Heritage Landscapes vol.42

In the mid-19th century, Elizabeth Twining, artist, philanthropist and descendant of the historic Twinings tea family, transformed her passion for botany into an extraordinary publishing project: Illustrations of the Natural Orders of Plants.

An impressive work, consisting of 160 hand-coloured lithographs, the result of direct observations in the botanical gardens of Kew and Lexden Park, which celebrated British flora by comparing it with plants from other countries according to a classification system that was innovative at the time. Today, that work has been given a new life thanks to its digitisation by designer Nicholas Rougeux, who has created an interactive and accessible online version: not just a faithful reproduction, but an immersive experience with restored illustrations, transcribed texts and various exploration and sharing features.

This project demonstrates how digitisation can be a powerful tool for enhancing and rediscovering cultural heritage, a concrete way to restore visibility to often forgotten figures and to bring art, science and technology into dialogue in a contemporary key.

"Of all the varied objects of creation there is, probably, no portion that affords so much gratification and delight to mankind as plants."
-Elizabeth Twining

Graphic designer, designer, photographer, teacher: Giancarlo Iliprandi's multifaceted talent is brought to life in the exhibition Design per comunicare (Design for Communication), open until 28 September at the ADI Design Museum in Milan. A journey through archive materials, sketches, photographs and objects that recount fifty years of creativity applied to publishing, advertising, product design and education. The exhibition celebrates the centenary of the Milanese master's birth, showcasing his cross-disciplinary vision and the still highly relevant legacy he left in the field of graphic design.

In Torrevecchia Teatina, in the province of Chieti, there is a unique museum: the Museum of Love Letters, housed in the 18th-century palace of the Marquis Valignani. Opened in 2012 with the aim of promoting letter writing as cultural heritage, the museum preserves over ten thousand vintage letters and postcards, many of which were collected through the Love Letter Award, which has been running since 1999. It is a place where words become memories, feelings and collective stories.

Founded in 1973 by the creative genius of Gianni Sassi, Humus returns in a new digital format thanks to Iris Ceramica Group. Under the direction of Antonella Galli, the magazine recaptures its pioneering spirit by exploring ceramics, architecture, design and contemporary art. Each issue will be a thematic journey through different fields of knowledge, sowing the seeds for new ideas. The first, Riscoprire la terra, pays tribute to the soil as a source of change, while the second, Passaggi di confine, explores contemporary responses to the constant encroachments that each of us experiences.

Credits: Illustrations of the Natural Orders of Plants, Giorgio Lotti, Ken Douglas, Humus Magazine.

September has arrived and the new issue of ARCHIVIO is getting closer and closer. While we wait, with a touch of end-of-summer nostalgia, let's take a trip down memory lane through past issues.

The first cycle, dedicated to memory and freedom, is now sold out. The second, edited by Valerio Millefoglie and concluded in 2023, covered the last decades of the twentieth century in four issues, recounting, through historical archive materials, the events that marked that era and which still help us to understand the present day.
The third cycle took a thematic direction: each volume explores a different topic, shedding light on unpublished stories and the voices of experts in the field. After “The Fashion Issue” and “The Design Issue”, only one question remains: What's next? Stay tuned.