Keeping it Simple

1991 was a pivotal year, marked by sweeping geopolitical shifts and technological advancements. The collapse of a long-standing entrenched political structure and the rise of new digital paradigms reshaped computing, communication, and material processing. These changes subsequently influenced the design field. Design, often a reflection or at least a response to its context, adapted to these changes, embodying the era's dynamic energy in its forms and functions. Italian designer Alberto Meda, a leading figure in this evolution, collaborated with the experimental design company Alias exploring new materials such as extruded aluminum, die-cast components, and lightweight plastic meshes for furniture. On the occasion of its 45th anniversary, Alias celebrates the Frame chair collection (1991) by dedicating a limited edition to this design classic.

Ibrahim Kombarji: You wear many hats that influence one another—a mechanical engineer graduate, a previous technical manager, an industrial designer, and an educator. How do these diverse experiences shape the core manifesto or ethos of your practice?

Alberto Meda: I believe design is inherently complex, with no single privileged approach. My work blends the technical expertise I have gained over the years with a desire for simplicity. I see technique and aesthetics as inseparable—they must coexist. In my case, the attempt of my practice  is to create a scenario of simplicity to satisfy an almost physiological need to surround oneself with simple objects.This is why contact with the scientific world is essential—an idea must rely on physicality to take shape, and technology (the meeting point between science and technique) and new

materials represent the ever-evolving palette of physical possibilities. Paradoxically, the more complex technology becomes, the more it enables the creation of simple objects with a unified, almost organic image, tending toward function integration and component reduction (as seen with plastics or cast metals).

IK: Throughout your career, you have collaborated with iconic design companies like Vitra, Alias, and Olivetti. How do these collaborations usually begin?

AM: I have been fortunate in my relationships with clients, as many of these collaborations have been built on shared ideas and values. A good relationship is fundamental to generating good ideas. My partnership with Alias for instance, started in 1987

with a research project on using composite materials—carbon fiber and Nomex honeycomb sandwich structures—in a domestic setting, which are typically reserved for aerospace applications. It was a fascinating research project but an industrial flop. This led to the creation of the LightLight chair, where I aimed to distribute the material “intelligently,” using it as sparingly as possible, thinning out the sections to achieve performance not just in terms of physical lightness, but also visually by minimizing bulk. I wasn’t aiming for a record in lightness—it makes no sense for a chair—but unknowingly, I created a surprise effect: when you lift it, it feels weightless, and when you sit down, you don’t believe it can support you. I thus discovered an aesthetic dimension of the “limit condition.” 

Ph. Miche Cinieri