CAMPANA

CAMPANA CELEBRATED its 35th anniversary in 2019, and in the years since, its design legacy has become even more essential. Founded by Brazilian brothers Fernando and Humberto Campana, the studio is a true design Swiss Army knife, jumping from landscaping and furniture-making to scenography and fashion. For this year’s Objets Nomades, the brothers revisited their classic Cocoon hanging chair, which has been updated with a disco flair, and adapted their Bomboca sofa into a metallic sculpture.

WHERE DO YOU FIND INSPIRATION? In the most ordinary and banal things—on a city walk, amidst a forest, or in a foreign country. We capture a specific moment with our eyes and derive a story from it, which we then translate into an object. This process infuses our work with a sense of purpose and resilience. It is a constant endeavor to leave the world better than how we found it.

HOW IS CAMPANA’S ETHOS REFLECTED IN THESE NEW OBJETS NOMADES? The latest Objets Nomades pieces—Disco Cocoon and Bomboca Mirror—are about joy and celebration. They are beacons of light; they bring positivity and good vibes. They connect art and design, craft and technology, blurring the boundaries among disciplines.

WHAT’S ONE MATERIAL THAT ALWAYS TRANSCENDS YOUR EXPECTATIONS? Styrofoam, also known as expanded polystyrene. Our goal was to give this material a second life and reduce waste. During the prototyping phase, we discovered that Styrofoam is an excellent medium for exploring various crafting techniques. This realization led to “Meteoro,” a collection of armchairs, sofas, and shelves sculpted from upcycled polystyrene, covered with hand-stitched metallic leather. These pieces exhibit strength, durability, and lightness, proving that even Styrofoam, which is not well regarded in terms of sustainability, can have positive qualities.