“Living capsule”: the Nova House saved in Perpignan is reborn into the world at Milan Design Week
The Nova House, a “habitable capsule” imagined in 1972 and built in a few copies the following year by the Rochel workshops captivates the inhabitants and visitors of downtown Milan (Italy), where it is exhibited this week at the the occasion of Design Week. “She’s been phenomenally successful. More than 25,000 visitors per day, photos and exceptional curiosity for this major work of contemporary design, explains Clément Cividino, the designer based in Perpignan (Pyrénées-Orientales), where he runs the gallery of the same name.
“People are surprised by its modern, organic-inspired shape. What’s more, here in Milan it’s displayed in the open air and in the best possible location, in piazza San Babila just behind the Duomo and only a few steps from the Louis Vuitton exhibitionthe house with which we have been in partnership for several years as part of the collection on nomadic objects”, adds Clément Cividino.
It was he who found the trace of this last example of housing that was easy to assemble, disassemble, transport, and little to manufacture. “Its completely original metal structure, slumbered, dismantled, rusty, abandoned in a barn in the Ardèche for more than 20 years. I acquired it in February 2020, just before confinement. Milan is its first official presentation, to the general public and in the open air rather than inside the usual structures of the great international design exhibition. Then, she will return to us in Perpignan, ”assures Clément Cividino.
A priori, this masterpiece of architectural design will be offered for auction on July 1st. Thus the Nova House, its 50 m2 of living space, its 20 m2 of terrace will enter a second exciting existence this summer. Perfect demonstration that one could build beautiful, practical for not too expensive at the time, before becoming an icon of international design.