“’Once upon a time, there was a king’, my little readers will immediately say. ‘No, children, you are wrong. There was a piece of wood.’” Carlo Collodi (author of Pinocchio). The Italian word for wood, legno, derives from the Latin “lignum” which, according to some etymologists, derives its meaning from lègere (to select, to collect). In the Chinese tradition, the element of wood represents Spring, therefore birth and rebirth.

A true patrimony of the company, the selection of Porro woods is renewed each year and is personally curated by Lorenzo Porro, who has a deep memory of the history and deep knowledge of the material, together with Piero Lissoni who, with his sensitivity as an architect and designer suggests nuances and uses which are always new. The vision of the stylist and that of the tailor intertwine in the creation of a palette of 16 wooden essences, conceptually divided into 3 categories, suggesting a unique service offered by Porro:
the possibility of working the wood with a broad spectrum of personalizations, for a custom-made habitat which fits us perfectly, like a tailor-made suit.

Porro’s savoir-faire on wood filters through in a conceptual manner in the “Woodenland” installation by Piero Lissoni in the Porro duriniquindici showroom: an itinerary where the regular grid of the System bookcase is transformed into a natural labyrinth in which to discover different essences, where a file rouge guides the visitor, helping him or her to orient themselves through the finishes. Showing “on its own skin” the new essences, System modules the space in the pursuit of naturalness, in a gradual passage of colours and textures.

The path begins with the fashionable woods of the Next category, characterized by special technical and aesthetic properties and rich colorations. Thanks to the heat treatment, hemlock, elm, tanne, oak, eucalyptus and walnut “get a suntan”, taking on interesting colors; add to these, teak and santos rosewood, for those seeking alternative routes, unlocking the traditional woods and playing with chromatic contrasts and gambles. It continues with two familiar types of wood, well known in Porro environments: natural hemlock and black stained hemlock, part of the Evergreen category that includes the woods characterizing Porro brand and which unleash its DNA. Although not physically displayed, the wooden essences from the Heritage category are available upon request; they are a tribute to the woods of tradition, to be defended and renewed. Natural oak, cherry, domestic walnut, canaletto walnut and ash, each with its own history, live in a new light, expressing themselves in the pure geometric shapes of Porro’s design in an unexpected encounter of new and old.

Inside System, all kinds of objets trouvés - boxes, bags, corsets, dishes, televisions, bottles and food - all line up one after the other and continue on for 60 linear meters, suggesting combinations of materials and shades with the idea that the wood in both Porro’s systems and products is an ingredient that can be chosen to your liking, like what usually happens with fabric, relying on the highest quality of a Porro selection.

The new Woodenland catalogue accompanies the display: like a book to leaf through or a journal full of notes, it collects stories, general and technical information, and curious anecdotes that revolve around wood, because even the trees – like flowers – have their own symbolism to be rediscovered. To stop for a moment during the frenzy of the Salone del Mobile, and to let yourself to be enchanted by the marvels of Nature.

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