Kiki Goti's contemplative showcase Selene demonstrates design?s potential to shift perceptions of the foyer through home furnishings.

Antechamber, foyer, or vestibule ? semantics aside, architecture?s iconic liminal space is experiencing a bit of a renaissance as evidenced by the plethora of fresh objects debuting with every passing fair. Makers like Kiki Goti, whose showcase Selene debuted to great acclaim at Alcova for Milan Design Week 2024, demonstrate design?s potential to shift perceptions of this typically underrepresented space.

The selection rests somewhere between entry and exit, public and private, foyer and hearth. While those with the financial means, or luxury of square footage, might outfit their rooms in a display of opulence, Goti opts for an equally seductive alternative. ?I’m drawn to a more contemplative interpretation ? one that eschews outward ostentation in favor of an inward exploration. In my vision, the foyer becomes a sanctum for introspection, guiding occupants on a transformative journey of self-discovery.? It comes as no surprise that the multi-hyphenate designer has the empathy ? and access to material fabrication prowess ? to take up this cause, with time also spent as a practicing architect and educator.
But only some of the design-thinking remains despite the shift in scale. ?I studied in a school where we were still taught that ?form follows function? and that decoration was superficial. I grew out of it pretty fast ...