The nature-infused environmental-conscious meta-luxury of Visionnaire

The research that Visionnaire has been carrying out for years on the vital relationship between man and nature, between the domestic dimension and that of green space, as well as being necessary, appears prophetic today at the dawn of an era in which an invisible enemy forces us to totally rethink our lifestyle habits.

This ever less metaphorical escape from the city requires respect and responsibility towards the natural heritage from which we aspire to benefit. For a company that operates in the luxury sector such as Visionnaire, it is not easy to define itself as “sustainable”, but certainly, its commitment to controlling and reducing the environmental impact in production processes, starting from the selection of certified raw materials up to of manufacturing processes, represents a repeated and necessary objective for the company.

Also thanks to the statements of intent contained in the “Decalogue,” the brand has been able to set its course: the idea of products that embody a concept of absolute quality, combined with rigorous, responsible commitment with respect to the territory.

In the second value – “Nature” – Visionnaire states: “the desire to safeguard our natural heritage takes the form of vital awareness that informs and orients our cultural vision, focusing on aspects of design behavior that take on the value of theoretical gestures and practices useful to express a precise, perceptible civil commitment”. 

The focus on all aspects of social impact in entrepreneurial activity brings with it an ethical content that is crucial and decisive for Visionnaire. We constantly strive to invest in relationships with our artisans that ensure the quality of our products, continuing to reinforce fertile ties with territories of specialization and their extraordinary cultural resources.

Visionnaire began to address the theme of sustainability with the Greenery collection in 2017, starting with products that come into close contact with people, first of all, sofas and beds. Projects aimed at creating increasingly natural, healthy spaces that embody principles of respect for the environment and animals.

Over the last three years, Visionnaire offers our clients the opportunity to have a selection of products made with lower impact procedures, taking a break from conventional production practices. 

For the Anniversary collection (2019), Visionnaire has set its sights on FSC® Forest Stewardship Council® C147146 and PEFC™ Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification, the commitment extends the possibility to choose wood from controlled, legal origin, orienting the market towards responsible forestry management. 

Visionnaire has ISO 9001 certification since 2011, a guarantee of respect for qualitative management standards, in a wider program of development and valorization of Italian know-how, based on the choice – for six decades – of production entirely carried out in Italy. 

In terms of experimentation, this year Visionnaire uses a revolutionary exclusively Azerocare process for some of its products. Azerocare patented Antolini company, is a unique durable process that guarantees permanent protection – with a polished finish – of marble, onyx and soft quartzites from stains and corrosion caused by contact of surfaces with acid-based foods and organic substances, without altering the colors, the tactile perception and specific properties of natural stone. 

This process makes the surfaces far from spots, avoiding the proliferation of bacteria and also makes them simple to clean. Always aimed at increasing the quality standards of its materials, while paying the utmost attention to the environmental impact of the proposed solutions and the production processes implemented, the company has studied this technology with greater attention to environmental protection; in fact, the Azerocare process does not produce any emissions into the atmosphere, nor does it generate processing waste.

[ Curious to learn about other studios developing new design tecniques? Sancal introduces Zero: a sustainable “stitch” for the upholstery sector ]

Wellness and sustainability also translate into the choice of innovative performing fabrics: Iris is a new outdoor and indoor textile product made up of polyester threads, obtained from the reuse of plastic bottles dispersed in the environment, with an absolutely circular life cycle, being 100% recycled and 100% recyclable.

Entirely produced in Italy, Iris guarantees a very important reduction of CO2 emissions and waste of water for energy savings of over 60% compared to normal production processes.

Assam fabrics, obtained through the combination of synthetic and natural fibres, show cutting-edge performances as well: from the possibility of lowering body heat and therefore decreasing sweating and heart rate of a seated person, to the absorption of humidity in the environment with the consequent reduction of the energy consumption due to the use of artificial air conditioning; this material is processed without chemicals toxic to health.

These fabrics with highly performing characteristics have been selected for the realization of some seats including the new Kylo stools.

Looking back over the past few months, we can say with certainty that housing has always been the core of each of our lives. People have never had the opportunity to deeply experience home life, live with their families, and enjoy the intimacy and comfort of homes. 

Everyone gradually “favours” certain corners and discovers or rediscovers their connection with these corners. Based on this, I believe that all residential projects will be re-examined: the human experience of nature has become more essential and extremely important during this period of isolation, so it is necessary to constantly seek a balance between architecture and the natural environment in the project. Visionnaire has been conducting research in this area for many years and will continue to work on such research as new situations emerge.

We are observing an interesting subject closely related to our customers, that is, people are paying more and more attention to the health elements in their homes. The concept of health is also being transformed into the result of this epidemic: people want to feel safe even without resorting to medical facilities. 

Therefore, the desire for “happiness” design is no longer just for caring for the body, but for personal health. As a result, the concept of “enhanced health” came into being. In this concept, health, body, spirit and the highest quality housing standards converge into a new way of thinking about the project.

[ Interested in sustainable design practices? Learn about Sustainable Furnishings Council – “Our mission: helping companies reduce their environmental footprints” ]