TERRA COSMOS: spaces full of future promise

All with no need for a spacesuit. While these unprecedented formal and creative perspectives may have us with our eyes on the stars, the proposals themselves are down-to-earth, and the materials eminently telluric. 

For François Delclaux, Terra Cosmos can be defined as: "first and foremost, ideas which play on raw minerality, in reference to lunar or Martian vistas." As the recurrent Curator of What’s New in Retail, he has already spotted signs thereof among the proposals from creators. "Pulpo often uses primary – if not 'primitive' – materials, as if fallen from a meteorite, thus imposing the very shape of the object," he goes on to say. Materials represent a powerful common thread for Terra Cosmos. These materials may be brutalist or sophisticated, iridescent or transparent, evocative of both the mineral surface of the stars as well as celestial and stellar expanses. "The treatment of light is somewhat reminiscent of the magic circles used by Le Deun Luminaires. Fuoriluogo Design's creations are redolent of myriads of stars," according to François Delclaux. 

The Italian company Imperfetto Lab revendique claims nature as a source of inspiration in its entirety, and its products often conjure up images of this cosmic universe. "Our furniture is reminiscent of some distant archaeology, as if shaped by water, polished by the wind, or forged by fire," asserts the brand, which relies heavily on experimental expertise in its works. "In reality, these creations are brought to life by skilled hands and minds, which, after many years of experimentation, have mastered resin in all its possible metamorphoses," explains the Italian art laboratory.  

For the What’s New? In Decor space, Elizabeth Leriche is planning a more emotional and poetic interpretation of the theme, playing on oppositions between the sky and the ground, transparency and opacity, the infinitely small and the immensely large... According to Elizabeth: "only with our eyes on the stars and our feet firmly planted on the ground can we be in touch with the universe." 

For consumers, this quest for connection is increasingly linked to more spiritual practices. The answers to these expectations can be found at the exhibition. "This encompasses the entire universe of Well-Being, as well as those of magic and esotericism. Lithotherapy and astrology are real market trends," agrees Mélanie Leroy, Managing Director of Maison&Objet. "Product curation will underline sectors or sub-sectors that are currently buoyant and represent a growing trend." 

Van Dang's Crystal Meditation Sets are emblematic of these new proposals. Delicately placed upon their little porcelain pedestals, these are not just beautiful objects. Used with scented oils, they are intended to allow for "communing with higher powers."  

The positive and stimulating outlook of Terra Cosmos is redolent of the context in which the Space Age movement was born, at the height of space travel and exploration. Its enduring appeal will be strongly expressed at the exhibition through objects that are often playful, colourful, and optimistic. Alexis Martial and Adrien Caillaudaud, Founders of Amca Oval, assert the importance of its influence.  "The Space Age is above all a philosophy, a quest for innovation and a fantasised future. The idea is not to recapture the design of a bygone era, but to extract its essence and bring it to life in a contemporary way. All with new environmental objectives and new technologies."

Terra Cosmos is but the next episode of an interstellar saga. This cosmic vision of the future remains firmly rooted in the reality of an exhibition that is resolutely focused on novelty, creativity, and innovation.