The incredible installation by Ranieri during Milan Design Week 2025 enticed us to have a chat with Giovanni Ranieri, CEO, to dig deeper into the brand.
For generations, the Ranieri family has lived and worked under the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, and today their legacy continues with an innovative and reimagined approach to volcanic stone.
“The lava rock is part of my life because I was born in a quarry,” said Giovanni Ranieri, reflecting on his family’s deep connection to this rugged material.
Over a year and a half ago, Giovanni led the rebranding of Ranieri. The brand launched into a new era after selecting Francesco Meda and David Lopez Quincoces as its new creative directors in 2023. This makeover is showcased in Under the Volcano, Ranieri’s immersive installation at Alcova, Varedo, during Milan Design Week 2025.
The exhibition goes beyond Alcova’s walls with two new collections—Void and Prima—presented at exclusive locations across Milan. These collections highlight Ranieri’s pioneering work with lava stone in furniture and bathroom design, further demonstrating the company’s mastery in transforming volcanic rock into modern, functional art pieces.
A Family’s Journey Through Time and Volcanic Rock
Ranieri’s story began under the looming presence of Mount Vesuvius, an active volcano that last erupted during World War II.
“In 1944, during the war, my family was here,” Giovanni shared, recalling the low-scale eruption that left a soft mark on the surrounding region.
The Ranieri family has been extracting and working with lava stone for decades, embracing the material’s imperfections and strength. While the company originally sourced its stone from Vesuvius, they now also use rock from Mount Etna, Italy’s other iconic volcano.
“The two types of lava are very similar in structure,” Giovanni explained, highlighting the seamless integration of the two sources in their design work.
Volcanic stone, renowned for its resilience, has become a core material for Ranieri’s outdoor, kitchen, and bathroom products.
“Lava is ideal for these spaces because of its resistance to different elements,” Giovanni noted.
The company’s expertise in working with such a raw, powerful material allows it to craft pieces that are as durable as they are visually striking.
A Multisensory Experience at Alcova: Sound, Sculpture, and Stone
Under the Volcano, Ranieri’s installation at the new Alcova location in Varedo, is a striking tribute to the raw power of volcanic rock. The setting—a former factory with open spaces and high ceilings—provides the perfect backdrop for the company’s sculptural work.
“We wanted to create an installation that shows the material’s capabilities beyond what people typically expect,” Giovanni explained.
‘Under the Volcano’ unfolds in three key elements: the rocks eroded through Quayola’s algorithmic simulations, the soundscape by Rodrigo D’Erasmo, and the evocative architecture of Francesco Meda and David Lopez Quincoces, creative directors of the brand.
The installation, designed by Francesco Meda and David Lopez Quincoces, showcases nine towering structures, some reaching up to four meters in height, made from Ranieri’s signature lava stone tiles. These freestanding elements, inspired by Barragán’s architectural style, form a striking composition that resembles a forest of modern, monolithic sculptures. The arrangement is carefully designed to interact with natural light, highlighting the dynamic textures and shifting colors of the stone. Complementing this visual display is a soundscape by Italian musician Rodrigo D’Erasmo, who draws on the deep, subterranean sounds of molten lava to create an immersive auditory experience.
“We captured the sound of lava moving beneath the earth and used that to create an immersive atmosphere,” Giovanni shared, describing how they took equipment inside to get the sounds from within, later translated musically by D’Erasmo.
Together, these elements form a compelling narrative about the beauty and strength of volcanic stone, interpreted through modern technology and artistic vision.
Presenting the Void and Prima Collections Across Milan
In addition to the Alcova installation, Ranieri is debuting two major collections at other key locations in Milan. The Void Collection, a series of modular coffee tables designed by Mario Milana, is on display at his private apartment in Brera. The collection plays with geometric forms and the tension between solidity and emptiness, transforming lava stone into elegant, sculptural pieces.
“The tables are designed to adapt to different spaces, from residential to contract settings, while maintaining the raw beauty of the material,” Giovanni explained.
Meanwhile, the Prima Collection marks Ranieri’s expansion into bathroom design. Presented at Zucchetti’s showroom on Corso Venezia, this collection includes sculptural sinks and bathtubs that highlight the natural textures and colors of volcanic stone.
“We’ve used lava stone in bathrooms before, but this is the first time we’ve launched a dedicated collection,” Giovanni said.
The Prima pieces showcase Ranieri’s attention to detail, from the burgundy-toned Terra washbasin to the monumental Massa bathtub. Each item in the collection embodies the timeless strength of lava stone, combined with contemporary design aesthetics.
Ranieri’s showcase at Milan Design Week 2025 exemplifies the company’s commitment to blending tradition with innovation. From the powerful, multisensory experience of Under the Volcano at Alcova to the refined elegance of the Void and Prima collections, Ranieri continues to push the boundaries of what volcanic stone can achieve. By transforming a raw, ancient material into modern design statements, the company offers a compelling reminder of the beauty found in nature’s imperfection. As Giovanni put it:
“Lava is much more than a material—it’s a story waiting to be told.”
