After the September edition in Milan, DjArch will come back with a smaller project, in the city of London, involving seventeen architecture studios, and four showrooms
Towant, an informal network for architecture and design
We’re used to knowing architects and designers for their work: plans, buildings, products. The team of people behind it – the creators – is often hidden. Some may say it is not a big deal: must we really get in touch with studios’ human forces? Italian event agency Towant has a different take on things.
Self-defined as an ‘informal network for architecture and design’, it organizes events that aim to shine a different light on studios. Through their people’s personal traits, such as «their favorite dish or the music they listen to», explains Gianluca Lupi, Towant’s founder and director. It is a way to «understand where ideas come from». And from whom.
After Covid-19 halted some of Towant’s plans over the last two years, the agency is once again bringing projects to life. One of its formats is DjArch, first launched in 2015. Mr. Lupi defines it as «a party in design showrooms, where the architects aren’t displaying their products. They’re DJing». After the September edition in Milan, DjArch will come back with a smaller project, in the city of London, involving seventeen architecture studios, and four showrooms. «It’s not necessarily to have big stars. But we still look for studios of a certain level» Mr. Lupi says.
DjArch London Xmas, December 2022
The second edition in the city of London will take place on the evenings of December seven and December eight..
The four involved showrooms are going to be Atlas Concorde (30 St John’s Ln), Millerknoll (91 Goswell Road), Ideal Standard (76-68 Clerkenwell Road), and Natuzzi Italia (80-81 Tottenham Ct Rd).
Among the seventeen involved showrooms appear the names: 3D Reid, ACME, Alpex Architecture, BDP, beyonddesign, chapmanbdsp, Goldstein Heather Architecture, Jestico + Whiles, JPA Design, Kaap Studio Architects, Name Architecture, SMC Design, Spinocchia Freund, Studio Moren, Studio RHE, Studio Stassano, THDP.
Mr. Lupi expects that «people will dance, have fun and have a few drinks». DjArch’s partner is Bombeer, an Italian beer brand founded by the ex-footballer Christian Veri.
DjArch, the playlists of architectural practices at the design showrooms
Each studio, explains Mr. Lupi, «is going to showcase a six track playlist that represents its identity. All the playlists will then be uploaded on Spotify, where there’s also going to be a more general compilation with two tracks picked from every playlist». Members from the studios will play their music alongside eleven professional DJs. Each event is going to be open to the public: attendees are asked to choose their favorite playlist.
The results will make a list of a smaller number of selected studios that will later participate in a tournament to decide the winner of Dj Arch London 2022.
DjArch over the years and future programs
DjArch has been growing since its launch in 2015. «First time we did this, it was just a studio paired with a showroom. Then there were four of five showrooms involved, with a small number of studios playing there. It eventually became a little bigger. Many studios come back year after year. In 2019 we had maybe five thousand participants», says Mr. Lupi.
Mr. Lupi explains that Towant has plans to export the DjArch event, aiming at Northern Europe. «Not just Berlin and Amsterdam, but also countries where design is vital, like Norway». The philosophy is always the same. It wants to create an occasion to build a healthy network, to get people to know each other.
DjArch and Towant’s other projects
Towant, based in Tuscany, near Florence, has already been organizing events for a while. Some of them were in Basil, others in Lausanne, Paris, Istanbul, New York. Formats include ArchichefNight, where architecture and design studios cook their favorite meal for participants to vote, and Mixology – similar to Archichef, but with cocktails involved.
Then there’s Archibike, a cycling tour running through places suggested by the studios. Past editions took place in cities like Florence, Bolzano, and Turin. Towant Country brings architects and designers on a trip through Italian vineyards, White Design Christmas brings them skiing in the mountains, DesignSail on a boat trip.
DjArch Milano, the September 2022 edition
The previous DjArch edition in Milan saw the involvement of Cesana Nerosicilia (Via Solferino 18) hosting dj sets by Bartolomeo Fernandez Architetti, Carlo Bellini architetto, GAM _ Gruppo Architetti Milano, Icona Architetti Associati and Labzona. At Cosentino space – in Piazza Fontana 6 – participants danced to music selected and played by Bronda Architects, FrancescaAttolini architettura & interior design, LMArchitettura, m2atelier and NormaleArchitettura°. Herman Miller (Corso Garibaldi 70) had DJ sets by e45 Genuine Italian Design, Fabric Integrated Architecture, Park Associati, Progetto CMR and Studio Arme.
The studios partnered with Lualdi (Foro Bonaparte 74) were Dots Architects, Federico Delrosso Architects, Foro Studio, Il Prisma, Studio D73 and Waves Project. Manerba (Piazza S. Simpliciano) who welcomed teams from Ati Project, Balance Architettura, Barreca & La Varra, GAP Studio, HIT Architects and Lombardini 22 + DEGW + Eclettico.
Other design studios involved in the event
At Marine Interiors c/o Signature Kitchen Suite (Piazza Cavour / Ang. Alessandro Manzoni, 47) the studios involved were AMDL Circle, Dainelli Studio, Studio, Marchetti Demaria Architetti, Mazzei Architects, Pierattelli Architetture, and Studio Marincola. MetroQuality, located in Via Solferino 24, hosted GruppoTre Architetti, MGA Lab, P2A Design, PAZdesign, RGAstudio and Studio Mariana Martini. Playing their music at Occhio (Corso Monforte 13) were DAAA Haus, Gruppo C14, Kingszie Architects, Land, One Works and Pelizzari Studio.
In Piazza XV Aprile 11, at Tecno showroom, Dj sets were curated by D2U – Design to Users, deamicisarchitetti, GaS Studio, Modourbano and MYGG. Then there was Wall&Decò (Via Laura Solera Mantegazza 7) that hosted DE.Tales, leonardo macheda architect, Matteo Nunziati, NM-Architetti di Nisi Magnoni, SGS Architetti Associati, and VCS-Vittorio Carena Studio. Zanotta (Piazza XXV Aprile 16), teamed up with Chiocca Design, Giuseppe Leida Associati, LPA Longo Palmarini Architecture & Partners, Sammaro Architecture Studio and Tectoo.
Towant
Towant works with Italian and international design brands and architects to create a network between them. It organizes unconventional events, focusing on the people behind a studio and not on their projects.
