From architecture to interiors: The design philosophy of Antonio Citterio and Patricia Viel

A text by Norman Kietzmann

Interiors are more than just a collection of furniture. The objects fit together like pieces of a walk-in puzzle. As an ensemble, they send out a message, an attitude that goes beyond the sum of the individual parts. What is important here? "We have a calm, uncluttered environment in mind that is understandable and a joy to use and live in," says architect and interior designer Patricia Viel. For her, a home is not an artificial place that only works for the camera. It's about everyday use. "For us, the choice of materials is primarily based on their ability to age naturally. In this way, they take on a patina that is well preserved," explains the Milanese designer. Clarity and honesty are crucial. "We don't cover surfaces with additional coatings. The materials should be used as purely as possible so that they reveal their identity instead of hiding it," emphasises Patricia Viel.

What is her aim? "To go beyond the visual component and also incorporate the haptic and tonal dimension of perception," says the 62-year-old. For her, design is not an end in itself. You should feel comfortable in the interior. And that means getting up close and personal with everyday objects. "It's very important that the environment you live in becomes something of yourself over time. It's like a beautiful cashmere jumper. It takes on the shape of your body, the way you move.

The same applies to an environment that is designed in such a way that we can use it without fear of damaging anything. The focus is on the use, not just the appearance," says the Milan native, who studied at the Milan Polytechnic. In 1986, she began working as a project manager for the architect Antonio Citterio. In 2000, they founded the joint office "ACPV ARCHITECTS Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel" in Milan, which today has around 190 employees and eleven partners. Most of them work at the company headquarters on Via Cerva, a purist and graceful building in the heart of the Lombard capital, which was of course designed by its users themselves, both inside and out.

Holistic design approach

The studio's scope encompasses urban planning, architecture, interiors and design. A leap from the very large to the small scale in order to create holistic solutions. This applies on land as well as on water. For example, the Milan-based studio designed the interiors for a Sanlorenzo 460 EXP (2017) and for the Navetta 30, Navetta 38 and the Custom Line 50.

"When you're on a boat, you feel free. But you know that the weather can change and the wind can pick up. That's why we try to create an interior where you always have a sense of what's happening on board," explains Patricia Viel. The choice of materials, colours and style are consistent so as not to give the impression that the main deck is in a completely different place to the lower deck. "We want the continuity of space through all levels from inside to outside to really give the feeling that you are in control of the boat," says the architect.

Antonio Citterio and Patricia Viel create Rooms with a feeling of space

The yacht projects benefit from the knowledge that the office has acquired on land. And yet there are big differences. "We really don't understand why many run-of-the-mill boats have the sofa built into a rear wall. Firstly, the interior can no longer be changed, and secondly, you completely lose the perception of the nautical space. We believe that the interior of a boat should be flexible and reconfigurable," says Patricia Viel. Seating and side tables can vary their position. They are detached from the wall, as is usual in the interior design of houses or flats. Storage is a completely different matter. "We work a lot with walk-in wardrobes or storage areas that are invisibly embedded in walls. This allows us to create a lot of space between the free-standing furniture to avoid the impression of a crowded room and instead convey a feeling of spaciousness," emphasises Patricia Viel.

She plans the yacht projects together with Chiara Massarani, who works for the office as Senior Project Director and has found a special sensitivity for life at sea. In the process, there are increasingly frequent jumps between projects. "Today I designed a flat in Shenzhen with Chiara. We are using the headboard of a bed and a side table that we originally designed for a boat. They are not 1:1 the same products. But the concept is identical. Because it's an adjoining room that needs to create privacy in a very small space - with all the furnishings you need around the bed. In other words, exactly what you need for a boat," explains Patricia Viel. The transfer goes even further: "In architecture, we are constantly acquiring knowledge about new materials that we can use well for boats due to their low weight.

Conversely, with a yacht, you need to be able to dismantle parts for maintenance purposes. This approach is helpful for the planning of buildings. We have to think more and more about what happens when the use of a house changes." What makes the interior design of a yacht contemporary? "Simplicity. Somehow, it used to be the case that design expectations tended towards clutter, which was really beyond anyone's taste. Today, the trend has changed completely. Many new boats convey a sense of quality," Patricia Viel is convinced.

Ode to the self-evident

It's about finding a language that doesn't seem exalted, but rather at peace with itself. Her office partner sees it the same way. "For me, pleasant forms are associated with normality. They don't seem forced. That's why we want to give things an everyday, appropriate and natural appearance," says Antonio Citterio. He founded his first office back in 1972 and specialised in design before moving into architecture in 1982.

To this day, the majority of product design is in his hands. What unites designs such as the office swivel chair "T-Chair" (1994) for Vitra, the sofa "Groundpiece" (2001) for Flexform, the bed "Alcova" (2003) for Maxalto, the "Re-Chair" (2020) for Kartell or the outdoor programme "Esosoft" (2024) for Cassina: innovation is not placed on the outside, but integrated into a familiar and almost inconspicuous appearance. The furniture does not form a foreign body in its surroundings, but blends subtly into them.

Antonio Citterio and Patricia Viel are working on Projects from Italy to around the globe

Creating holistic experiences is not only possible on board a yacht, but also on land. In 2002, the architects designed the company headquarters for the sports equipment manufacturer Technogym, as well as the majority of all products in the following years. A flagship store in Los Angeles was built for men's tailor Zegna in 2000 and the new company headquarters in Milan in 2008. All Bulgari hotels were designed by the office. After Milan (2004) and Bali (2006), the eighth branch was opened in Tokyo in 2023. Here too, Patricia Viel and Antonio Citterio demonstrate how a quiet, purist language can be used to create memorable spaces.

Current projects include "The Plaza" - the conversion of a public square on the Avenue of the Americas in New York City, which will be completed in 2023. A large staircase connects the street level with a lower level that offers space for restaurants, retail and underground access. In St. Moritz, the office is planning a new wing for the historic "Badrutt's Palace Hotel". Two major projects are under construction in Taiwan: the 280-metre high-rise "The Sky Taipei" with two hotels and the "Capella Kenting Resort" on the southern tip of Taiwan. In future, guests will be able to reside in sixty private villas. The architecture and interior create an understated yet stylish setting in which to enjoy the beauty of nature - a point that Patricia Viel carries over to her own home.

"My flat is divided into a sleeping and living area. I avoid doors and passageways so as not to divide the interior into smaller areas. Because I like the space, the empty space," explains the architect. This requirement naturally leads to conflict: "You need a lot of things in everyday life - and they have to be hidden. That's why there are side rooms where everything is located: They form an acoustic separation between where I sleep and where I don't," says Patricia Viel. It sounds like an homage to the ryokans in traditional Japan, where everything disturbing disappeared behind sliding paper walls in almost empty rooms. You could also say that it is like the guideline for the yacht design of the Milan office: to emancipate oneself from the walls and at the same time activate them as useful helpers. The big and the small things - they all flow into one another.