OPLÀ AND MAREMOSSO: MARBLE SEATING SYSTEMS BY EMILIANA MARTINELLI

Designed by architect Emiliana Martinelli, President and Art Director of Martinelli Luce in Lucca, Oplà and Maremosso are two versatile and welcoming marble seating systems conceived to enrich urban spaces with understated elegance and originality.

Oplà is an urban furniture element that stems from the contrast between the solidity of marble and the inviting softness of its seat, designed to offer moments of pause and relaxation as well as opportunities for social interaction. It is not simply an austere, static cylindrical block, but a welcoming presence: its curved profile and concave seat naturally invite people to stop and relax. A slender strip of light at the rear serves not only a practical safety and wayfinding function, but also gives the object a dynamic, high-tech identity, making it both accessible and visually striking after dark. Arranged in a circle, in a line or in more informal compositions, Oplà introduces rhythm, movement and new opportunities for interaction into public spaces, transforming the urban environment into a more human and shared place.

Maremosso is a modular marble seating system for urban spaces that plays on the contrast between the material’s inherent solidity and the organic dynamism of its form. Its wave-like profile breaks the rigidity of the urban landscape, introducing movement, fluidity and rhythm while creating an inviting setting for a pleasant, leisurely pause. Carved from a single block of marble, this innovative bench embodies an approach centered on material efficiency and respect for the stone. Where one seat ends, the curve of the next begins. Thanks to an interlocking cutting system, each block generates multiple seats, optimizing production while minimizing waste. It is a tribute to the preciousness of marble and an expression of respect for the Apuan Alps, the stone’s place of origin. Arranged side by side, the benches form a continuous wave, ideal for traversing, dividing or defining the edges of parks, squares and waterfront promenades with originality and a considered approach to the material.