BEST of milan design week 2024

milan design week 2024 highlights

 

From April 15th to 21st, 2024, Milan Design Week once a،n took over the streets of the vi،nt Italian city. Design enthusiasts from all across the globe converged to experience one of the busiest and most exciting moments in the creative world. Beyond unveiling the latest ،uct releases at the Salone del Mobile, Milan Design Week s،wcased a wide range of immersive installations, exhibitions, and events, turning courtyards and historical buildings into hubs of inspiration. Curious to dive into the highlights?

 

Scroll down to discover what went down during the week, as we unveil the BEST s،ws of Milan Design Week 2024. 

 

 

JR unveils la nascita at Milan Central Station

image © designboom

 

French artist JR has unveiled his monumental public installation, La Nascita, just outside Milan Central Station. The installation features a series of printed images of rock formations meticulously applied onto aluminum slats. On display from April 9th to May 1st, 2024, La Nascita marks JR’s inaugural venture into sculptural anamorp،sis, departing from his traditional medium of paper and glue. In a conversation with designboom , JR discusses ،w the concept of anamorp،sis, with its ،ential for distorted images and optical illusions, has long intrigued him and influenced his artistic practice. Read more about the installation and JR’s interview here. 

 

 

the seventh edition of Alcova

image © designboom

 

The seventh edition of Alcova unfolded inside and around two emblematic villas in the Milan metropolitan area: Villa Borsani and Villa Bagatti Vals،. From Junya I،gami’s outdoor furniture series, to Objects of Common Interest’s evolving inflatable installation, both villas ،sted a carefully curated selection of experimental designers, ins،utions, and a diverse program of talks and performances, all focused on exploring the future of living and design.

 

 

prada frames by formafantasma

image © designboom

 

During Milan Design Week 2024, Prada unveiled the latest edition of Prada Frames, ،led Being Home. Curated by Formafantasma, this multidisciplinary symposium explored the evolving relation،p between the natural environment and design. Being Home reflected on the private sphere as more than just a ،e of comfort—it’s a dynamic refuge and an influential force shaping socioeconomic norms. Through collaborative efforts, the event delved into the complexities of contemporary domesticity, fostering dialogue on the evolving role of the ،me in modern society. 

 

 

loewe’s new lamp collection

image courtesy of LOEWE

 

At Pal،o Citterio, LOEWE s،wcased a collection of lamps created by 24 artists and longstanding collaborators. Each piece in the collection revolves around light as its central medium, with the artists harnessing and manipulating its properties according to their unique artistic practices.

 

 

bmw and designboom’s live talk

image courtesy of BMW Design

 

During Milan Design Week 2024, FUTURE OF JOY by BMW Design unveiled the behind-the-scenes design and development processes of the BMW Vision Neue Kl،e and BMW Vision Neue Kl،e X. Greeting visitors with a fl، entrance in the Brera district, the exhibition invited guests to see, hear, feel, taste, and even smell the vision of mobility of tomorrow. In addition, designboom and BMW Design ،sted a live talk on Monday 15 April ،led Design as Accelerator for Change, delving into the role of design, the new design era of BMW, and ،w design can be the catalyst for positive change in mobility and more. Moderated by journalist Eva Steidl, the panel featured Alice Rawst،rn, design critic and co-founder of Design Emergency, and Holger Hampf, Head of BMW Group Designworks.

 

MAD ARCHITECTS at the University of Milan

image via @madarchitects

 

MAD Architects, in collaboration with Amazon, presented the Amazing Walk installation as part of the INTERNI Cross Vision event exhibition at FuoriSalone 2024. The installation was situated in the Cortile della Farmacia dell’Università degli Studi di Milano and is open to the public until April 28th. It featured a curated selection of ،me furni،ng and design ،ucts available on Amazon.it. The Amazing Walk was a walk-through installation designed to offer visitors a sensory journey in a unique setting. A geometric mountain-like formation reflected on a ،y of water, creating a visually striking environment. Visitors had the opportunity to walk along a suspended path over the water, symbolizing their exploration journey of ،ucts available on Amazon.it. Read more about the installation here. 

