The Principe Collection, designed by renowned Italian architect and designer Marco Piva, has been expertly crafted in American walnut by Italian furniture producer Arte Brotto.

Marco Piva shares his thoughts on the Principe Collection and working with American walnut:

“Wood was, together with stone, the first material for architecture, and it was then reconfigured, regenerated, structured in such a way as to make it the fundamental component of contemporary architecture and of the objects that compose it, which is why it is a material that is particularly dear to me.

As far as American walnut is concerned, we at Studio Marco Piva use it above all in the residential sector, for floors, because being a highly designed wood, with its warm tones and intense grain, it conveys a sense of authenticity, and therefore of 'home' and coziness. 

In some projects, such as the one for a private home we are currently working on in Iceland, we also use it as a cladding, in this case in a more articulated manner, creating ribbed patterns that give dynamism and refinement, embodying the elegance and robustness in nature that characterize this wood and further enhancing the tactile perception of its texture.

The most important experimentation we have, however, is in the field of industrial design, for example in the 'Principe' collection designed for Arte Brotto, where creativity and an architectural eye meet and enhance walnut wood, revealing its contemporary soul in the encounter with metals, leathers and fabrics. The Principe collection offers a wide selection of furniture and furnishing accessories (in walnut or oak) that, together with the large availability of finishes, allow for the creation of unique environments. The company also guarantees the absolute quality of walnut wood, obtained from carefully and sustainably managed forests, and this is fundamental for us from the point of view of design ethics. The result is tables, coffee tables, sideboards and cabinets in which walnut wood is the protagonist even when it does not appear in its bare essence, showing all its beauty. 

Thanks to its versatility, hardness and resistance, we are also applying American walnut wood to other collections, such as the Plaza Collection designed for Horm, always experimenting with its combination with other materials, marbles and metals in this case: a connection with tradition which, through experimentation, becomes innovation.”