Formations by Note Design Studio for Tarkett at Milan Design Week 2019.

Makers of functional flooring Tarkett collaborated with Note Design Studio on an installation at the historic Circolo Filologico Milanese, exploring the creative potential of their new co-designed iQ Surface. Featuring iconic pieces by Italian furniture brand Magis, Formations subverts notions of scale by playfully distorting architectural archetypes, celebrating the endless potentials of design language.

Made of vinyl, the iQ surface collection was designed with architects and designers in mind, heralding a new era whereby such industrial materials comfortably hold their own alongside granite, marble or stone. Colour curation was a key pillar of the range, with five palettes and surfaces: Contrast, Rouge, Sober, Dimmed and Vivid. Beige hues tie the collection together, bridging multiple colourways and enabling the combination of different designs.

Teaming up with Magis, known for timeless, high-quality products, further suggests the potential of Tarkett’s materials for not just floors, but on walls and as furniture. Iconic pieces from Magis such as Konstantin Grcic’s cylindrical Brut sofa were chosen to echo the archetypal forms of the installation and the iQ Surface colour palette.

The concept behind Formations speaks to both the history and architecture of the Circolo Filologico, one of the oldest centres for the research and study of language. In the main hall, cones, rings, cubes, and spheres balanced precariously atop 24 columns of various heights made of the iQ surface. The double height glass ceiling and open balconies created depth and cast shadows across the vinyl structures, accentuating their various hues.

At the heart of the building’s history, the upstairs library displayed small prototype archetype objects, such as stairs, cylinders, rings, and arches. Made from a blend of various materials by Tarkett, they served as ‘mini tools’ for visitors to examine up close, test and touch. Grid vinyl flooring further demonstrated the iQ collection’s versatility, with each square clearly defined by contrasting lines made from coloured welding rods.

See more projects from Note Design Studio on Yellowtrace here.

[Images courtesy of Note Design Studio & Tarkett.]