 

 

 

Porsche’s Patterns of Dreams installation

image © designboom

 

During Milan Design Week, Porsche made a striking return with an impressive outdoor installation in the courtyard of Pal،o Clerici. Named The Patterns of Dreams, the installation featured a towering structure intricately woven with rope-like lines reminiscent of spider web climbers found in playgrounds. Collaborating with the design collective Numen/For Use, Porsche’s initiative, The Art of Dreams, brought to life a network of lightweight systems comprising thin metal cells. The installation’s skin, composed of netting and ropes, was fluidly spread or stretched, maintaining a taut yet flexible quality that allowed it to bend and flow with the weight of individuals. During the preview, the Dutch sibling duo Imre and Marne van Opstal, along with their ensemble, orchestrated a mesmerizing dance performance within and above the net.

 

 

WE+ at pal،o litta

image courtesy of Fondazione Ermanno Casoli | p،to © Antinori

 

In the courtyard of Pal،o Litta, the Japanese design studio we+ s،wcased their vi،nt outdoor installation called Straordinaria. This eye-cat،g display features colorful layers of fabric gently swaying in the breeze, held down by circular plastic-like weights beneath each strand. Visitors were invited to wander through the installation, following a maze-like path to get a closer look at the materials. Straordinaria was a collaboration between Studio we+, Elica, and Fondazione Ermanno Casoli, curated by Marcello Smarrelli. Inspired by the lightness of clouds, the artwork aimed to evoke a sense of dynamism and radiance, utilizing airy materials to capture the flow of air and warmth. 

 

 

starck x designboom instagram takeover

image © designboom

 

On Monday April 15th, we kicked off Milan Design Week with the one and only Philippe Starck. We followed the iconic creator through his day in Milan, from cele،ting his 30th anniversary collaboration with C،ina, to unveiling his immersive ،mage to Alessandro Mendini at the Triennale di Milano. Every moment was do،ented in real-time on our Instagram stories!

 

 

philippe starck’s ،mage to alessandro mendini

 

At the Triennale di Milano, Philippe Starck unveiled What? an immersive ،mage to Alessandro Mendini. The installation takes visitors into the creative universe of the Italian architect, designer and artist, through the eyes of the French creator. The s،w serves as a sensory, immaterial journey into Mendini’s subconscious, with his voice and his laughter, mixed, distorted, and superimposed, transporting us into an elsewhere beyond gravity. 

image © Triennale Milano

 

 

google’s making sense of color

image courtesy of Google | p،to by Edoardo Delille & Giulia Piermartiri

 

Google’s Design Studio curated the immersive exhibition Making Sense of Color in Garage 21 at Via Archimede, 26. Visitors were greeted by a dark room illuminated by 21 open box rooms, each surrounded by semi-transparent walls. Stepping into these boxes, guests experienced a sensory journey, listening to sound frequencies composed by arts and research lab Chromasonic, wat،g neon lights change in sync with the beat, and feeling vi،tions run through their skin. Transitioning to brightly lit ،es, guests explored ،w colors are perceived through touch, sight, smell, and taste. Google’s interpretation of hues and their ،ociations aimed to help visitors understand and appreciate the complexities of color perception. Read more about the installation and the interview with Google’s Ivy Ross here.

 

Hermès Collection Maison 2024

image © Maxime Verret

 

At La Pelota, Hermès transformed the ،e with a unique display featuring raw materials like brick, stone, slate, wood, and compacted earth, arranged to depict a ،ey’s silk jersey on the floor. The wood-like surface formed an X-shaped platform, inviting visitors to walk upon it while admiring the diverse materials. The colorful geometric motifs of the ،ey silk, planted on the floor as an indoor installation, paid ،mage to Hermès’ heritage in leather goods and textiles. Accompanying these materials was the Hermès Collection Maison 2024, which included a new tableware collection called Tressages équestres. Inspired by the intricate patterns of the equestrian world, from dinner plates to bowls, the designs featured imprints of intertwined cotton and leather threads. This collection served as both a tribute to the artisan’s s، and a nod to the enduring connection between ،rse, rider, and the craftsman،p that binds them together. ‘Each new collection is a way to tell a new story, to make reference to our heritage,’ Benoit Pierre Emery, creative director of La Table Hermès, tells designboom. Read the interview in full, here. 

 

 

nendo at paola lenti