Right now, you are in the Marche region, at your Manifattura. What is it exactly?
Manifattura is an iconic place within the HENRYTIMI world, to which I have dedicated great passion over the past years. Architecturally speaking, it is a minimal, pure, and essential container. Inside, it houses the artistic woodworking shop, the marble workshop, the metalworking space, and rooms for treatments, painting, and drying, as well as several material libraries. This is where we transform natural wood, stone, metals, clay, and fabrics into what I call functional artworks. There is also a gallery space where we exhibit prototypes and works, in line with my galleries in Milan and Rome. I like to think of Manifattura as a place of gathering and well-being, surrounded by nature. Next to it, there is also the stable with my horses – another great passion of mine.
You chose to call your space ‘Manifattura’ – Italian for manufacture – a term that evokes tangible, ancient craftsmanship. How important is the human touch in your creative process?
Manifattura is my beating heart, the driving force of my work. It represents its tangible side, but at the same time, it is what gives me enthusiasm. I chose this name precisely to emphasize the act of making – with the hands, the mind, and the heart. I believe it is crucial to give our hands material to work with, to teach them ancient crafts that have been lost – woodworking, marble cutting, metalworking, tailoring. Manifattura was also born with this mission.
Manifattura is located in the Marche region because it is your homeland. Do you ever reflect on how this place has influenced your vision of the world and design?
Yes, more and more often. This landscape, its ancient villages, the sea, and the mountains have had a significant influence. I also consider nature to be the greatest source of inspiration and beauty we have been given. And in this sense, the Marche region is a wonderful place – just like all of Italy, after all.
It seems like you are strongly connected to your homeland.
Yes, I was born here, and my family still lives here. Corridonia is a place that gives me great serenity, which is why, a few years ago, I decided to establish Manifattura here, to do everything in this historic inland town, between the Adriatic Sea and the Sibillini Mountains. It is also a way to give value to the land and the people of the region, as I involve young local artisans in my project. I spent many years away, building my brand and career in Milan, and while I feel deeply connected to the city, this is where I chose to establish the heart and soul of HENRYTIMI.