Milan Design Week: The Latest Architecture and News

Step into the realm where the minimalism of the 1960s Light and Space movement intertwines with contemporary high-tech algorithms and sensors. Back then, light artists like James Turrell, Dan Flavin, and Robert Irwin captivated audiences with the bare essentials, using precisely daylight or lamps to heighten visual perception. Fast forward to today, Chromasonic takes this synergy of light and color but augments it with sound and algorithms. Envisioned as a global network to experience the harmony of body and mind, Johannes Girardoni's team unveiled the first satellite of perception in the heart of Venice Beach, California. Through a collaboration with Google, Milan Design Week showcased how the interplay of light and color can go on tour as a walk-in installation on a larger scale.

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Milan Design Week is a celebration of creativity, innovation and excellence in design, captivating audiences from all over the world. It is an event that encompasses various design-related exhibitions and activities in Milan, while Salone del Mobile is Milan Design Week's main trade fair focused specifically on furniture and interior design. Every year, the city is transformed into a vibrant hub where designers, architects, artists and enthusiasts converge to explore the latest trends, ideas and innovations in the world of design. The instance is a catalyst for inspiration, promoting dialogue, collaboration and discovery across a range of design disciplines, from furniture and interior design to architecture, fashion and more.

In 2024, the event witnessed a strong presence of Spanish brands among the many exhibitors. This impact was fostered by ICEX (Spain Trade and Investment), a Spanish government agency responsible for promoting the internationalization of companies and the expansion of the country's exports, providing support and services to companies looking to enter or expand in international markets. In addition, the institution organizes trade missions, participates in international fairs and exhibitions and provides training and consultancy services to Spanish companies looking to succeed in the global market. Here is a summary of the exhibitions and activities of seven outstanding Spanish brands at the various events that took place during the week of April 15-21, 2024 in Milan.

As Milan Design Week begins, the Italian city is transformed into the grounds of one of the most expansive celebrations of global design, with its streets and venues brimming with cultural events, exhibitions, large-scale installations, talks and conferences. At Rho Fiera, the 62nd edition of the Salone del Mobile.Milano brings together designers, architects, producers and leading figures of the design world, featuring over 1950 exhibitors which will remain open for the next 6 days. Additionally, across the city Fuorisalone opens up locations across the city with an engaging and varied cultural program.

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The Salone del Mobile in Milan - 2023 is one of the most anticipated design events of the year. Present once again, as different brands showcased their exceptional materials, products, and features in an environment where design sets the tone, DAAily hosted the DAAily bar, in its second edition, organized jointly by Designboom, Architonic, and ArchDaily.

Taking place at the Piazza Cavour’s Swiss Corner on the edge of Brera, from April 17th, 2023, until April 21st, 2023, the DAAily bar was an opportunity to not only celebrate with architects, designers, and industry figures but also to recognize ArchDaily's "Most Referenced Brands" ranking, a diverse list of important brands in the architecture and design industry. More than 30 brands were awarded a trophy during the event.

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Milan Design Week is an annual festival that returned to Milan this April, with as a main event, The Salone del Mobile, which runs from April 18 to 23, 2023, at the Fiera Milano exhibition venue. Over 370,000 people attended the furniture fair this year, while thousands of design studios presented furniture, lighting, appliances, kitchen, bathroom, outdoor and workstation products. To highlight furniture and object design and the broader context of Milanese architecture and culture, many architectural offices collaborated with various businesses to make architect-designed items and construct architectural installations.

Reputable architects participated in the week-long event as they do every year, using products, furniture, and installations to share their expertise, address some of the most pressing issues facing the field, and demonstrate how their work can benefit the environment and society. Many firmly established architecture studios, from Foster + Partners, Mario Cucinella, and Hassell, designed various products. Furthermore, architects such as The New Raw, Snøhetta, and Studio Etienne Bastormagi have designed products focusing on efficient and sustainable systems that can inform future decision-making.

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The Salone del Mobile.Milano 2023 entrusted the Milanese architecture and engineering studio Lombardini22 with curating the exhibition space and redefining its layout and circulation flows to ensure an increasingly engaging and contemporary business platform. On a similar note, Formafantasma was appointed to take care of the large Arena and the Cameos, small exhibitions layout in the trade fair site. During this year’s edition, seven exhibitions will be held simultaneously at Fiera Milano fairgrounds in Rho. The events are open to professionals from Tuesday 18^th until Sunday 23^rd of April, and to the general public on Saturday and Sunday.

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Designboom, Architonic, and ArchDaily which make up DAAily platforms, created a unique, storytelling-programmed space for design and architecture enthusiasts dubbed the DAAily Bar during this year's Milan Design Week. The space featured curated talk series and gathering spots, along with immersive art installations by renowned designers.

As part of the DAAily Bar Live Talks, ArchDaily's Founder and Editor-in-Chief David Basulto had the opportunity to talk with Mario Cucinella, founder of MC A - Mario Cucinella Architects and curator of “Design with Nature” for Salone del Mobile 2022, about his work and his recent projects.

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During this year's Milan Design Week, Designboom, Architonic, and ArchDaily which make up DAAily platforms, created a unique, storytelling-programmed space for design and architecture enthusiasts dubbed the DAAily Bar. The space featured curated talk series and gathering spots, along with immersive art installations by renowned designers.

As part of the DAAily Bar Live Talks, ArchDaily's Founder and Editor-in-Chief David Basulto had the chance to talk with Carlo Ratti, director of MIT's Senseable Lab and founder of innovation studio Carlo Ratti Associati about this multidisciplinary approach, the blurred boundaries of the profession and his recent projects.

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Along with the participation of thousands of designers, artists, and craftsmen at this year's 2022 Salone del Mobile at Milan's Rho Fiera, renowned architects collaborated with some of the biggest local and international manufacturers to create installations, products, materials, and furniture pieces that explore the future of living, as part of the annual Fuorisalone.

This year's architectural contributions, which were on display across the busy streets of Milan, Brera design district and botanical garden, Alcova, BASE, and other cultural venues, highlighted this year's Milan Design Week theme of sustainability and environmental awareness with respect to furniture production.

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Following two years of delays and cancellations, this year's Milan Design Week saw thousands of designers, artists, and craftsmen put their skills on display and present different solutions for the future of manufacturing, interior design, materials, and the environment. As every year, renowned architects also took part of the week-long event, using products, furniture pieces, and installations to share their professional angle and answer some of the biggest questions of the practice, showcasing how it can contribute to the betterment of the environment and society as a whole.

Focusing on sustainability and environmental awareness with respect to furniture production, this year's architectural contributions at Salone del Mobile saw innovative takes on “inclusive” design.

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