Maurizio Favetta's rich curriculum crosses time and space with a wide variety of themes and experiences in the fields of design, interiors, architecture and visual communication in many areas. The fil rouge - as far as he is concerned - lies in the "philosophy that underlies his modus operandi, which has led him over time to develop an approach to the profession that puts the idea before the project. He sells his clients a dream: design is what makes it possible, original, what produces the creative expression, the commercial development, the end that they seek". Currently, as Kingsize Architects, Favetta is working on the development of large-scale international projects in Saudi Arabia, Greece, France, Italy, Azerbaijan and Turkey. In particular, we will speak at length about two projects he has in the latter two countries, one finished and the other just starting, because they are significant as indicators of an effective pilot engagement of Italian design in relatively unexplored areas.

 
THE WAVES OF MUGHAM HOUSE
Baku-Azerbaijan

The project for the Mugham House auditorium in Baku is of particular architectural and cultural importance in a country, such as Azerbaijan, which is going through an interesting process of modernization and discovery of its own tradition. A cultural tradition which is as embedded in the geographical location of the country as in its millenary history rooted in the Ottoman empire. It is not surprising that, after the fall of the Soviet Union, the country took its distance from the hegemony of Soviet culture, to strengthen its bonds with the Turkish-Ottoman and Persian traditions and with the pan-Turkish legacy of culture and folklore. In this scenario, literally enriched by the abundance of oil wells in the "black city" - as Baku was once called - the project for Mugham House must be understood, according to Maurizio Favetta, as a significant part of the government program to spread and expand the Azerbaijani culture, in particular to cultivate the musical heritage of the country which originated with the nomadic cantor (Ashid), a figure that still exists. Supported by the president of the Republic Llham Aliyv, the project commissioned to Aikon Baku rapidly took shape; inaugurated last December it opened its doors at the end of March 2009.

The exterior architecture of the auditorium, in the shape of a Tar, the most popular musical instrument in the country, is the work of Scala Mimarlilk Istanbul and the architect Vahit Kasimoglu, while the interior design project was developed entirely by Maurizio Favetta with Made in Project. The project includes a permanent exposition of Azerbaijani musical history, a restaurant and the auditorium complex. "The client - said the Italian designer - was impressed by our idea of working on a metaphor of the wind and to make this the messaged conveyed throughout the project. The wind that blows from the Caspian Sea gives the city of Baku, which looks out from the western banks, its intense character; its dynamic image not only constituted the original source of inspiration, but the rolling of waves in the end became the distinctive element of the entire project: the waves of the wind and the waves of the music harmonized design and tradition, rolling through the auditorium hall, into the foyer, the lobby and the restaurant, on walls and ceilings, in a crescendo of tension and a magical play of chiaroscuro, when the lights go down during the musical performances.

"The turnkey project, managed by the Italian group Made in Project, was built with exclusively Italian products and labour. "One more reason that makes us feel proud - comments Favetta - if you consider that the waves of the Mugham House, in a very short time, have become a symbol of the city of Baku". The magical box alchemically mixes different materials: zebrano and painted wood on the walls, moulded plaster for the false ceiling, wengè for the paneling, mosaics along the walls of the foyer. "A theatrical effect was also achieved in the after-theatre restaurant: another play of curves with interweaving waves, with a shower of optical fibers that capture the eye, with chocolate-coloured stone paving and arabesque marble. In addition to the pleasure of music, recalls the designer of the Mugham House - the Azerbaijani people also cultivate the pleasure of fine dining, and have a refined taste for natural cuisine. It is wonderful, for example, to see how people celebrate the arrival of springtime, decorating the tables with bowls full of an incredible variety of vegetables.

A country as large as Italy, Azerbaijan is crossed by 7 different climates, and the same number of cultures and differences. It is a potentially open country, still in rapid evolution, with natural wealth and a new drive towards democracy and liberalization. One might say that Mugham House is the first avant-garde work of architecture in a country where, until now, the major building expansion is often lawless and devoid of architectural quality. This is why this project in Baku is set to become a particularly valuable experience for local culture and an example of how it is possible to integrate modernity and tradition, with the language of architecture".