In the heart of Rome’s Prati district, Abitzai Project is emerging as a new space for dialogue dedicated to design culture, where design, architecture, art and material research converge. More than a showroom, Abitzai Project is conceived as a hub open to professionals, companies, creatives and enthusiasts, with the aim of fostering a contemporary reflection on the role of materials, the evolution of living spaces and the relationship between design and society.
Founded by Claudia Mazohl, the project takes its name from an ancient term that evokes the idea of “keeping alive” and “bringing back to life”. This vision is translated into a design approach rooted in the regeneration of materials and their continuous reinterpretation. Here, surfaces, textures and materials are not presented merely as construction elements, but as narrative tools capable of connecting memory and contemporaneity, tradition and innovation, nature and human intervention.
The space has been conceived as a permanent laboratory dedicated to the residential, hospitality and contract sectors, fields that increasingly require places for exchange, cultural cross-pollination and professional dialogue. Within this context, materiality becomes the starting point for exploring new design approaches and new ways of experiencing space.
What defines the identity of Abitzai Project is above all its programme of talks, events and conversations, transforming the venue into a cultural platform capable of connecting different disciplines. A journey that takes shape through appointments dedicated to design research and reflections on the relationship between material, creativity and transformation.
Among the most significant events is Metamorphosis. The Awakening of Matter, a project that explores the transition from matter to form and the process through which natural elements are transformed into design expressions. Through a dialogue between design, fashion, craftsmanship and the culture of making, the event placed the concept of transformation at the centre, highlighting the journey from raw material to finished object.
The theme of cross-disciplinary exchange is at the core of Cross-Pollination, a format curated by Paolo Casicci that explores design as a meeting ground for seemingly distant disciplines. Architects and interior designers engage with writers, photographers, biologists, chefs and professionals from different fields, creating a dialogue that broadens the meaning of design itself while emphasising its cultural and relational dimension.
Reflection on contemporary living also found expression in Ask Me If I’m Happy, organised in collaboration with Open House Roma and dedicated to the home as an emotional, narrative and deeply personal space. The conversation featured Clara Bona and Simona Finessi, who explored the relationship between architecture, interior design and domestic well-being, questioning what it means today to design spaces capable of improving quality of life.
Alongside talks and discussions, Abitzai Project also promotes immersive experiences that engage both the senses and materiality. This is the case with Living Table, a project curated by Marcella Salvagni, which transformed the dialogue between design, food and atmosphere into a shared
experience, further confirming the venue’s ambition to move beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries.
Through this programme of events, Abitzai Project strengthens its vocation as a place dedicated to building a cross-disciplinary community where design, culture and art can engage in an open and ongoing dialogue. A creative ecosystem in which matter becomes narrative, design becomes an opportunity for connection, and design culture once again serves as a tool for interpreting the present and imagining new possibilities for the future of living.
