How is an outdoor kitchen designed? Interview with Nicola De Pellegrini on the Tikal Collection

We have been served up with an outdoor kitchen line, completely made in Italy. Combining elegance, functionality and quality, Nicola De Pellegrini designed the Tikal collection for Talenti.

Nicola De Pellegrini is the co-founder of Anidride Design, a multidisciplinary studio working on interior design, product design, branding and architecture projects. De Pellegrini places sustainability at the core of his practice and focuses on advancing a circular economy through his work.

DesignWanted talked to Nicola De Pellegrini about the Tikal collection he created for Talenti, an Italian company that specializes in outdoor furniture design. The collection is a line of outdoor kitchens, inspired by the majestic Mesoamerican architectures, which lent an iconic and rational appearance. Tikal allows users to experience the combination of quality, sense of sharing and functionality.

Who is Nicola De Pellegrini? How did the journey for Anidride Design begin?

Nicola De Pellegrini: “After graduating in architecture, I founded Anidride Design in 2011 with my colleague Giovanni Bez, and since then the studio has been working on interior design, branding and product design, with a focus on façade design for hotels, commercial complexes and residential buildings.

With our specific focus on circular design, we are able to create projects that combine the aesthetic purity of design with modern requirements for sustainability and energy saving. Our projects routinely receive CasaClima certification, a method of energy certification for buildings.”

You designed the Tikal collection for Talenti, a kitchen line for outdoor use, completely made in Italy. Which is the concept behind Tikal?

Nicola De Pellegrini: “In designing Tikal for Talenti Outdoor Living, I was inspired by the concept of ancestral identity, marked by the immutability of time and a certain arcane elegance, which seems to give the final product something akin to an aura of sacredness.

For this reason, the appearance of Tikal is very reminiscent of Mesoamerican cult architecture, full of silent spirituality and hidden meanings. We have always been on the same wavelength with Talenti from start to finish: our objectives coincided perfectly, and were all aimed at creating an outdoor kitchen that meets people’s practical needs.“

How did you balance aesthetic and functional features within the collection?

Nicola De Pellegrini: “The secret of this balance also lies in the materials used: I am thinking, for example, about the porcelain stoneware slabs and their cement effect, which emphasize all the majesty of the object, especially when they are hit by light. In this sense, the materiality of the collection guarantees pleasant aesthetic and functionality capable of satisfying any requirement, even the most complex ones, in particular for the extreme practicality of the final result.”

Inspired by the majestic Mesoamerican architectures, Tikal kitchens feature an accurate selection of materials. Which were the major challenges you encountered while choosing the materials to be used?

Nicola De Pellegrini: “The main challenge was to create a kitchen that could offer solid worktops without sacrificing aesthetic appeal. From this point of view, we chose materials of the highest quality that would ensure high performance and robustness that would last over time. This is Talenti’s main mission in the creation of each of their products, so we were in perfect agreement.”

Interested to know about the latest innovations in kitchen design? Head to: Swiss brand Franke has mastered the art of smart kitchens.

How did you go about Tikal’s prototyping phase? What steps did you take to arrive at a final prototype and design?

Nicola De Pellegrini: “The prototyping phases were carried out directly at the production plant. Particular attention was paid to the design of the internal metal structure that supports the large cantilevered top. During the prototyping phase, attention was paid to the joining details between the various elements in order to have an extremely clean design.

As for the materials and finishes, we had very clear ideas from the beginning and this was confirmed by the model. Eventually, the technical development work quickly led us to the final model.“

Cooking is a peculiar moment of sociality and its relevance is even increasing during the ongoing pandemic. Which scenarios do you envision for Tikal in the current situation we’re living and in a post-Covid future?

Nicola De Pellegrini: “With the gradual easing of the restrictions linked to the health emergency, people will increasingly experience the desire to spend convivial moments together with other people, side by side, indulging in the pleasure of spending time together in total serenity.

A big part of these moments will be lived outdoors, also in the outdoor area, thanks to solutions such as Tikal by Talenti. In this sense, with its spacious and welcoming shelves, the Tikal kitchen is designed to stimulate the wellbeing and happiness of people, to whom it allows to lunch and cook outside in total serenity, without a single thought.”

What is next for Nicola De Pellegrini and for Anidride Design?

Nicola De Pellegrini: “We are attracted to multidisciplinary, connections between brands and professionals with different visions and skills. Here I think I am always looking for a design ground on which to evolve this way of doing that is based on sustainability criteria to connect environmental aspects with design.“

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