From the first sketch to New Modernism, between secrets and visions of an exciting design: the story of Tonelli Design
Glass, when it meets light, becomes poetry. There is something hypnotic in the way it reflects, filters and designs space. Tonelli Design has made this magic its signature, transforming an ancient material into a modern vision of living.
In its furnishings, glass is never just transparency: it is movement, depth, living matter. And when it interacts with metal, wood, stones or fabrics, a sophisticated language is born that redefines the concept of interior design.
Michele Gasperini tells us about it, accompanying us in a universe made of experimentation, craftsmanship and design courage. A journey that starts from the first collection presented at the Salone del Mobile and reaches The New Modernism , a vision that looks to the future and invites us to rethink the home as a place of well-being, emotion and identity.
Between anecdotes, technological challenges and visions for the future, Michele Gasperini reveals the soul of Tonelli Design. Here’s what he told us.
Where glass comes to life: interview with Michele Gasperini of Tonelli Design
Tonelli Design was born in 1988 and in a few years imposed a new vision of glass furniture. What were the crucial steps that have marked the company’s identity in these almost forty years of history?
The first presentation of the Tonelli collection at the Salone del Mobile in Milan , inside a futuristic stand designed by Marco Gaudenzi and Luigi Serafini , was overwhelming! There was nothing similar at the time in the Italian design scene. The attention of the press and the international market was immediately very strong and supported and pushed the company at least for its first 10/15 years of life.
Starting from the early 2000s, driven by the continuous desire for innovation and experimentation, metal began to be introduced as a complementary material to glass, with the intention of expanding the product range and further fueling research in the UV bonding sector, which had already made some Tonelli products iconic. The involvement of internationally renowned designers such as Denis Santachiara, Karim Rashid, Emilio Nanni … brought a new vision to the company, with innovative and absolutely original products.
The following decade allowed the company to gain the attention of a wider audience and an even more international market, even if the global economic crisis of 2007 compromised the path of the company, which changed hands to its current ownership in 2010. In the years immediately following, between 2011 and 2013, the relaunch of the Tonelli brand went through a sort of return to the past, but with a renewed technological challenge and with the desire to demonstrate the company’s capabilities and primacy in glass processing. On the one hand, relationships with historic designers are re-established, on the other the doors are opened to new young and talented designers. Products such as Liber, Bakkarat, Quiller, Penrose, Vu and many others are born, which allow the brand to regain its recognizability and authority in the market.norama of world design.
In 2020 another piece was added to the evolution of the company, thanks to the collaboration with the architect Massimo Castagna who was entrusted with the artistic direction, thus the T he New Modernism collection was born, a new interpretation of the environments, original and functional with the introduction of materials and types of furniture for the different spaces of the house. No longer just accessories, but systems, seats, upholstery, lighting… no longer just glass, but wood, stone, fabrics and metals, to create a proposal with an elegant and timeless mood.
Your roots are in Made in Italy glass, a noble and complex material. How do you manage to preserve this artisanal heritage and at the same time reinterpret it in a contemporary key?
Glass is extremely ductile and versatile, both from an aesthetic and technical point of view. Although it may seem like an amorphous and difficult material, glass offers a multitude of solutions to be transformed according to the desires and needs of the designer. Obviously, an accurate knowledge of the material is essential in order to be able to perfectly manipulate all its peculiarities. Experience and passion allow us to always evolve glass in new ways, through trendy colours, current textures, modern shapes, without ever losing its innate naturalness.
As a glass specialist, Tonelli has progressively opened his language to other materials wood, metal, fabric, leather. What were the stages of this evolution and how are they reflected in the collections today?
The introduction of materials other than glass has been gradual. The first material was metal, which has perfect compatibility with glass from the point of view of UV bonding. It was therefore an integration dictated by the construction needs of the products, which thus evolved from the point of view of size and complexity. Following wood, above all for its aesthetic qualities, was the material that allowed us to “heat” the glass and opened up wide possibilities for customizing the product.
The most radical transition occurred in 2020 with The New Modernism collection, where other noble materials, such as leather, fabric and stone, also became an integral part of the new proposals. Chosen with care and originality, today they are a must in our mood boards and often become characterizing and distinctive elements.
The dimension of “made to measure” and customization is now central in the world of interior design. How have you adapted your production to interpret the needs of architects and designers?
In this case, our artisanal dimension has allowed us for years to be very flexible in production and open to any type of customization. In 2010 the company absorbed the entire glass processing department within its structure, producing most of the work internally. This predisposition today allows us to leverage the ” tailor-made product “, becoming a reference partner for the client, not only in the glass product, but also on special and complete projects.mindfully custom.
