Milano Design Week Highlights - Pt. 1
About spaces and designs that left a lasting impression
After three days at Milan Design Week, or the so-called Salone del Mobile, with little sleep and lots of walking, I still feel tired and probably need a bit more time to process all the impressions. Especially at the fairground of Salone del Mobile, the atmosphere felt really stressful to me—too packed, too long queues—and a similar picture at some locations in Brera or the design platform Alcova. So, I enjoyed way more the spaces which were a bit more under the radar than all the big brands.
Here is a summary of the spaces & designs I liked the most and felt the most refreshing to me:
1. STUDIO UTTE’s Sala d’Attessa
A bit north from the Central station, I found myself on a street where I didn't expect anything exciting. But after walking into a courtyard and entering a tiny room covered in oxblood-colored Dedar fabric, I immediately felt as if I were in heaven. The combination of this fabric in contrast with the sleek silver aluminum elements, off-white round linen-covered lamps, and black lacquered chairs was just amazing. There was also a very serene vibe. When talking to the owners, you could see the passion in their eyes. That's what I love the most—meeting the people behind the ideas and gaining insights into their vision and work. As they are a multidisciplinary studio for interior architecture and decoration, you can see that they've thought about the overall effect of the room, not just the individual product designs.
If you've been to Rootine Wellness Club in Munich, you might recognize their aesthetics as it was one of their first big projects.
2. PILOTO MILANO
The color of the week—oxblood/burgundy—was also prominently present here. As we entered the space through the amazing glossy curtains (glossy surfaces also remained prominent), we could already see silver side tables shining in the first room.
Piloto Milano, a design exhibition taking place for the first time, featured several different Brazilian designers with a contemporary approach to urban living. The designs were experimental, with great mixes of shapes and materials, yet they retained a timeless quality and appreciated craftsmanship.
3. Verso Works / Palma
Continuing with Brazilian designers, even though there were only a few pieces showcased and it was not a special installation, I totally fell in love with the Bingo collection no. 2 from Palma. The choice of materials and pattern mix was just different from what I’ve seen so far.
Cow fur combined with checks made from coir mat (usually known as doormats and originating from coconut fiber)—a side table with an MDF base covered with aluminum foil (which you can still see through) and then poured with resin. This construction actually happened by mistake but turned out super cool in the end. As we see, failure can bring you steps forward!
4. Sit.Feast & Bottone at Dopo Space
It was a bit of a journey to get there, but it was definitely worth it. Sit.feast showcased a 12-meter-long table made by carpentry Eham & designer Felix Pöttinger. On top of it, a curation of around 50 designers showcased decorative and tableware objects. The table invited attendees to participate in live drawing sessions, table dialogues, or live music performances. Now, most of the pieces can be purchased via a silent auction on their Instagram account.
Inside the official big launch of the Berlin-based furniture label Bottone took place. Adorable objects that serve as true statement pieces themselves, but as the founders also engage in spatial design, you could really see how well thought out the designs have been. Plus, everything is produced in the EU.
5. BARANZATE ATELIERS
Only 15min away by car from Dopo Space was the 7000m2 space of Baranzate, with a run down industrial character. The focus here was on collectible design, and I saw pieces of one of my favorite designers - and newly announced Young designer of the year by Elle deco - Laurids Gallee. Accepting imperfections as an apprecation of craftmanship were also a big thing (e.g. dropping resin from the dark red table).
6. CAPSULE GLOBAL
Back in town - Capsule Global was one of the spaces with the most interesting crowd. With less time pressure I could have sat there just to watch people. Great selection of exhibitors - and another one of my favorite designers - Muller van Severen showed amazing lacquered cabinets in awesome colors.
As I’m a big fan of material innovations and sustainability, Shapes by Hydro presented the world’s first aluminium made completely from 100% recycled waste. Together with several designers they showcased different pieces ranging from shelves, deco, lamps, chairs, proofing how cool truly sustainably sourced products can be.
In part 2 of my Milan edition I’ll focus on my favorite Brand experiences and collaborations. Stay tuned!