Aldo Cibic - Paola C interviewed by Cristina Morozzi

Aldo Cibic, born in Vicenza in 1955, defines himself self-taught.

 

In 1981, thanks to the acquaintance with Ettore Sottsass, he became one of Memphis' founders, for which he designed about 15 pieces. He defines it as the most beautiful adventure of his life. It gradually diversified its business. He created the Standard home furnishings collection, a middle ground between Ikea and De Padova, which he called "a new normal with joy".

 


He designed ceramics for Bassano and glasses with Lunardon. Thanks to the teaching experience at the Domus Academy in Milan, he started working on the poetic dimension of objects and the design of services. The Paola C brand was born after meeting Paola Coin, who was also her life partner. They still produce pieces that they develop together.

 


His projects "Microrealities" in 2004 and "Rethinking" Happiness in 2010 are presented at the Venice Architecture Biennale. He creates Cibicworkshop to devote himself to the development of alternative types of projects in architecture, interiors and design, intended to enhance the territory and define a new cultural awareness. In 2018 he was appointed professor at Tongji University in Shanghai, where he teaches six months a year. His goal in design is the search for archetypes, that is, objects independent of the style of the moment, with their own independent life.

 

He is not interested in fashion, but things characterized by his own "absoluteness". It defines its joyful and vital design, independent from trends, capable of satisfying the consumer.

 

Among his numerous design projects are those born from the collaboration with Bormioli, the Otto sofa, designed for the Paola Coin house in Venice, characterized by a deep seat, produced by Pianca; the rugs created for Moret, a Venetian company that manufactures in Turkey. For Rinascente in Milan, he redesigned the layout of the windows. He loves interior projects and considers the one for Paola Coin's house in Venice to be exemplary (1991).