Technological research is one of your distinctive traits. What have been the most significant R&D projects of recent years and how have they contributed to redefining the potential of glass in furniture?
One of the most challenging research projects was born from an idea of Paolo Lomazzi , on which we started working in 2015. It is a mix of recycled glass, colored and cast with non-toxic epoxy resins, which after 2 years of experimentation, gave life to a new material, which we called Kristal Fusion and patented in 2017. In the same year, the collection Il Paese delle Meraviglie was born from this material, designed by Paolo Lomazzi himself, which enhances the aesthetic properties of this material, with absolutely innovative colors and shapes.
In recent years, another very important research project has already become part of our collections and is in a continuous phase of development. It is a three-dimensional transformation of the flat float glass sheet, which through hot processing takes on new textures, textures and very particular colours. This is a real new life for glass, which in this way takes on a very material, soft and elegant appearance. The products that already use this glass are: the Bow table, the Aterea sideboard and the Wonderwall wall covering system .
Find out more about Wonderwall | Glass wall coverings Made in Italy and let yourself be inspired by the infinite possibilities of glass. For information or to start a customized project, visit the page Tonelli Design and fill out the Contact form.
Glass is a recyclable, ecological, antibacterial material: qualities that make it extremely current. How do you integrate sustainability into your production processes and collection design today?
Glass is famously known as the best eco-friendly material in the world! This was also established by the UN General Assembly which declared 2022 the International Year of Glass :
An extraordinary recognition for an ancient yet modern material capable of continually evolving, taking on new forms and functions while facing the technological and environmental challenges that man finds himself facing.
But when talking about eco-sustainability in the furniture sector, the material is not the only aspect to consider. The piece of furniture must be designed with its repairability in mind, the possibility of being dismantled and recycled, so as to guarantee the longest possible life cycle and, even at the end of its life, correct disposal. These principles are already applied in the design phase of the most recent collections. The first concrete example is the Crossover table , selected by the ADI Index in 2023 precisely for its sustainability and circularity characteristics.
Some of your furnishings are already made from recycled glass. How important is circularity to you and how do you imagine this logic can workimpact the future of design?
We believe that the future of design is based on the ecological and economic sustainability of every product that can be marketed. Each object must be designed respecting the environment with qualities that make it long-lasting and with minimal environmental impact. All this must be verified while still maintaining a correct economic balance, to allow products with these peculiarities to still have wide distribution and not be relegated only to a wealthy and particularly sensitive clientele.
Your collaborations with internationally renowned designers from Karim Rashid to Massimo Castagna, up to Studio 14 have generated iconic pieces. How do you build a dialogue between your technical know-how and their creative vision?
It often takes years before being able to create the first new product with a designer! The technology of UV glued glass is not that well known, even for experienced designers, so it takes a long time to find the right solution both on our part and on the designer’s part.
I remember the first projects received from Karim Rashid in 2004… about twenty proposals and none of these apparently feasible… it was a spark that made us break down many of the limitations we had and from there some of the most appreciated products still today were born.
In other cases, however, the meeting is immediate and from an initial proposal, a new product is immediately born, as happened with the Cathedral lamp by Studio 14 .
We cannot say that there is therefore a rule on how the relationship between designer and company is born, but the only certainty is that after the first time, a good feeling is always formed which almost always gives rise to other products and long and pleasant collaborations.
You have had historical relationships like the one with Isao Hosoe, which have left profound marks on your history. How have these experiences guided the company philosophy and the way of interpreting design?
The relationship with Isao Hosoe went beyond a simple working relationship. Together with Marco Gaudenzi he was the creator of Tonelli and the first creative director of the entire collection. Each meeting was a design lesson, but above all a life lesson. He was a very rigorous and introverted person, but every chat was an exciting and engaging story. These were precisely the adjectives on which Tonelli had shaped his philosophy. The product had to be minimal, without excess and above all it had to excite. His mantra was: the magic of movement! Indeed, seeing those objects so ethereal, moving and rotating with that lightness was truly magical!
The Rook lamp marks a new stage in the partnership with Karim Rashid, which has lasted for over twenty years. What is the value of such a long-standing partnership and what does it add to your journey today?
The one with Karim is one of the longest-running and continuous collaborations. Every year we talk and work on new proposals, even if we don’t always find something new that satisfies both of us. The choice to work with him in 2004 was very courageousa, above all because her style is very decorative and personal, when Tonelli had an extremely minimal and purist approach. It was a challenge that still pushes us to leave our “comfort zone” and leads us to continually experiment with new types of products and solutions, such as the Rook lamp.
