The project stems from a clear idea: to transform the landscape into a perceptual space capable of challenging the boundary between what is real and what is perceived. For Orticolario 2026, Stefano Dentice & Partners presents La Soglia, an immersive installation conceived as a temporary passage between nature, architecture and the inner realm.

A compact, silent black volume emerges within the landscape of Villa Erba. Inside, curved reflective surfaces dissolve the boundaries of the space, fragmenting and reframing its surroundings. Vegetation appears through reflections and distortions as a living, unexpected presence, while a bespoke fragrance developed for the installation by maître parfumeur Nuria du Chêne de Vère introduces an additional sensory layer. Visitors move through the space without a predetermined route, suspended between inside and outside, reality and imagination.

We developed the project’s visual communication, from defining its narrative and visual language to designing the communication materials and providing art direction for the photography and video production.

The art direction for photography and video followed the same principle as the installation itself: to reveal without fully explaining. Framing, details and sequences create a fragmented perception of the space, gradually bringing into focus the relationship between the black volume, the surrounding landscape and the vegetation within it.

Outcome: a visual communication system that extends La Soglia beyond the duration and physical boundaries of the installation. Photography, video and graphic materials convey the project’s identity while preserving its perceptual dimension.

Partner: Stefano Dentice & Partners
Photography & Video: Photodaf
Fragrance: Nuria du Chêne de Vère
Location: Orticolario 2026, Villa Erba, Lake Como