Italian designer, collector, and wheels enthusiast Tommaso Spinzi welcomes Metcha at his multifaceted creativity vault and studio in Milan.
How can a creative physical space influence upcoming designs and ideas?
This question arises naturally when we are invited into the studio-gallery-garage of Italian designer Tommaso Spinzi. Simply put, it’s like opening a vault of his passions and being instantly transported anywhere — with every journey made in a Porsche — and anytime through artwork, historic objects, and century-old furniture.
The designer told us during our visit: “Besides being the Spinzi headquarter, the loft is also an atelier where we like to welcome friends, clients, and other creatives. Its eclectic style is the direct result of these meetings of creative energies, with works by contemporary artists and photographers, vintage furniture, and Spinzi creations side by side.”
“The progressive lifting of the COVID-19 restrictions has been great news for us since we could finally start welcoming people in the loft again. This place has the power to spark creativity, and great ideas always come up when discussing work here.” Lucky for us.
The combination of the concrete floor with the white walls and an equally light metallic mezzanine give the whole atmosphere of an eclectic gallery capable of mixing all kinds of inspiration.
As you say, “good design is all about storytelling.” What is the story behind your first floor?
“When I saw the loft for the first time, I fell in love with the mezzanine, because its presence adds a quid to a space that would otherwise be just an empty warehouse. I like every detail of it — the industrial feel, the metallic structure left in plain sight, and the fact that from up there you can have a different perspective on the loft. Observing furniture from above is a great way to spot details that you would otherwise miss.”
Here, Tommaso keeps a collection of timeless pieces such as a Borsani P40 armchair from the ’60s, Cassina chairs by Gianfranco Frattini and a Michael Ducaroy’s Togo, all coexisting well with the new classics created by him.
You are a big treasure collector. What’s the secret to combining historical pieces with your own designs?
“When we design things and when we buy vintage furniture or historical objects, we always do it with our heart and soul. That’s how we know it’s right: There is a lot of Spinzi both in what we design and what we collect. That’s also why I’m always sure all our things fit together and we can rearrange them however I want to.”
We’ve already talked to the designer about his connection to leather-focused wheels, and you can check it out here, but his loft makes it an experience. As a car and bike enthusiast, Spinzi has a 1983 Porsche 911 in his living room that demonstrates some of that fascination, but none of them can be compared to his own designs.
How do the Gentleman Driving Armchair and the Lamè Chair relate to the identity of this place?
“The loft is the expression of the Spinzi Style, as are all of our designs. So yes, you can definitely find the essence of my home in Lamè or in the GDA. They were both born to find a place in this space and keep road memories alive even when sitting inside home. The GDA draws its inspiration from the comfort of vintage Mercedes sedans, while Lamè, with its sleek lines, pays homage to air-cooled engines.”
When it was time to say goodbye, we couldn’t leave without an inspiration boost to continue on our way.
Your cars definitely bring the freedom of the road into your home. Do you have any inspiring road stories to share with us?
“I bring back fond memories from all my road trips, also because I feel good inside of my cars. So recently, while cruising around the Alps, I had an idea to launch a Car Tailoring program to transform cars into unique expressions of their owners’ lifestyles and tastes. Imagine driving around on your favorite roads and making the experience even more special knowing that you are in a car that has been tailored around you, with made-to-measure interior details. We have already redesigned some cars, and we can’t wait to transform and show more of them.”
Yes, we can imagine it, and we can’t wait for the next dose of Tommaso Spinzi’s multifaceted creativity.
Find the original story on Metcha.com!
