As Fuorisalone unfolded across the city of Milan with installations inside historic buildings often closed to the public, villas, palazzos, old theatres, former military bases, and a railway workers club, revealed the city’s design, architecture and social history via quintessentially Milanese moments. Like Venice for the art world, Milan was centre stage as the city shaped the cultural pulse with ideas and exhibitions.
Highlights included Edra’s launch at the historic 17th century Palazzo Durini, where new pieces were counterpointed by decorative details and frescos; Philippe Starck's Dior Medallion Chair installation inside a theatre below Milan’s Palazzo Citterio; the former military base, Piazza d'Armi, and its transformation for Alcova, a series of adventurous design exhibitions in and around decaying neo-Renaissance buildings and rambling gardens; and Italian brand Baxter's 19th century 'La Casa Sul Lago' overlooking Lake Como where guests were invited for dinner.
Taking a different approach, Moooi presented an ephemeral mash-up that was a bridge between physical and digital worlds via augmented reality and the historic fabric of the city. While Kartell's Claudio Luti, held a private event in his Milanese home, offering a rare look at one of the city's beautiful residential buildings up close. 'It was fascinating to get a feel for the private side of the design industry,' remarked Michelle McEwen, Group Head of Marketing at Space, 'and to be treated to beautiful food within a magical garden in the centre of the city.'
Here, More Space joined the Space team as they visited exhibitions and art installations inside some of Milan's best kept secrets.
Italian furniture brand Baxter celebrated design week in Milan with aperitivo and dinner at La Casa Sul Lago, a 19th century villa on Lake Como before they transform it into a hotel. Photos c/o Space.
Baxter
In a move that revealed the brand’s long connection to Italy’s richly layered design history and the key role the Italian furniture house plays on the international design stage, Baxter hosted four events over the week, including exhibitions inside the historic Sheraton Diana Majestic, the Restaurante Enrico Bartolini, and at their recently acquired 19th century villa ‘La Casa Sul Lago’ on Lake Como. Giving guests a sneak peak before the team transforms the villa into a luxury hotel, the interiors and terraced gardens were transformed with furniture and objects from the collection including new pieces in the outdoor range. ‘The villa had a perfect view back across the lake to the town of Como, it was beautifully done and very intimate,’ remarked Michelle McEwen, ‘Baxter is a very interesting brand doing such good work.’
Edra
Exhibiting inside the gardened courtyard and decorative rooms of the historic 17th century Palazzo Durini, the big release for Edra this year was the Standalto by Francesco Binfaré. A designer whose ability to read the nuances and shifts in the way people like to relax at home, it was the perfect foil to Edra’s research and development division which is constantly innovating with new materials and technologies. On show were Binfaré classics, including On the Rocks and Pack, both sofas providing an infinite number of seating positions, as well as the Standard sofa and its ‘Smart Cushion’ which provides maximum comfort in any position. ‘Backrests and armrests have lost all stiffness and can be shaped at will with a slight movement of the hand,’ explained Edra. ‘They become low, high, oblique, enveloping and practical.’
Lee Broom's installation 'Divine Inspiration' showed a series six new lighting collections at Blindarte, a former church, in the Brera district of Milan. Here, 'Chant', inspired by pressed glass bricks, transformed the crypt into a glowing chandelier that illuminated the interior. Photo c/o Lee Broom.
'Pantheum' by Lee Broom references the distinctive coffered concrete ceiling of Rome’s ancient temple. Photo c/o Lee Broom.
‘When initially designing this collection which celebrates 15 years, I decided to look back at some of things that inspired me to be a designer in the first place. So I began looking at the brutalist architecture I grew up with as a child, a period of architecture that I love. Delving deeper, my attention became engaged with brutalist places of worship.’
Lee Broom
Lee Broom
‘When initially designing this collection which celebrates 15 years, I decided to look back at some of things that inspired me to be a designer in the first place,’ remarks Lee Broom at the launch of his new collection in Milan ‘So I began looking at the brutalist architecture I grew up with as a child, a period of architecture that I love. Delving deeper, my attention became engaged with brutalist places of worship.’ One of the most dramatic shows during Milan design week, Lee Broom launched his biggest show to date and a series of six new lighting collections inside Blindarte, a former church, in the Brera district of Milan.
Renowned for his theatrical product installations, the show lead visitors through an experiential journey inspired by places of worship, exploring how light is often linked to hallowed places, evoking a sense of stillness, reverence, and contemplation.
