“The utmost attention to people’s wellbeing and safety through furnishings that strike a perfect balance between a culture of health and an eco-sustainable philosophy”.
This is the guiding principle set out by Riva, a company whose history dates back to 1919 with an artisan workshop founded by Attilio Riva and which today operates through two brands, Boiserie Riva and RivaViva. The latter was launched in 1990 by Cristina Riva, a third-generation member of the family who has instilled a strong ecological ethos into her furniture range. In issue no. 277 of *Ambiente Cucina*, architect Cristina Riva explained the ’recipe‘ for keeping such an ambitious promise.
Let’s start with the history. How did your eco-conscious ethos come about, and what were the roots that nurtured it?
Certainly, the focus on wood and its finishes is part of the history of the family business, which was founded in the 1920s and specialised in panelling. This knowledge of the material was then carried over to RivaViva, the range of natural and eco-sustainable furniture launched in the early 1990s, through which I was able to express my interest in ecology. This focus and awareness were developed thanks to my architecture studies, which led me to travel extensively throughout Northern Europe, where environmental issues were already well established.
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