Inspired by Arclinea

Arclinea, based in Caldogno, Vicenza Province, specializes in high-quality kitchen furniture with the mission of designing and building durable kitchens. The company, founded in 1925 by Silvio Fortuna Senior, started as a manufacturer of windows and doors from the name of its founder, and in the 1950s it entered the wooden furniture industry. In 1958, the company produced Thea, the first modular kitchen made of natural wood. At the same time, the management passed to the second generation, which collaborated extensively with the founder in the areas of marketing and product design. Arclinea was founded in 1960 ("Arc" means "arredamenti razionali practibili") and focused on the mass production of kitchen furniture. At the end of the 1980s, the ever-closer collaboration with the designer Antonio Citterio, whose philosophy is based on combining technical precision with functionality and formal invention with spatial innovation, made the brand a leading company in the field of modern kitchen design. Arclinea produces exclusively in Italy without outsourcing and strives for "total quality" with absolute knowledge of materials, processes and technology. In 2016, B&B Italia became the majority shareholder of Arclinea, accelerating its international development. Since December 2018, Arclinea has been part of Design Holding, a group that includes Arclinea and B&B Italia, as well as Maxalto, Flos and Louis Poulsen. He has created innovative, rigorous and functional kitchens that are also creative, customizable and bearable. Citterio's first project for Arclinea was Italia, which was revolutionary in 1988 as it introduced the functional criteria of a professional interior kitchen, with steel surfaces, deeper countertops, large sinks for preparing and washing food, and a central, recessed cooking area. Over the next ten years, the Italia kitchen was replaced by Mediterranea, Florida, Ginger and Artusi in a variety of materials, finishes and details for different purposes. Following the evolution of the kitchen, which gradually took on new meanings, until at the beginning of the 21st century it became a place for social and family life, the latest designs of Citterio, Lignum et Lapis and Spatia are thematic islands that adapt to various spatial and functional needs thanks to architecturally designed warehouse elements and workstations. To celebrate Arcline's 60th anniversary in 2020, Citterio designed a new version of Thea, the brand's first kitchen, now reinterpreted with formal essence, new geometric details and no handles. "Conceptually and physically, Thea seeks to mediate between the distinct but complementary kitchen areas that are becoming a common trend in mid-range and high-end homes, especially in the Far East," said Citterio Stefano Casciani. “The wet kitchen is an operating space designed for maximum functional efficiency, while the show kitchen is an integral part of the living space where people share the final stages of food preparation, eat breakfast with family or serve cocktails to friends. We found a solution for Wet and Show kitchens. The wall system separates them, but also connects them. It uses space rationally, making Thea suitable not only for large rooms, but also for smaller apartments.

Design and technological innovations in Arclinea kitchens In 2020, Arclinea invested in a number of new warehouse management systems, semi-finished products and systems for folding and cutting panels. These facilities are fully automated by the software that controls the entire production process. This allows the company to reduce production times, improve quality standards and be more flexible in responding to the growing demand for customization that is shaping the kitchen market today. This innovation will allow Arclinea to be highly competitive by the end of 2021 and meet the latest Industry 4.0 goals.