With just a month to go before Milan’s most anticipated event of the year, Milan Design Week 2018 (April 17-22), we’re pulling out the calendars to break down the city district by district between exclusive events and must-see installations. Get ready to pencil in your favorites and be sure to follow along for more news on designers, events, and exhibits about town.
FuoriSalone 2018: Isola Design District
Emerging creatives and sensational installations overflow in the Isola Design District, dedicated to this year’s theme of “Rethinking Material”, an exploration into the versatile experimentation of materials. Local craftsmen and international designers come together to showcase their extraordinary creations throughout the many ateliers and open shops in the neighborhood. The central nerve of the Isola district will be La Stecca 3.0, a community space transformed exposition center dedicated to workshops for design.
Don’t miss the work of Kensaku Oshiro, the Japanese designer that has found a home here in the “island”, selected by architect Piero Lissoni for Maison&Objet’s Italian Rising Talent Awards; the Dutch Invertuals in Spazio O’; and the Milan Design Market, a concept store inside Gianni Rizzotti’s Photo Studio, a 400 square meter loft in via Pastrengo 14 designed by Elif Resitoglu.
FuoriSalone 2018: 5VIE
The 5VIE district celebrates its 5th year with Fuorisalone and the 2018 edition is expected to impress, flaunting everything from product design to artistic experimentation. Organizers teamed up with some incredible international curators: Canadian gallerist Nicolas Bellavance-Lecompte unveils his free form exhibit, Unsighted, while Alice Stori Liechtenstein presents ###i
The busy district has numerous events scheduled, including the economic forum “It’s Circular” (April 15-16), kicking things off with Trashpresso (Colone di San Lorenzo/Piazza Vetra), a mobile machine recycling fabrics and plastics. The creative contraption is capable of producing 10 square meters of tile in just 40 minutes, with 8 plastic bottles producing a single tile.
FuoriSalone 2018: Ventura Centrale and Ventura Future
For those who haven’t been following the latest Milan Design Week news, the flourishing district of Ventura Lambrate is no more. 2018 will see the return of the creative group in Ventura Centrale and Ventura Future near the Piola metro station and between Lambrate and the Central Station. The former is set to exhibit under the railway tracks within the ex-Raccordati warehouse, showing site-specific installations from emerging names in the contemporary design scene like Nitto, Asahi Glass, Surface Magazine with David Rockwell, and the latest project from Fabrica.
The latter, Ventura Future, will unfold in FutureDome, a recently restructured Art Nouveau building in Via Paisiello. The space will host Editions Milano, with works by Patricia Urquiola and Federico Peri as well as Mason and Mingardo, featuring the creations of Federica Biasi, Denis Guidone, Mae Engelgeer, and Valerio Sommella.
FuoriSalone 2018: Brera Design District
Brera makes its return to Milan Design Week with “Be Human: Designing with Empathy”, the theme for the district now in its ninth edition. Over 100 events, international designers, and 3 young Italian ambassadors mark the presence of this established Milanese design district. Presenting “human” creations, the three young ambassadors take on the emotional connection between people and objects, while Cristina Celestino transforms a tram into a moving cinema under the name Corallo.
Elsewhere, Elena Salmistraro presents Dafne, a revisitation of the Timberland logo in Piazza XXV Aprile. Daniele Lago proposes a series of exhibits, meetings, and workshops in Appartamento Lago in Via Brera 30 and Casa Lago in Via San Tomaso 6. The Brera Design Apartment also returns in Via Palermo under the curation of Raffaella Guidobono, with furnishings and upholstery from a wide variety of designers. Many locations will host a focus on Brazilian design, with over 65 designers and businesses on display, while over at La Pelota, Vitra presents an event orchestrated by Robert Stadler.
Brera gets a green twist thanks to the projects in Piazza Gae Aulenti and Eataly Milano. The former unveils a Hidden Garden by Pierattelli Architettura, while the latter rolls out MI-ORTO, a garden in Piazza XXV Aprile.
Specializing in wireless cellphone chargers, Woodie Milano offers their services in the various showrooms of the district and Spotify accompanies it all with a dedicated Milan Design Week playlist. Be sure to navigate through the area with the “Crumpled Map” by Palomar, an indestructible map of the Brera Design District.
FuoriSalone 2018: Tortona Design District
Now in its third edition, Tortona Rocks, in the Porta Genova area, lights up with the work of international design. Organized by Milano Space Maker, the “Design Narrative” theme welcomes L’Opificio 31 among others with “the best of design between Europe and Asia”. Located just in front of the MUDEC Museum, the space will show designers from Norway (Norvegian Presence), Switzerland (Swiss Design District), as well as Japanese and German (two installations dedicated to sustainable living proposed by Containerwerk). Meanwhile, award-winning designers Neri&Hu present their installation any/everywhere for Stellar Works, a space to play “with the concepts of context and location”, while the Politecnico di Milano shows up with a workshop in collaboration with Vans.
As always, the Tortona Design District will take to the streets, animating much of the neighborhood with countless events between Via Tortona and Via Savona. Totaling 20 exhibits, 30 designers, and 50 companies, Tortona is among the most famous districts at Fuorisalone. Last but not least, the Asia Design Pavilion makes its debut this year with the best of asian design in Via Watt 15.
FuoriSalone 2018: Porta Venezia in Design
Uniting food & wine, Art Nouveau architecture, and design, “Porta Venezia in Design” makes its sixth appearance at this year’s Fuorisalone. The vibrant and decorative neighborhood will take visitors on a tour through the gorgeous buildings, stores, and bars.
Confirming their presence, Jannella&Volpi and Manerba return to Via Melzo 7 for a much-anticipated show, while the new home textile collections from Lisa Corti make an appearance in Via Lecco 2. This year’s concept store, Stamberga(internal courtyard of Via Melzo 3), is set to host a collection of 20th century Italian design from the 1 + 1 Historical Design Gallery as well as iconic pieces from Bonacina 1889 and Sen Factory at the intersection between Italian and Japanese design. The Czech Cultural Center in Via G.B. Morgagni 20 presents the world premier of “A Century of Czech design. From Cubism to the 21st century”, a project reflecting on the first 100 years of the Czech Republic through design. Remember to swing by Doppia Firma 2018, the lovechild of a designer and artisan, in Villa Mozart (Via Mozart 9) for a one of a kind collection of 13 original objects.
Among the new entries of Porta Venezia in Design, Primo Piano (Viale Abruzzi 20) unveils the “experiential and interactive installations” in the fields of retail, contract, museums, and commercial by ABS Group, Corepixx, and ETT. Via Rosolino Pilo 16 welcomes Giampiero Romanò and his line of furnishings, “Creazione d’interni”, with a focus on restoration and vintage design. Returning to the district, Gaia Paiola presents “I miei giardini”, hand painted and embroidered furnishings in Via Tommaso Salvini 2.
While the Haorart exhibit in Le Caveau Tattoo delves into Japanese culture (Via Goldoni 44), the Folgosa space in Via Nino Bixio presents “the Flying Jacket”. The exhibition will display the latest models from stylist Andrea Folgosa alongside the graphic art of Chiara Passigli.
