Civitas Bookcase Redefines Modular Design with Aluminium Cross-Profile and Eco-Friendly Focus

FDT Bureau

The Civitas bookcase boasts easily disassembled, disposable and recyclable components with a focus on aluminium as a key material due to its lightweight quality, durability and recyclability. The collaboration between Italian company Midj and designer Giulio Iacchetti remains steadfast, prioritizing simplicity and the enhancement of fundamental geometric shapes. Know more about it on FURNITURE DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (FDT).

The Civitas bookcase serves as the initial proposal for a comprehensive day system, maintaining the vision of rationalizing space and utilizing the straight line as a unifying element for order across scales. Inspired by historical urban planning, particularly the intersections of ancient cities, the cross archetype symbolizes a meeting point between floors and orthogonal paths. According to the designer, Civitas metaphorically embodies a city orderly within a Roman encampment matrix. Just like a city, the bookcase grows vertically and horizontally, envisioning an open system for future implementations like doors, drawers and different product families.

The Civitas bookcase’s cross-profile, crafted from extruded aluminium, acts as a connecting element between shelves and columns. Whether in gold or monochrome, this feature both stands out and seamlessly integrates with the structure, facilitating assembly without complex systems. The design revolves around a modular interlocking system, offering varied configurations and personalized adaptations. Modules come in two widths and can be built using aluminium or lacquered MDF in assorted colours. The bookcase’s back includes reinforcing elements for optimal stability.

Image credit: Giulio Iacchetti