journal
In conversation with Enricomaria Todaro
Satellite: material between synthesis and experimentation
For 70Materia, where he serves as creative director, architect and designer Enricomaria Todaro developed the Satellite modular kitchen system. Presented at Milan Design Week 2024, Satellite has this year found a home in the Capsule Plaza exhibition at Spazio Maiocchi. In this interview, we retrace the journey that led to the project's definition, through research, synthesis, and experimentation.
Enricomaria Todaro in his studio, 2025.
Satellite sketch by Enricomaria Todaro.
70M
How did the Satellite project come about? Where did your initial thoughts begin, and what needs did it aim to address?
ET
Satellite was born from a challenge. 70Materia had always been seen primarily as a company that made floors and wall coverings, even though it consistently pushed to go beyond that. When we found ourselves designing tops and cabinet doors for kitchens, we realised we could do something more. We embraced that challenge, and that's when the idea for Satellite began to take shape: a flexible kitchen, adaptable to changing spaces in an era where the concept of a "forever home" is fading. I thought about what I personally would want at this moment—a kitchen that could accompany someone throughout their life and evolve with their needs. Something that lasts, and therefore, something as simple as possible. A synthesis of shapes. That’s how Satellite came to be
70M
What struck you about the nature of the 70Materia® material, and how did you integrate it into the Satellite project?
ET
I first encountered the material on a construction site, working with its surfaces and composition. My natural inclination, which happens to be the same as founder Giacomo Antonello's, was immediately to push its boundaries, imagining its potential applications. In Satellite, the material therefore plays a significant role: one-third of the structure is made from 70Materia®, and the material appears to be suspended above the frame, which remains slightly in the background. Each module is essentially a hollowed-out element: a structure that supports the material while simultaneously playing with its weight and its suspended volume.
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Joined modules and module with wheels. Photography: Luca Caizzi
70M
Is there a detail or a formal choice that encapsulates the essence of Satellite?
ET
The magnet has become the iconic element. It was designed primarily for its functionality - it literally connects modules that would typically be joined in a kitchen. However, during Milan Design Week 2024, we realised that for visitors and designers, the magnet became an invitation to interact, and the act of moving the modules transformed almost into a game. Perhaps it's also appealing because it brings to mind the mechanism that links train carriages - it's a detail that makes it both charming and intriguing.
70M
Let's talk about its evolution.
ET
Satellite was first unveiled at Convey during Milan Design Week 2024. It was a prototype, the result of instinctive choices, but it still managed to generate a sense of wonder. We noticed that visitors loved the interactive aspect; everyone tried to configure the system to their liking, and we realised the importance of that gestural engagement. So, we refined the prototype to create a complete product, reducing the metal thicknesses and weights. We also worked on the wheel - its industrial look was a hit, but it needed to be more agile. And then, we internally redesigned the magnet. Through numerous trials and tests, we arrived at the new Satellite, which we just reintroduced in Milan at Capsule Plaza.
Satellite carves out a niche, the niche of minimalist living. The design is incredibly understated, meaning it addresses the fundamental functions of a kitchen: washing, preparing, and cooking. Reaching this level of synthesis was challenging, but once we achieved it, adding new configurations and expanding the range became remarkably straightforward.
70M
How is Satellite related to Orbita, the research project aiming to discover new dimensions of use and meaning within the kitchen space?
ET
During Milan Design Week 2024, we initiated conversations with various designers, intending to develop research on inert materials and the 70Materia® mix. Upon returning from Milan, we saw an opportunity to merge these two lines of inquiry: the modular system and the materials. Orbita emerged as an extension of Satellite, inheriting some of its technical and design solutions, such as the magnet and wheels, along with its dynamism, flexibility, and the combination of the mix with materials like aluminium and steel.
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Installation at Capsule Plaza 2025