBUR / CONTINUUM," carved from travertine, and the other was the MC72 series, a tribute to Italian racing seaplanes. The materials were vastly different, yet they shared the same underlying philosophy. In April, Milan was awash with exhibitions. Brands vied for landmarks, designers rented warehouses, and everyone competed to see whose installations were the largest, most eye-catching, and most attention-grabbing. Studio Paolo Ferrari, however, didn't play by that rule. This year, they presented two works, each with a completely different partner: one with the Italian stone workshop AATC… The post Between Stone and Flight… DESIGN
