11 Must-See Events at Milan Design Week 2015

It is considered the most important design event in the world – the one you shouldn’t miss. Last year, more than 350,000 visitors came to participate in hundreds of events, exhibitions, booths and showrooms, that make the Milan Design Week the place to be in the world of design, for anyone who wishes to stay up-to-date on the future and global trends.

This year as well – for the third year in a row – Caesarstone^® will present a special installation during the most important design week in the world. In 2013, we presented the “Stone Garden” from Studio Nendo, which was composed of 330 tables in the form of stones. Last year we were there with “Islands” by “Raw Edges” Studio, at the center of which was an 18-meter long table that put a new spin on home design, and which was chosen by Wallpaper* magazine as one of the most prominent exhibitions during the design week.

This year, Caesarstone^® will present Movements from designer Philippe Malouin, a Canadian-born, London-based designer who recently won W Hotels “Designers of the Future” award, as well as the “Wallpaper*” Best Use of Material award. This exhibit, which will be presented in striking 18th century Serbelloni Milanese Palace (Corso Venzia ,16) in the city center, comes in two installations, each of which examines the unexpected use of Caesarstone^® surfaces.

Planters by Philippe Malouin

The main hall in the palace will be occupied by eight swings that visitors will be invited to try out. While sitting on a swing is typically reserved for childhood, the swings at the Milano show were moved from the standard playground environment and integrated into the magnificent environment of the palace, metamorphosing the swinging experience, and offering new and intimate contact with the familiar material. This was also Malouin’s starting point, as he tells it: “For me the starting point was the exploration of the material ,as we tend to start most projects. We therefore focused on spending time in the workshop, except ,this was not an ordinary workshop ,but a fully equipped solid surface transformation facility. Caesarstone^® is an extremely versatile material that is easy to predict and work with ,and it offers a variety of colours and finishes.”

The room adjacent to the main hall will also house Malouin’s exploration of materials, this time in the image of tens of planters designed from different surfaces of Caesarstone, together creating a striking tropical forest. The final result echoes his work process, and his use of different materials and techniques: despite their modern and geometric appearance, the planters utilize a wide range of placement techniques, while utilizing the materials’ flexibility and the wide range of colors of surfaces available by Caesarstone.

If you’re planning on visiting the Milan Design Week, take a look at the list we’ve compiled of ten more recommendations for events, shows, exhibits and launches that should not be missed.

Alchemy Lounge by Yves Behar for SodaStream

SodaStream will be launching “MIX”, designed by Yves Béhar, unique in its ability to carbonate both soft and alcoholic drinks. The machine, which integrates touch-screen technology, can connect to the Internet, allowing you to share cocktails with other MIX users. Under the title “Alchemy Lounge”, Béhar designed an exhibit space that looks like a mix between a spaceship, a bar of the future and a laboratory. The space will be used, in collaboration with DesignBoom, for lectures by designers and technology professionals.

Visits at the Milan Design Week would not be complete without a stopover at two places in particular, located just a 15 minute walk from one another. The first is the space of Rossana Orlandi, considered one of the leading design galleries in the world, which includes a shop, showrooms and a stunning garden. The second – the Triennale – is the Milano Design Museum, which is home to a number of design shows every year, offering a new interpretation of the meaning of Italian design and its origins.

Wallpaper* magazine will hold its Handmade exhibition for the sixth time, showcasing pieces from various fields of design, including furniture, fashion and food, that were especially crafted for the event. The designers, artists, makers and artisans focused on hand-made designs in particular, including work from the FormaFantasma studio that will present a new table designed using Caesarstone^® surfaces.

This exhibition will run alongside a collection of Afghan rugs that were designed by designers such as Jaime Hayon, Fredrikson Stallard studio and Nanimarquina, and even one rug that was designed by the magazine’s editor, Tony Chambers.

Moroso new collection by Ron Arad, Nendo & Martino Gamper

Moroso will continue their collaboration with artists and designers presenting their “Vis à Vis” exhibition in a showroom at the city center, in collaboration with the publisher, designer and German gallery owner, Jörg Schellmann. Alongside furniture designed by Schellmann will be artwork by Donald Judd, Cindy Sherman and more.

In Milan’s botanical gardens, located in the Brera district, there will be a preview of the intriguing interdisciplinary project of the “Be Open” fund that will be presented in its entirety during the Milan Expo (image in the top of the post). “The Garden of Wonders” installation will hold the work of eight designers, among them Piero Lissoni and Tord Boontje with their contemporary design interpretation of historical perfumeries that no longer exist.

Wrinkles by Studio COZI. Photo by Ido Adan

Pini Leibovich will present a series of five wool carpets at the Alberto Levi gallery, in colors similar to the balloon carpets that he designed in the past, alongside a wooden bookshelf that becomes more amorphic and less functional the higher it goes. First-timers in Milan, Yuval Carmel and Ofir Zandani from COZI studio, will present at the SuperStudio. Their designs include techniques for bending wood and designs that integrate three-dimensional printing, utilizing both advanced technologies and traditional crafts.

The Designjunction show will be held in the city center at the Casa dell’ Opera in a 10,000 m2 structure that has, in the past, served as a school and a theater. More than 30 presenters, among them Tom Dixon, Jaguar and Punkt will be spread out among the building’s floors, presenting light fixtures, furniture, textiles, home items and more. In the “Green Room”, Rona Meyuchas Koblenz from the Kukka Studio, will present a new side table designed using Caesarstone^® surface.

The Ford Motors Company will present a lighting fixture entitled “Favilla”, the Italian word for “Spark”, in the Salone del Mobile at the fairground center. The installation will deal with the connection between design, innovative technology and light, and examine the movement of light, how it is perceived by the human eye and how it affects the brain, in terms of the creation of perception of new forms.

Kartell Fragrances by Ferruccio Laviani

In addition, make sure not to miss booths from leading design companies such as Kartel, who will be presenting their new air fresheners in small bottles and containers made from colorful plastic designed by Ferruccio Laviani; and Moroso who will be presenting new items from Ron Arad, Martino Gamper, Studio Nendo and more.
Salonemilano.it

The “Ventura Lambrate” design district, whose exhibition spaces include former industrial structures, garages and office buildings that have yet to be occupied, will focus this year on the connection between technology and design. Take special note of the work done by graduates of the Design Academy Eindhoven and the trend forecaster Lidewij Edelkoort, who will present an excerpt from the “Gathering” exhibition that was held earlier this year at the Design Museum of Holon in Israel.

The Dutch design company Moooi will once again hold an extravagant showcase at its 1,700 m2 showroom in Zona Tortona. Under the title “Unexpected Welcome”, they will present the company’s furniture pieces and new light fixtures, alongside artwork from the fantasy artist Rahi Rezvani, who blends portraits, still life and realism in his work.