Denis Santakiara Designer Country: Italy

1. Biography of Denis Santachiara
2. Recognition in the 80s
3. The Magical Design Objects

Biography of Denis Santachiara

Denis Santachiara was born in Campanole in 1951. He is a self-taught designer who acquired his first professional skills at the automotive styling bureau, "De Tommaso." There, he participated in the design of non-series bodies for collectible cars. After a short time at the bureau, Santachiara started working independently, creating experimental and extravagant designs. Due to the extreme nature of his projects, Santachiara was isolated from the design community for a considerable time. However, by the mid-70s, after his first publications in the magazine "Modo," he entered the circle of "new design" representatives and became a noticeable figure there.

Recognition in the 80s

In the 1980s, Santachiara actively participated in design exhibitions. The exhibition in Milan in 1985 brought him international fame. He presented objects called "Neomerce" ("New Merchandise") at this exhibition, marking the beginning of a new direction in Italian design. The designer formulated the concept of this new style in the book "Invented Matter," co-authored with A. Meda and E. Mancini. This style can be defined as neotechno, as it uses the latest technological achievements to move away from rationalism in design and transform objects into almost magical entities.

The Magical Design Objects

One of Santachiara's "magical" projects is the "Sister Chairs" gamma (Sister Chair, 1987). These chairs engage in a unique "conversation" with the person sitting on them. The first model, "Shy," starts emitting a red glow when the person raises their voice. The "Sociable" chair envelops and hugs the sitter, influenced by their warmth. The "Capricious" chair changes the color of its upholstery depending on the person's body temperature. All these "wonders" are made possible by a special composite material that fills the chair backs and seats.

The objects designed by Santachiara are almost animated creatures, resembling artificial and amusing pets. They respond to human contact, making sounds, glowing, spreading, and even displaying cartoons. Their rational functions take a back seat while their emotional function takes center stage — to bring joy. These are cute trinkets, such as a night lamp that projects a herd of adorable yellow lambs walking in a line on the wall, designed to help people fall asleep by counting sheep.

Santachiara's designs are playful, providing an illusion, a whimsical invention, and even deception, contrasting with traditional design, which emphasizes rationality. His objects are meant for an entertaining game.

Some of Santachiara's notable projects include the "Superleggera" stereo helmet (1979, for the company "BWA"), an information system for the city (Milan Triennale, 1979), a motel bed using optical fiber for upholstery (exhibition "New Inventions of Design," 1982), the installation "Oneiric House" (Milan Triennale, 1983), the interior and equipment of the restaurant "L'Aquilone" (1985), and the home robot "Ines" (Milan Triennale, Cartell company, 1986).