Horm Stories #25
Reading the biographies of people who have achieved extraordinary things is an inexhaustible source of inspiration—that’s why we love interviews with the great masters of architecture and design. Recently, we came across one featuring architect Mario Bellini—winner of eight Compasso d’Oro awards—renowned worldwide for his extraordinary works. Bellini is an architect capable of transforming architecture into true art, demonstrating a versatile and multifaceted talent that continues to inspire generations of designers.
In the interview, Bellini shares that his passion for drawing has been a constant since childhood: his first artwork depicted a bottle of ink and a funnel, both anthropomorphized with arms and legs—elements that would later characterize his artistic style and reappear in his future projects.
Bellini goes on to describe his design philosophy, identifying curiosity as its core principle:
“Just as children put things in their mouths to understand what they are, I have a similar tendency to examine and touch objects—sometimes even looking under tables. I’m also deeply curious about materials: I love observing stones, marble, and wood, always trying to classify them by patterns, textures, color, and weight. I truly believe curiosity drives our search to understand the world and reshape our ideas. Without curiosity, nothing new can be created.”
The architect also highlights another key aspect of his process: the importance of ‘sitting alongside’ the client to establish a genuine sense of harmony and ensure the perfect execution of each project. Bellini emphasizes that his creative process always begins with hand drawing, evolving only later through the use of advanced digital technologies for renderings and development.
“Designing things means designing something that’s well-suited to stimulate the fullness of the senses,”
he explains—a mantra that Bellini applies not only to architecture but also to product design. A perfect example is the Ki chair, designed for Horm: an elegant seat made of bent and pressed ash or Canaletto walnut plywood.
The Japanese ideogram “Ki” can be translated as “Individual Essence”—that unique characteristic that distinguishes each being from all others. Similarly, the Ki chair expresses its own distinct personality through an innovative manufacturing technique that combines craftsmanship and design precision. But Ki’s originality goes beyond its construction: its backrest features a quilted diamond pattern relief, reminiscent of upholstered fabric stitching—an iconic detail that gives the chair a unique blend of simplicity, ergonomics, and elegance.
Thanks to its collaboration with such an eclectic designer as Mario Bellini, once again my company, Horm, has managed to surprise and inspire me—proving that great design is born where curiosity meets craftsmanship.
