Bethan Laura Wood designs the new collection for Poltronova

14 October 2025

A student at the Royal Academy of Arts in London, where she was mentored by Jurgen Bey and Martino Gamper, Bethan Laura Wood opened her own studio in 2009 and quickly established herself on the international design scene, designing furniture, accessories, and jewelry, and experimenting with wide-ranging collaborations, including CC-Tapis, Cassina, Perrier Jouet, and Rosenthal, to name a few.

Colorful, eclectic, and mysterious, Bethan premiered her collection for Poltronova, “Terrazzo Quarry,” at Edit Napoli, a curatorial design fair. This is a very important collection because it is the first time Poltronova has included a completely new project not drawn from its historical archive. The designer, therefore, has the honor of launching a new phase for Poltronova, a brand with a strong personality that seems to blend perfectly with Wood’s radical and unique style. It’s no coincidence that the Design Museum in London is dedicating a solo exhibition to her until January 25th: 70 objects that showcase not only her collections but also her creative process.

How did the collaboration with Poltronova begin, and what struck you about this historic company?

I was familiar with Poltronova and have used the Ultrafragola mirror in many of my projects, but CC Tapis actually put us in touch during a collaboration.

The first project I did for Poltronova was a decorative pattern for Superonda, working on one of the company’s historic collections. The pattern was inspired by Venetian terrazzo, which I had developed a near-obsession with after a residency I did with the Claudio Buziol Foundation. This sparked the desire to create a seating system with a more contemporary and angular feel than Superonda: Terrazzo Quarry is made precisely by giving unique cuts to a single extrusion of polyurethane foam, covered with this pattern inspired by Venetian terrazzo but with a psychedelic, 1960s twist.

I worked extensively with Poltronova on the shapes and angles of these seats, drawing inspiration from the crystals and rocks that are, after all, part of Venetian terrazzo.

You convey a lot of yourself and your personality to the objects you design. Is it a creative process that recharges you, or, on the contrary, absorbs all your energy?

Me as an individual and my work are a blend, and when I was studying, my tutors, Jurgen Bey and Martino Gamper, always encouraged me to put myself into my work. You could say I’ve found a balance between expressing my identity and being a partner in a company. So ultimately, work energizes me. I try not to overdo things, and I definitely need a break every now and then.

Your creative profile has a very artistic side: is there a boundary between art and design?

Design doesn’t necessarily have to be separate from art; design is a broad discipline that expresses itself in different ways. And it doesn’t necessarily have to be mass-produced, because the reality is that we don’t need many things.

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