New ALPI wood, designed by Konstantin Grcic and Piero Lissoni

ALPI, the Italian manufacturer of decorative surfaces made of reconstituted wood, presents new wood veneers as the result of teamwork with international and Italian designers, demonstrating yet again the company's skill and prowess in the reinvention of wood.

The main new item of 2023 is a project originating in the encounter between Vittorio Alpi and the German designer Konstantin Grcic, whose in-depth knowledge of wood facilitated his exploration of new directions with ALPI, opening wide the horizons of research. Previously unseen decorative interpretations are substantiated in the new veneers Arcobaleno and Raggiosole.

These two new types of wood show the result of a lengthy process of research and development regarding colour, one of the cultural mainstays at ALPI. Grcic experimented for many months with the R&D department, focusing on the possibility to gradually blend one colour into another and alternate them in a programmed sequence. From a distance, the chromatic effect transitions smoothly. From close up, it gives the illusion of an almost natural veining. The outcome of this great challenge gives insight into the enormous creative potential lying at the root of ALPI wood.

The industrial designer Konstantin Grcic found a new way to interpret wood by combining colour graphically, creating a decorative surface with a mysterious character. Arcobaleno (Italian for "rainbow") is composed of multiple tonalities, joyous and lively, like the iris of an eye. Raggiosole is more sober, showing a strong aesthetic personality of warm shades running from red to black. Although highly diverse, the two veneers have in common a pleasing visual impact not easily forgotten.

New products presented during the Milan Design Week include a veneer conceived by Piero Lissoni. It enriches the Xilo wood collection with a new shade named Kakao, a deep, enveloping chocolate brown that enhances the range and expresses its inherent potential.

Kakao was the missing member of a collection whose allure lies in the perfect intensity of nature. Its veining and shading reproduce Mother Nature's calibrated chromatic nuances and exalt the living material of wood by imitating its characteristics.