The eclectic villa of a Gen Z couple in Shanghai

What were the focal points around which you built the project?

Enrico Taranta: "We worked in close contact with the client during the conceptual phase both to divide the functional spaces and for the style.
We wanted to propose an eclectic but elegant style and above all a creative and stimulating environment where children could grow up surrounded by colors, textures and shapes".

As a Gen Z, what were the top requests from owners? Have you noticed a clear difference with different generations?

Enrico Taranta: "We work with many young clients from 20 to 30 years old especially in Asia; compared to more mature clients who try to exploit spaces down to the centimeter, Gen Z want a house where you can express yourself in complete freedom: for me it is very interesting given that I have been working in China since 2005 and in these 20 years I have seen the way of interpreting residential design really change.

Fitness areas open and mixed with office rooms, virtual reality rooms, huge dressing rooms, lounge areas for interacting with iPads or smart phones, exhibition walls where toy collections can be displayed, puppets in limited series, but mainly also the use of greenery in the home which until recently was considered negatively, as a carrier of insects or thought of as impossible to maintain.

Younger clients like to mix cultural elements of fengshui such as having a filter between the entrance door and the living room but reinterpreted in a contemporary key, which is why we designed it in bronze with curved corner panels, but we also introduced triangular shapes with edges for the fireplace or glass in the double height which could never have been accepted by customers over 40 years old, because the edges are carriers of tension in the house for fengshui".

How did you integrate design icons into contemporary pieces?

Enrico Taranta: "Mix and Match is probably what I like to do most during the furnishing selection phase.

Once the plants and materials have been confirmed and we move on to the furnishings, I always start with an in-depth research which culminates in supporting the customer in various shops.

Sometimes, modifying some furnishing choices is almost equivalent to a treasure hunt, in order to achieve perfection and completion of the project which I enjoy a lot."

Shapes, textures and colour: how did you identify these three aspects?

Enrico Taranta: "It is very rare to be able to use shapes, textures and color in a single project and especially in a villa, we often tend to want a monochromatic environment in beige because we have afraid to go further...

But then you feel like you're in a monotonous space and you rush to repair it by buying that colored cushion that destroys the whole project; in this case I had carte blanche and above all trust from the client both in the use of important colors such as blue combined with wood, stone > and metal.

And then the use of more delicate pastel secondary colors. With a sort of hierarchy.

As regards the textures, they were chosen in relation to the functions: a more luxury entrance with an important texture in the floor, a custom made carpet in the living room like an abstract painting, finally architectural forms such as the staircase that goes into the attic that communicates with the living room, thecorners of the atticthat are softened by more comfortable colors and fabrics, bronze frames with curved corners to delimit different areas".

Why metal?

Enrico Taranta: "The strategic positioning of the metallic elements, combined with the extensive color portfolio, creates a visually captivating atmosphere that goes beyond conventional notions of luxury. This blend of metallic accents and bold color highlights allowed me to elevate the overall aesthetic to a higher level by experimenting."

How to 'avoid' the chaotic effect and instead obtain an artistic effect as in the case of this apartment? Can you give us some tips for our readers?

Enrico Taranta: "It certainly requires a lot of experience and continuous experimentation; then a much more sophisticated general control of the project is needed which does not imply the fear of exposing oneself: Gen Z customers really appreciate forms of expression free from judgments or monotonous aesthetic canons. They desire unique spaces and know that "less is more" is part of a globalized production chain that belongs to their parents who do not feel they are their own".