London Design Week / Vincent Van Duysen

A renowned furniture designer and creative director of Molteni&C, we chat with Vincent Van Duysen about his new collection for the company based on the Roman domus, his Belgian roots and where he finds his inspiration today.

How did it come about that the Roman domus became the inspiration for this year’s Molteni&C collection?

“I wanted to take a different direction, informed by my secondary school studies. Having studied Greek and Latin, I was introduced to the way of living in Roman times. I have always been fascinated by the simplicity of their homes, developed around an atrium. This element has been extremely influential in my career until today.”

What is it about mixing classic and contemporary elements that appeal to you most?

“Some ancient elements, such as indoor gardens with colonnades, have always appealed to me; consider for example my own house in Portugal, which has such a feature. What I like about it is that you can create intimate outdoor areas but, at the same time, find an extension of the indoor with light percolating through the columns.”

How can the past influence current and future designs?

“Nowadays, I think that contemporary living should have an understanding of how people live in their homes, how they inhabit the space. Contemporary living shouldn’t be only about the physical construction of space but about creating spaces for people to live in feeling protected, safe; being able to unplug and re-energise; surrounded by art, furniture pieces and objects. All these aspects are part of this art of living that is part of my parcours, a sort of Gesamtkunstwerk.

“The art of living (of contemporary living) is also a compendious effort that encompasses passion, research and understanding of human needs together with channelling tactility, timelessness, organicity, texture, serenity, comfort, natural materials, light and exquisite craftsmanship.”

The Art of Living Together by Molteni&C can be viewed at London Design Week from 16 to 23 September.