Since the end of April, about 50 seating elements have invited MuseumsQuartier visitors to relax and enjoy the outdoor areas of the MQ. On Tuesday, August 10, several more have been delivered, this time in the new Enzo design, bringing a bold new look to the MQ courtyards.

The fire last winter at the Eispalast, a giant igloo made of 127 seating elements, destroyed nearly all of the courtyard furniture that had been in use at the MQ for many years. In order to offer outdoor seating on time for the start of the summer program, we had a number of seating elements made that reproduce the old design. But we also recognized the opportunity to explore different options. Together with the architect team PPAG (Anna Popelka and Georg Poduschka), who created the original furniture, MQ Errichtungs- und Betriebsgesellschaft (MQ E+B) decided to take a new approach.

“The need to replace so many seating elements at once brought with it the possibility and necessity to consider changing the appearance and introducing technical improvements. I am more than satisfied with the final product, and I am pleased to be able to present the new furniture to our visitors in the near future,” says MuseumsQuartier Director Wolfgang Waldner. Not only the design is new, the next generation furniture has also been produced using technology that that makes it more fire resistant and more resistant to damage. PPAG consulted product designers MN*LS (Margarita Navarro and Ludwig Slezak), originally based exclusively in Northern Italy and now also working in Vienna.

“The new design was influenced by the new production method. For instance, unlike previously, the seating elements are now hollow. Interior bracing provides the necessary stability and as a logical consequence creates the conical cavities that define the new design,” says Ludwig Slezak of MN*LS. Architects PPAG are thrilled with the partnership. “Working with Margarita Navarro and Ludwig Slezak brought important new aspects to the project because as product designers their approach is quite different from ours in many respects. After extensive research, we jointly came up with the ideal solution. We are especially pleased with the outcome because after seven years we welcomed the opportunity to create a new and improved version.”

The new furniture is produced by two companies in Italy. The first step is to make the aluminum form into which the plastic resin is poured using a special rotation technique. The new Enzos are made of polyethylene, which means they are 100% recyclable. Another innovation is that instead of painting the furniture in a new color each year, we will now have multiple colors at once. Each year, about a quarter of the seating will be replaced to eliminate the most worn out pieces. The first colors will be Lush Meadow Green, Ivory Tusk White, Strawberry Field Red, and Candy Shop Pink. Enthusiasts will be pleased to know that the Enzos can now be ordered directly through the MuseumsQuartier shop MQ Point.

Since the outer contours and size of the furniture have not been changed, the pieces can be configured in the same variety of combinations as previously. So the design is not completely new; the changes are in the details. This is why PPAG and MN*LS have chosen a name for the product that is similar to the predecessor’s: Enzo. While the furniture looks a lot like the previous version, it needed a new name because in effect it is a whole new product. The Italian name Enzo also aptly reflects the production location.