When it comes to Milan’s Salone del Mobile, it's never too early to get a head start on organizing the event calendar.
Among the countless happenings of Fuorisalone 2018, be sure to pencil in the latest installation by the Rockwell Group. From the lone, seemingly endless roads that have characterized both the conceptual and physical American landscape, David Rockwell brings a typical U.S. diner with a twist to Milan’s Central Station.
The unique space is also set to host the 25th-anniversary celebration of design magazine, Surface, here in Milan. Situated within the Central Station at this year’s relocated Ventura Projects district from April 15 -22, Rockwell goes all out for the stars and stripes. From breakfast to dinner, traditional American specialties like homemade pies, milkshakes, and grilled cheese sandwiches will be served up all day long.
“There’s an inherent democracy in [the design of a] diner that has to do with the counter—something we’re making very prominent” says Rockwell. The diner at Milan’s Fuorisalone 2018 was created together with studio 2x4, from the interiors down to the fonts used on the menu. A journey through the space dedicated to bringing people together begins in the Airstream, an American symbol, before passing through the East Coast, the Mid-West, and finally, the West Coast.
“One of America’s distinctive qualities is optimism,” explains 2x4’s creative director and partner, Susan Sellers, “an endless appetite for openness, possibility, and potential. I would say that American identity is currently challenged. We wanted to capture that paradox in The Diner’s identity.”
Satisfying that appetite for adventure, the diner also doubles as a nightclub, welcoming guests late into the night.
“The central idea of a diner is bringing people together,” claims Rockwell. “It’s one of those spaces that has been a refuge forever. Where else can you find old couples, rowdy teenagers, and everyone in between under one roof? The diner transcends all of that.”