The collection included 'Vesper', inspired by the simple geometric lines of brutalist sculpture and modernist cathedral lighting. 'Requiem', an ethereal series of limited-edition pieces that take draw from the marble drapery on ancient statues and were sculpted by Broom in his London factory. 'Pantheum' referenced the distinctive coffered concrete ceiling of Rome’s ancient temple, and 'Hail' the shards of light and shadow from lancet windows in vast church arches. 'Altar' is an ode to Broom’s exploration into the angular forms of mid-century churches and altars, carved from solid oak and completed with an illuminated tube nestled in its architectural grooves. While the final collection 'Chant', was inspired by pressed glass bricks often used as an alternative to stained glass in places of worship during the 1970s. In the hands of Broom, they were transformed into a glowing chandelier that illuminated the crypt of the exhibition.
Giorgetti on show inside their new palazzo on via Spiga in Milan's fashion precinct. Photo c/o Giorgetti.
The gardened courtyard, and opulent interiors (following), at Edra's Palazzo Durini. All photos c/o Edra.
Edra hosted a night at the opera inside Milan's La Scala theatre. Photo c/o Space.
Milan's secret side, Kartell's Claudio Luti opened up his home and garden for a private gathering during Salone del Mobile. Photos, here and following, © Ruy Teixeira.
The adventurous Alcova design exhibitions, and following, in and around the neo-Renaissance buildings and rambling gardens of Piazza d'Armi, a former military hospital. Photos c/o Space.
Fendi's pop-up, here and following, in Milan. Photos c/o Space.
Lee Broom's installation 'Divine Inspiration' featured six new collections inside Blindarte, a former church, in the Brera district of Milan. 'Vesper' was inspired by brutalist sculpture and modernist cathedral lighting. Photo c/o Lee Broom.
'Altar' references the angular forms of mid-century churches and altars, carved from solid oak and completed with an illuminated tube nestled in its architectural grooves. Photo c/o Lee Broom.
Acerbis's re-launched Meda chair on show at Salvatore Ferragamo. Photo c/o Acerbis.
A Life Extraordinary by Moooi blended physical and digital installations that featured the Hortensia chair in new colours. Photos c/o Moooi.
The ex-industrial space that is Nilufar Depot, here and following, featured the work of 25 artists and designers including a collaboration with Martino Gamper called ‘Innesto (Rubbing up the wrong tree)’. Photos c/o Space.
One of Milan's oldest wine shops, Cantine Isola, brimming with locals and an eclectic wine collection. Photo c/o Space.
Dior’s collaboration with Philippe Starck produced the Dior Medallion Chair spotlighted inside a theatre below Milan’s Palazzo Citterio. Photo c/o Dior, photography © Adrien Dirand.
The 'Divided Layers' installation was a collaboration between artist-designer Daniel Arsham and Kohler that unfolded at Palazzo Senato. Photo © Daniel Arsham.
'Our world is often heavy with its physicality. A Life Extraordinary 2022 blends our physical world with the digital world. We will be more together and embrace and infuse the possibilities of technology into our homes, our interiors.'
Marcel Wanders, Moooi
Blurring the physical and the digital, Moooi's 'A Life Extraordinary' installation featured the new Aldora sofa by Cristina Celestino. Photos c/o Moooi.
Moooi
'Our world is often heavy with its physicality. A Life Extraordinary 2022 blends our physical world with the digital world. We will be more together and embrace and infuse the possibilities of technology into our homes, our interiors,’ remarked Marcel Wanders, Founder and Creative Director, Moooi, as the brand presented ‘A Life Extraordinary’ a multi-sensory exhibition that took place online and live in Milan. Moooi's immersive environment, fashioned as four interior moods where the worlds of design and technology intersected, explored robotics for the first time with global design firm IDEO. Out of that collaboration is ‘Piro,’ a dancing scent diffuser that came alive through interaction, and a work by Stockholm-based artist Ada Sokół, known for her sensory artwork experiences that transformed Moooi’s Extinct Animals collection into 3D art.
Giorgetti
At Giorgetti’s new address at via della Spiga 31 in the heart of Milan’s Fashion District, a 24-hour window invited passers by to view an installation by art director Giancarlo Bosio featuring he sinuous structure of Raffaella Pugliatti’s iconic Move chair. Appearing to float in space as if part of an abstract sculpture installation, mirrored walls created a dramatic kaleidoscopic effect. A piece that embodies the artisanal skill that has been passed on through the generations at Giorgetti, Move also bridges the brand's technological research.
Stay tuned as More Space continues its coverage with all the standout new products from the Salone del Mobile.
