Milan during design week is something truly special. It’s a city that buzzes with creativity, and this year, I found so many incredible exhibitions and installations to explore. From large-scale art pieces to intimate design showcases, there was always something new to catch my eye.
Milan Design Week Highlights
Art and Technology Intersect
One of the first places I visited was Palazzo Moscova 18, where ‘glo for art’ presented an immersive installation by Michela Picchi. It transformed the space into the glo Creative Hub, focusing on the theme of Connected Worlds. Using a blend of pop and surrealist styles, the installation was full of interactive elements that really played with color and technology, creating a truly sensory experience. It felt like stepping into another dimension.
The glo Creative Hub at Palazzo Moscova 18 offers a blend of art, pop culture, and technology, creating a unique sensory experience.
For those interested in the future of craftsmanship, the exhibit ‘TODAY’S MASTERS MEET TOMORROW’S TALENTS’ at House of Switzerland Milano was a must-see. Here, 23 master-apprentice duos displayed collaborative creations, blending Art Deco influences with modern craftsmanship. It was inspiring to see how tradition and new talent come together, celebrating skills passed down through generations.
Glass and Paper Stories
At the Istituto dei Ciechi, I was drawn to the ‘POETICA’ installation by WonderGlass in collaboration with Calico Wallpaper. This exhibition reimagined glass and paper, blurring the lines between material and memory. It showcased new works by Vincent Van Duysen and Ronan Bouroullec, with a special contribution from Officine Saffi Lab. The way they played with light and texture made objects feel like they held stories, evoking history and deep emotion.
Also, Ronan Bouroullec’s ‘Vetrofuso Spazio’ offered a behind-the-scenes glimpse into his work with WonderGlass. The focus on craftsmanship and perception was evident, making you reconsider the simple beauty of everyday materials.
Architectural Exploration
A really unique space opened on April 3rd: Dropcity. This project transformed reclaimed industrial tunnels behind Milan’s Central Station into a hub for architectural research. The opening featured two compelling exhibitions: ‘Prison Times: Spatial Dynamics of Penal Environments’ and ‘Bruther.fbx,’ an interactive showcase by the Bruther studio. This venue offered a different, more raw perspective on design and space.
⚡ Quick Tips
- Plan your visit to Dropcity early as it’s a unique, underground space.
- Check their schedule for talks and panel discussions during the week.
- Wear comfortable shoes as there’s a lot of ground to cover in the tunnels.
The House of Switzerland was another central point for design dialogue. The ‘Designed in CH, Made in JP’ exhibition highlighted a special collaboration between ECAL Master Product Design, Karimoku New Standard, and Presence Switzerland. It presented ten unique designs for a stackable wooden chair, blending Swiss innovation with Japanese woodworking. The HUG chair by Jacob Kouthoofd Martensson & Min Xiyao was particularly interesting, being designed for inverse stacking.
Marble and Light
At Spazio Big Santa Marta, Hannes Peer Architecture’s ‘CRASH’ installation for Margraf offered a bold reinterpretation of marble. Moving away from its traditional perfection, the exhibit explored collision as both a physical and conceptual force, showcasing destruction and transformation. It was a powerful statement about the beauty found in imperfection and change.
Deeper into the city, I found Luca Trazzi and FAN Europe Lighting’s ‘Graffito di Luce’ at Santa Maria delle Grazie. This installation was a luminous tribute to Bramante, inspired by a floral graffito found in the cloister. The garden was transformed by the interplay of light and shadow from flower-shaped lamps, and inside the Sacristy, a ceremonial path was marked by rows of floral floor lamps. The recurring motif of the number eight, referencing Bramante’s symbolism, added a thoughtful layer to the design.
📍 Graffito di Luce is located in the Chiostro e Sacrestia del Bramante, offering a unique nighttime experience.
Sustainable and Natural Materials
At GAM – Galleria d’Arte Moderna, OBJECT CARPET presented its MEDITERRANEO outdoor carpet collection by Matteo Thun & Antonio Rodriguez. Inside Trilocale – La Casa dell’Architetto, the installation explored home as a fluid, emotional space. The carpets themselves, inspired by Mediterranean heritage, brought a natural elegance and vibrant color into the refined setting.
I also explored Tarkett’s ‘Beauty of Circularity’ exhibition at Masterly The Dutch in Milano. This showcase really redefined waste as a resource, highlighting how off-cut flooring materials can be transformed into new, high-quality solutions through their ReStart® program. It was a very tactile and sensory journey that made you think about sustainability in design.
Rockwell Group’s ‘Casa Cork,’ in collaboration with Cork Collective and Corticeira Amorim, was another highlight focusing on sustainable materials. The installation celebrated cork’s versatility through interiors, furnishings, and innovative student prototypes. A monumental cork tree crafted from reclaimed bark stood at the center, beautifully symbolizing the connection between material and nature.
