Finemateria for Park Associati PAFF PAFF – Liminal Spaces for Sensorial Rituals

As part of the cultural programming of Park Hub, curated by Costanza Nizzi, on show from April 7th to 13th, 2025, on the occasion of the Milan Design Week, Park Associati presents PAFF PAFF - Liminal Spaces for Sensorial Rituals, an installation that explores wool as a symbolic element to create a primordial space. Through the senses, this environment invites visitors to rediscover an intimate and welcoming dimension, offering a moment of rest amidst the daily hustle and bustle. The installation was designed and developed by the design studio Finemateria at the invitation of Park Associati, in collaboration with cc-tapis and QuadroDesign. The title PAFF PAFF refers to the onomatopoeic sound of soft footsteps in slippers, a delicate and airy noise evoking the sensation of a body resting on a soft surface. The ritual of putting them on marks the transition from the external environment to an intimate space dedicated to personal care.

PAFF PAFF continues the research on personal well-being initiated by Finemateria with “Vita Lenta” (2022), “Bedtime Stories” (2023), and “Bagno Diurno” (2024). The installation creates a traveling treatment space where interaction with the installation allows visitors to experience a moment of restorative inoperativity. The warmth and softness of the wool, combined with its intense, enveloping scent, evoke sensations of protection and well-being, recalling the memory of a primordial, archaic environment. The atmosphere is further enriched by natural sounds – vibrations, echoes, and rustling – that transport the mind to a naturalistic setting, far from the urban chaos.

The installation consists of two elements: modular sound panels and a set of seating. The panels, similar to screens, define a circular and intimate space, while the seating offers a place to relax both mind and body, sinking into soft surfaces. Both elements are covered in wool, crafted using the tufting technique, and are the result of cc-tapis’ experimentation with a robotic loom capable of quickly working complex textures and shapes. The supporting structures and stainless steel components – designed by QuadroDesign – enrich the work with industrial details, thanks to their expertise in steel processing using CNC technology.

Evoking the atmosphere of a nest, PAFF PAFF is conceived as a liminal space, a transitional refuge to carve out a moment of recovery during the day and indulge in sensorial rituals. Suspended in a dimension of calm, it becomes possible to rediscover a balance between internal and external spaces.