Tonelli is a highly international brand. Which markets are proving to be most sensitive to your language today and what strategies are you adopting to strengthen your global presence?
Since the early years, Tonelli has had a strong presence in foreign markets, which amounted to approximately 70% of total turnover, with a strong preponderance of the US market. The global disruptions of recent years, from Covid onwards, through Eastern European conflicts and US tariff policies, are altering these relationships, with a decline in Atlantic markets and strong uncertainty in European markets. The strategy we are implementing, starting from the beginning of the year, is to diversify the markets as much as possible, expanding the network of sales agents and partnerships with dealers all over the world. To our advantage is the fact that the new collections, in the guise of The New Modernism led by Massimo Castagna , dialogue with different styles of modern living, adapt to current trends and find space in all international furnishing projects.
Your collections are born with a strong aesthetic identity, but they are also design tools. How do they communicate with the needs of contemporary planners and interior designers?
The key word in the world of interior design in recent years is undoubtedly customization . We have understood for some time that it was necessary to listen to the needs of professionals who shape the living space around people, their needs and their tastes. This is how we no longer create catalogs from which to choose one product over another, but we build settings that want to give rise to that special sensation of feeling at home .
What is Tonelli Design’s most iconic product? Tell us its story: from the first sketch, to the hands and minds that designed it, up to the anecdotes or challenges that marked its path. When did you understand that it would become a symbolic piece of the brand?
Our icon is Tree, designed by Isao Hosoe in 1988 .
It is part of Tonelli’s very first collection, therefore the longest-lasting and still in production. Albero was born as a vinyl record display or magazine holder. In itself it represents all the Tonelli technique and philosophy, in the choice of different thicknesses, in the proportion of the design, in the strength of the glues and above all that rotating glass base on spheres, patented in 1988, which has characterized the majority of Isao Hosoe’s products. As he said: it was magic in motion .
What, in your opinion, are the other most representative products in your catalog and why do they best convey the brand’s identity?
The history of Tonelli has been characterized by many iconic products, often provocative and disruptive. To Albero we must add pieces such as Strappo by Luigi Serafini, Scala del Cielo by De Pas D’Urbino Lomazzi, Vitrum by Paolo Nava, just to talk about the first years of production. Then there are the years of the relaunch from 2010 onwards, where Liber by Luca Papini, Bakkarat by d’Urbino-Lomazzi, Perseo by Paolo Grasselli, Penrose by the Hosoe studio, VU by Giovanni Tommaso Garattoni, Matropolis by Giuseppe Maurizio Scutellà and many others stand out. All these products fully express the philosophy of the company, of the glass material and of the UV bonding technology.
Today Tonelli is changing at a certain speed, just as the markets and the world in general are changing rapidly… The New Modernism collection is precisely evolving the company, without abandoning the link with the past, the glassmaking tradition and the innovative drive. In the last 5 years, products have already been created that define Tonelli’s new direction, such as the Bow table, the Soft Glass sofa, the Hyperion lamp, the Split mirror … all products in which glass is always the protagonist and the attention to detail is always impeccable.
If you had to describe Tonelli Design in just three words, which ones would you choose and why?
- HEALTH , is a term that encompasses the concepts of health, wholesomeness and well-being. Glass is the option that makes you feel good. It is pure and waterproof, easy to clean, eco-friendly and infinitely recyclable. The best choice for yourself and the environment.
- TAILOR-MADE , represents our approach in tackling projects in a completely customizable way and with the sartorial care typical of Made in Italy.
- EXPERIENCE , our goal is to create environments that ignite the senses, beautiful, iconic and timeless products, creating emotional connections through touch, sight, sound.
Let’s close our eyes: it’s 2035. How do you imagine the company, the products and the people who will live with your creations?
Tonelli is following a path of evolution, transformation and growth. The journey began 5 years ago and in another 10 we hope that our brand will have achieved the prestige of the great Italian design brands. We have already taken important steps, tackling topics that are completely new to us, such as upholstery and lighting . We are now developing the cladding and vertical partition systems, which after the presentation at the Salone del Mobile 2025, are already attracting great attention from interior designers and the market. Then there will be the other spaces of the house, such as the kitchen, the bathroom and the bedroom , where glass can certainly find the right location… and why not… the outdoors!
Our objective is therefore clear and declared, to offer a new way of living in the home, in a responsible and conscious way . A personal home, which respects the tastes and requests of those who live there, without sacrificing style and well-being.
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