Tibur / Continuum

In the University’s Courtyard of Honour, Studio Paolo Ferrari presents a special edition of the Tibur Collection by Editions Paolo Ferrari, carved from yellow travertine. Travertine, historically linked to Roman civic and monumental architecture, is used for its material presence and the symbolic value of its golden hue, which enhances the form without resorting to decorative treatments.

In antiquity, this material was used for public works and its immanent character represented confidence in the continuity of civic space. Here, its role is evocative and expresses a contemporary and measured way of engaging with history. The installation centres on a modular sofa and a lounge chair with sculptural forms, conceived as volumes carved from stone. The sofa’s elements can be assembled in various configurations, facilitating different ways of gathering and sharing the space. Set within the historical context of the University of Milan, the installation engages with the courtyard space, highlighting the relationship between design, architecture and the public sphere.

 “I think of Tibur / Continuum,” says Paolo Ferrari, “less as a piece of furniture and more as a meeting place. The material gives it weight, but the forms are designed to be used, touched and experienced. Permanence only makes sense if people can truly inhabit it. For a work to truly resonate, it must exist fully in the present, responding to the way people meet, move and occupy the space.”

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