MUJI and Studio 5•5 collaborated on ‘MUJI MUJI,’ showcasing adaptable, sustainable living. Their Manifesto House, a minimalist micro-architecture inspired by Japanese living, was set in Pippa Bacca Garden. Alongside it, a DIY collection of upcycled MUJI objects offered practical ideas for sustainable living. The house itself, built with biosourced and repurposed materials and featuring a rainwater collection system, felt like a glimpse into the future of urban housing.
Artistic Expressions in Light and Form
Tokujin Yoshioka’s ‘Frozen’ exhibition at Palazzo Landriani was a striking experience. In collaboration with Grand Seiko Europe, his new Aqua Chair piece created an immersive installation within the historical building. The simplicity and impact of the design were truly memorable.
The STRATA exhibition brought together designers Tim Vranken, Middernacht & Alexander, and Linde Freya Tangelder (Destroyers/Builders). Set within a cohesive scenography, their distinct practices interacted, creating a dynamic dialogue about layering in design. It was fascinating to see how individual styles could complement each other within a shared space.
In the 5VIE district, the Hungarian Fashion & Design Agency presented ‘Budapest Select – A VVoven View.’ This exhibition featured 24 Hungarian designers who masterfully blend tradition with technology, exploring themes of sustainability and AI. The way floating white paper sheets symbolized the evolving dialogue between human creativity and artificial intelligence was particularly thoughtful.
Anonima/Luci’s ‘LIGHTSCAPES’ at Kave Home offered an artistic installation that explored the interaction between light and space. Furniture was presented as dynamic and ever-changing, shaped by reflections and shifting illuminations. It was a beautiful way to redefine perception, showing how light can transform the ambiance of a room.
Showroom Experiences
Iconic Italian Brands
Fornasetti’s ‘House of Imagination’ at their Corso Venezia store was a delightful journey into their unique world. The spaces were reinterpreted to evoke the surreal charm of the Fornasetti family home, displaying recent collections, iconic pieces, and vintage designs. The mezzanine floor featured new furniture, accessories, and limited-edition collaborations, offering a full immersion into their distinctive aesthetic.
Gucci’s ‘Bamboo Encounters’ exhibition at the Chiostri di San Simpliciano was a celebration of bamboo’s enduring role in their design identity. Curated by 2050+ and Ippolito Pestellini Laparelli, the exhibition featured seven contemporary designers reimagining bamboo in bold ways. It was a great way to see how a classic material can inspire new creative directions.
Buccellati’s ‘Naturalia’ at their Via Brisa 5 headquarters was an opulent experience. This immersive installation explored the harmony between nature and craftsmanship, with video projections and soundscapes bringing their silverwork to life. Botanical installations by Studio Mary Lennox enhanced the dreamlike setting, and the Furry Animals collection was just exquisite, showing incredible detail in engraving.
Arclinea celebrated its 100th anniversary with ‘100 Years, 100 Ingredients’ at their Via Durini 7 showroom. This exhibition, featuring a photographic series by Amélie Ambroise, paid tribute to nature and Italian culinary heritage through 100 unique ingredients, highlighting the deep connection between food and design.
Event Details: Arclinea’s ‘100 Years, 100 Ingredients’
When: April 8-13, 2025
Where: Arclinea, Via Durini 7, Milan
Highlights: Photographic series, iconic kitchen designs, commemorative book
The collaboration between Maserati and Giorgetti was showcased at both the Maserati Milan Showroom and the Giorgetti Spiga Showroom. The Giorgetti Maserati Edition Interior Collection is inspired by Maserati’s Trident emblem, reflecting a beautiful balance of craftsmanship and contemporary design. Their electric SUV, the Maserati Giorgetti Edition Grecale Folgore One-Off, also featured bespoke finishes and premium materials.
Innovative Lighting and Textiles
Fischbacher 1819, in collaboration with Marcel Wanders, introduced the ‘Ancient Memories Collection’ at their Via del Carmine showrooms. These interior textiles weave history, craftsmanship, and sustainability into contemporary design, using natural fibers like hemp and jute. The fabrics had a rich, timeless aesthetic that evoked a sense of history.
Time & Style presented its 2025 collection across its Milan showrooms. This refined dialogue between tradition and modernity features furniture and lighting crafted from Japan’s finest materials, seamlessly integrating with contemporary spaces. Collaborations with designers like OEO Studio and Claesson Koivisto Rune highlighted a shared commitment to exceptional design.
