In some of the lighting pieces, rectangular LED panels float like screens – deliberate references to the digital devices we carry through our homes every day. These modern touches aren’t just aesthetic; they’re commentary. The collection quietly asks: how has technology reshaped our domestic landscape? What happens when a familiar archetype meets a new cultural context?

And while the materials are striking, it’s the subtle, often-overlooked details that give Formation its soul. Textile elements – linen lampshades, fabric-draped chandeliers, tablecloths – add softness and warmth. They nod to domestic rituals and the invisible labor often associated with women: the careful folding, stitching, and draping that brings comfort and memory into a home. In Formafantasma’s hands, these gestures are elevated, not just as decorative choices but as stories woven into the objects themselves.

This sensitivity also connects to another major project currently on view: Formafantasma’s exhibition design for The Shakers: A World in the Making at the Vitra Design Museum, which opened just one day after Formation. While the two exhibitions are completely distinct, they share common DNA. Both explore the Shakers’ lasting influence – not just in their style, but in their radical approach to life and making.

Back in New York, Formation stands out precisely because it doesn’t try to dazzle. In a design world often dominated by bold gestures and visual drama, this collection is refreshingly quiet. It invites you to slow down. To notice grain, texture, joinery. To sit with the work – and with yourself. This isn’t design as performance; it’s design as presence.

And that’s what makes Formation feel so timely. As homes increasingly double as workplaces, studios, and digital hubs, Formafantasma reminds us that domestic space is more than functional. It’s emotional. It’s historical. It’s layered with care and memory. Through minimal forms and rich materials, the collection gently expands our idea of what furniture can be – not just tools for living, but companions in our daily rituals.

Andrea Trimarchi and Simone Farresin have long championed a kind of design that resists easy categorization. From their studios in Milan and Rotterdam, they’ve taken on topics ranging from ecology to geopolitics, always with a sharp eye and a soft touch. Whether they’re consulting with brands or developing independent projects, their work consistently bridges the gap between research and aesthetics, asking urgent questions without shouting the answers.

With Formation, Formafantasma has created something quietly powerful. The show doesn’t just present a collection of beautiful objects – it opens a conversation. About what we value. About how we live. And about how even the simplest things – a plank of wood, a piece of fabric, a ray of light – can become profound when seen through the right lens.

Formation runs through August 9, 2025 at Friedman Benda, 515 W 26th St, New York. Whether you're deep into design or just craving a breath of calm in a noisy world, this is one show not to miss.