Pleatform <pliːtfɔːm> arises from a research on the fold as a structural form of matter and from the sense of wonder that is felt imagining a flat surface that comes to life and makes a leap to three dimensions, acquiring form and rigidity.
Pleatform blends together natural design and structural conception to imagine and build a variety of topologies, spaces and objects.
Pleatform produces lightweight, resistant and stackable objects with soft shapes, driven by intrinsic qualities of matter.
Pleatform is designed and made in Italy with love.
Founder
Francesco Gioia
I am an independent researcher and professional, specialized in the design and construction of lightweight structures.
I developed research projects in collaboration with Università Politecnica delle Marche of Ancona (Italy), Laboratoire de Mécanique et Génie Civil and École Nationale Superieure d’Architecture of Montpellier (France) on theory, design and experimentation in foldable corrugated shell structures (2009-2010) and on the conception of deployable reflectors and satellite equipment (2012).
In 2013 I co-founded minimastudio (with Fabio Pierdominici), exploring the boundaries of structural optimization with applications in steel structures and staircase designs (Jesi, Italy).
