In 1986, Paolo Boffi recognized early on the importance of a clear aesthetic direction and entrusted the company’s creative leadership to the then-emerging architect Piero Lissoni. From that moment began one of the most iconic collaborations in the world of Italian design.
Together with Roberto Gavazzi — President, CEO and Owner of Boffi|DePadova — Lissoni contributed to the creation of a new design language that redefined the concept of the kitchen. No longer seen as a purely functional space, the kitchen evolved into a complete architectural experience where purity of volumes, technology, and timeless aesthetics coexist in perfect balance.
Over these 40 years, Boffi introduced the refined aesthetics and technical expertise of professional kitchens into the contemporary home, establishing signature elements such as large monolithic island, rigorous geometries, and a minimalist design language that have become instantly recognizable features of the brand’s identity.
Today, this ongoing design research finds its contemporary expression in the XPL kitchen system designed by Piero Lissoni. XPL is an evolution of Luigi Massoni’s iconic Xila system from 1972 and is rooted in the philosophy of absolute design reduction: clean volumes, precise proportions, and meticulous attention to construction details.
Its distinctive feature is the slanted side panel with a 90 mm thickness and a 32 mm radius curve — a subtle gesture that brings softness and balance to the overall composition. The result is a kitchen that appears to float within the space, perfectly expressing the timeless design philosophy shared by Boffi and Piero Lissoni.
Throughout this forty-year collaboration, Piero Lissoni has designed some of the most iconic projects in the history of Boffi and De Padova. From the architectural purity of Hide Pro and XPL to the monolithic presence of Novanta and the material warmth of Aprile, each system expresses a different aspect of his design philosophy: rigorous geometries, functional precision, and a perfect balance between technology and spatial experience.
