Chaise longue Highland di Patricia Urquiola per Moroso, Italia

Nata nel 1961 ad Oviedo, l'architetta e designer spagnola Patricia Urquiola studia al Politecnico di Milano e all'Università tecnica di Madrid, laureandosi nel 1989. Dal 1990 al 1996 è professoressa assistente di Achille Castiglioni e Eugenio Bettinelli al Politecnico di Milano e all'E.N.S.C.I. di Parigi. Durante questo periodo, lavora anche allo sviluppo di prodotti al De Padova, dove, insieme a Vico Magistretti, crea i popolari design Flower e Loom Sofa, tra gli altri.

In seguito Urquiola gestirà il gruppo di design Lissoni Associates, e i suoi clienti di arredamento ed accessori per la casa includono Alessi, Flos, Cappellini, Cassina, e Kartell. Nel 2001 apre uno studio insieme a Martino Berghinz, a Milano, dove vive e lavora tutt'oggi.

I design di Urquiola combinano estetiche pulite e moderne con tecniche artigianali tradizionali spagnole e italiane (in particolare quando si tratta di tessuti). Fa ricorso ad elementi culturali eclettici per umanizzare i suoi design. Tra i suoi lavori architettonici troviamo hotel, negozi, e case. La lista dei suoi clienti di design del prodotto include Foscarini, Cappellini, e B&B. Progetti degni di nota sono la sedia Fjord per Moroso (2002), le sedie intrecciate Flo per Driade (2004), e il tappeto Crochet per Paola Lenti (2005). Il lavoro di Urquiola continua a concentrarsi principalmente su progetti di design e architettura, e su concetti di mostre.

Udine, Italy-based Moroso was founded as a small-scale, artisanal upholstery company in 1952 by Agostino Moroso, who served as director until the 1990s. At that time, Agostino’s children, Roberto and Patrizia Moroso took over and began to transform the traditional, regionally-focused family business into the innovative, internationally renowned furniture manufacturer it is today. In the role of Creative Director, Patrizia Moroso in particular has not only reinvented her company’s mission but also has had a lasting influence on 21^st-century design discourse through her frequent, high profile collaborations with some of the world’s most talented designers. In 1988, while still working under her father, she invited Israeli-British designer Ron Arad to produce his now-iconic Big Easy Chair, which helped to launch his career and set Moroso on a path to become one of the biggest players in contemporary design.

Moroso defines its approach to design as a laboratory for experimentation that underscores the value of communication, differentiation, and diversity. The values embraced by the brand are visible in the daringness of their lines of sofas, chairs, tables, accessories, and more. Highlights from the Moroso collection include Australian designer Marc Newson’s Gluon series (1993), Spanish artist Javier Mariscal’s Los Muebles Amorosos series (1995), British designer Tom Dixon’s Serpentine Sofas (2003), British designer Ross Lovegrove’s Supernatural Chairs, Japanese designer Tokujin Yoshioka’s Bouquet Chairs (2008), Japanese studio Nendo’s Kub Tables (2009), as well more recent additions, such as Arad’s unconventional Glider Sofa (2015) and architect David Adjaye’s Art Deco-influenced Double Zero Chair (2015).  Moroso’s ongoing relationship with Spanish architect-designer Patricia Urquiola has generated a number of highly successful pieces, like the Fjord (2002), Bloomy (2004), Antibodi (2006), Tropicalia (2008), and Fishbone (2012) series. In recent years, Moroso has contributed to a global awareness of African design and craft through the M’Afrique project and collection launched in 2009 in collaboration with Urquiola, Dutch designer , and other design greats.

In addition to its domestic furniture and accessories output, over the years, the brand has expanded into the hospitality, education, healthcare, and corporate sectors. Drawing on the worlds of industrial design, contemporary art, and fashion, Moroso has also created temporary installations for Venice Biennale (2013), Art Basel Miami Beach (2010), and Palais de Tokyo (2006).