To the rhythm of nature

Eco-design meets biodiversity in the ongoing collaboration between Formafantasma and the champagne House Perrier-Jouët

25 Jun 2025

By Murielle Bortolotto

The exploration of interspecies design by the duo Formafantasma — a studio founded by Andrea Trimarchi and Simone Farresin — continues. It’s a highly topical theme, reflecting a virtuous practice dedicated to sustainability and ecology, in which a pivotal element is the coexistence between human beings and animals. Indeed, it is no coincidence that the recent intervention created by the designers for the French Maison Perrier-Jouët in Épernay, in the Champagne region, is called Cohabitare. “We were invited by the House to visit their grounds and discovered the advanced regenerative viticulture practices they are employing,” Simone Farresin tells us. “Avoiding any intensive processes, the entire production cycle has been rethought from a sustainable perspective. An approach that implies, for example, the elimination of pesticides and invasive plowing techniques.”

"Focusing on the enhancement of local vineyards, a multi-step intervention was born, designed to develop over time following the rhythm of nature” — Simone Farresin

Visual of the Cohabitare project in progress. From left: the Island of Biodiversity, the Grange, a farm building that will be clad with ceramic tiles containing nesting cavities; and the Observatory Tower, which will house micro-architectures for animals and plants; Photography by Federica Cocciro

A change of course made possible thanks to a team of experts — including naturalists, doctors of entomology and landscape ecology, and experts in regenerative viticulture — commissioned in 2021 by Maison Perrier-Jouët to study the land and implement these new agricultural practices. Fascinated by the totally ecologic process, the Formafantasma decided to create a permanent project designed to encourage the implementation of animal and plant species in the area.

“Focusing on the enhancement of local vineyards, a multi-step intervention was born, designed to develop over time following the rhythm of nature. The Island of Biodiversity was the first step: defining a 285-square-meter plot of land left uncultivated and repopulated by birds, insects and plants, with the aim of promoting soil fertility and environmental biodiversity. To demarcate this plot, we created 74 totems, composed of terracotta modules produced in France, each including cavities for nesting insects. With the same material approach, we will also take care of the Grange, “a small building located in the fields and used by farmers as a tool shed, “which we will cover with ceramic tiles also including cavities for nesting. In addition, a third element adjacent to the Grange, will be the Observatory Tower. A place inaccessible to humans, in which we will insert microarchitectures designed to house animals and plants. These latest realizations are still work in progress, but our ambition is to transform these buildings into active spaces dedicated to meetings and the dissemination of environmental issues”.

To complement this intervention, Gustare Mundum was presented at the last Milan Design Week. Formafantasma have designed a refined nine-piece limited-edition wooden cabinet, including a Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque 1989 in a magnum format, six leadfree crystal glasses and a silver-plated glass cooler, produced by Austrian brand Lobmeyr, and hand-decorated with flora and fauna motifs. An exclusive giftbox for a special toast dedicated to nature. “Cohabitare is the first expression of the artistic program that the company intends to develop in the coming years,” concludes Caroline Bianco, Cultural and Creative Director of Maison Perrier- Jouët. “Our future collaborations will continue to enrich this story, contributing to the search for concrete solutions for nature.”