Forma & Cemento: Handcrafted Concrete

​​Forma & Cemento was founded in 2014 with the mission of designing unique handcrafted pieces made of concrete. The result is an exclusive collection of sculptural objects revealing a light and minimalist style and elevating the traditional conception of concrete. Thanks to this passionate pursuit, the skilled artisans behind Forma & Cemento production, realize real artworks and show the infinite potential of this material.

In the aim to “domesticate” the concrete, their production gives life to a style that can be summarized as a mix of brutalism, metaphysics and primitivism and takes inspiration from a wide range of fields, from classical architecture to sculpture. Meet Giorgio La Corte and discover the story of Forma & Cemento.

Since 2014, Forma&Cemento's mission has evolved around the concept of rendering a material such as concrete - mistakenly judged as poor and cold - valuable and interesting. How did this idea come about?

This idea stems from my engineering background: I have always appreciated this material, certainly because of its technical properties, but also for its aesthetic potential. Forma&Cemento actualized my goal of transforming structural elements into decor. Concrete textures are anything but cold, they have character and warmth, a story to tell, and are one-of-a-kind, never perfectly and exactly repeatable: hence the reason behind our claim that "each piece is a one-off, made by hand, and no two are the same."

The decision to devote your production entirely to concrete represents a real challenge that begins precisely with exploring all the potential this material can express. What characteristic do you love most about concrete which differentiates it from other materials?

Concrete is characterized by two seemingly antithetical aspects. It can be shaped by putting it into molds, faithfully replicating the contours in such a way that I’d venture to describe concrete as exceptionally docile; however, its texture is affected by innumerable factors varying from casting to casting. Stonalizations, for example, make the color vibrate in different ways so that each replica is always utterly unique: this is the raw quality of this material and also what distinguishes it from all materials that mimic its likeness but remain far removed from the original.

As both a designer and engineer, you have succeeded in highlighting the added value of craftsmanship in the creation of design pieces. In this vein, how does the creative and production process behind a new object unfold?

Starting a new project is an extremely iterative process, one that requires a continuous and constant dialogue between design and production. Forma&Cemento's production is completely artisanal and therefore abides by timing and processes that differ greatly from the industrial ones: ours is a "slow design." I’m an engineer by trade working in design, which makes it imperative for me to take into account the characteristics of both the material and production techniques.

Inspiration is the starting point for every new creation. Is there a specific universe you tap into when looking for new ideas for your furniture?

As a brand, we are fortunate to be able to collaborate with many external designers who complement our in-house studio and our prestigious artistic direction led by Marialaura Irvine. As such, there are countless sources of inspiration, starting withthe architecture masters of the past - inspiring the Euclide Collection - passing through the natural environment, and eventually arriving at art. Many of our products are inspired precisely by art, like the Fusto Collection and the Betti Line - which are drawn from classical art - or the Moodboard series - which is closer to the style of De Chirico and the metaphysical landscape - and last but not least Atlante, inspired by the famous marble sculpture of the same name.

Forma&Cemento stands as an innovator in the field of Italian and international design. Looking ahead, what do you foresee as the pivotal points of design?

More than ever, the challenge today and for the future is sustainability: design plays an essential role in guiding everyday choices we are called upon to make, both as producers and consumers. Our material proves to rise to the challenge presented by the historical moment by being durable and, one might say, virtually eternal: a concrete table has exceptional durability and therefore balances out the energy consumption required for its construction. We are always very attentive to our production process and, in addition to using local materials to reduce the shipping footprint, we are streamlining production to create a closed loop. This means that one production’s waste becomes the foundation for another product’s creation and so we are able to produce - from furniture accessories to surfaces - with increasingly reduced waste byproduct. We are also experimenting with collections that make recycling their trademark, because "nothing is created and nor destroyed but everything is transformed," similar to the components of concrete that from a solid state become liquid, flow into molds, and then become solid like a rock again.