ISSEY MIYAKE’s TYPE-XIII project, a collaboration with atelier oï, explored innovative lighting designs combining metal wire and fabric at their Via Bagutta store. It was a testament to their ongoing innovation in textile and design.
At the Flos showroom, Formafantasma presented a site-specific installation of their ‘Superwire’ lighting. This showcased their creative process and technical innovation, highlighting the interplay between aesthetics and engineering. It was fascinating to see how the lamp’s form evolved alongside its technological development.
Seletti debuted ‘Hotel Voyeur,’ a collaboration with artist Tracey Snelling, at their flagship store on Corso Garibaldi. This immersive project featured a table lamp shaped like a hotel façade with illuminated windows playing cinematic sequences. The building itself was transformed into a dynamic, illuminated spectacle.
UNIMATIC unveiled a limited collection of leather straps in collaboration with digital artist Migrating Lines at their Via Meravigli store. The artist’s unique vision brought exclusive artwork to each strap, making them highly collectible.
Marsèll showcased ‘Adaptive Ground,’ an installation by Objects of Common Interest at its Via della Spiga flagship store. This project explored materiality and spatial relationships, transforming the store’s architectural elements with sculptural seating and light formations. It was an engaging experience that invited visitors to interact with shifting forms and textures.
Poltrona Frau unveiled ‘The Five Seasons Collection’ at their Via Alessandro Manzoni showroom. This showcases a special edition of Gio Ponti’s Dezza armchair for its 60th anniversary, alongside new designs and exclusive collaborations with Fornasetti and Leica. The collection beautifully explores the colors and emotions of the seasons.
What should I expect at Poltrona Frau?
You can expect to see a special anniversary edition of the Dezza armchair, alongside innovations from the Five Seasons Collection.
Their space often features collaborations with other high-profile designers.
Dimorestudio, in partnership with Japanese textile brand Hosoo, presented the ‘Hemispheres Collection’ at Osanna Visconti Atelier. This collection reimagined fabrics that were then used to upholster Osanna Visconti’s exquisite bronze furniture pieces. The combination of textures and the setting created a luxurious atmosphere.
Foscarini featured ‘CAOS PERFETTO,’ an exhibition by Italian artist Bennet Pimpinella, at their Spazio Monforte showroom. Pimpinella’s work, etched on film strips, explores themes of memory, perception, and chaos through a unique visual language.
Museums and Galleries
Artistic Retrospectives and New Visions
Nilufar presented ‘Repertorio’ across two locations. At Nilufar Depot, a metal-focused installation by Fosbury Architecture marked the space’s 10th anniversary, alongside new releases from Nilufar Edition. Nilufar Via della Spiga hosted vintage masterpieces by George Nakashima alongside contemporary works, creating a rich dialogue between different eras of design.
Fondazione Prada offered several compelling exhibitions. ‘Typologien’ provided a comprehensive study of 20th-century German photography, showcasing over 600 works by influential photographers like Bernd and Hilla Becher and Andreas Gursky. It was an in-depth look at how photography categorizes and represents the world.
The Fondazione Prada also presented ‘NADA,’ a monographic exhibition by Belgian artist Thierry De Cordier. This featured ten large-scale paintings from his NADA series, exploring the ‘greatness of nothingness.’ The contemplative setting of the Cisterna made for a powerful experience.
At Fondazione Prada Osservatorio, ‘A Kind of Language’ explored the creative process of filmmaking through storyboards, moodboards, and sketches from various directors, including Wes Anderson and Federico Fellini. Recreations of storyboard artists’ workspaces made this an engaging exhibit for anyone interested in cinema.
Palazzo Citterio hosted ‘La Grande Brera. A Community of Arts and Sciences,’ an exhibition tracing the evolution of Milan’s Brera complex over five centuries. It showcased restored artworks, architectural history, and immersive installations, highlighting Brera’s significant cultural legacy.
Triennale Milano presented ‘ETTORE SOTTSASS: ARCHITECTURES, LANDSCAPES, RUINS.’ This exhibition delved into Sottsass’s vision of architecture through drawings and sketches, focusing on his philosophy of prioritizing inhabited spaces. Being in Sala Sottsass, which houses the permanent installation of Casa Lana, added another layer to the experience.
The ADI Design Museum featured ‘Best of Both Worlds: Italy. Art and Design in Italy 1915 – 2025.’ Curated by Stefano Casciani, this exhibition traced Italian design’s cultural evolution, from Futurism to contemporary expressions, highlighting the continuous dialogue between design and the arts. It was a comprehensive overview of Italian creativity.
Pirelli HangarBicocca hosted ‘ICARUS,’ the first major European retrospective of Japanese artist Yukinori Yanagi. This exhibition recontextualized Yanagi’s monumental installations, exploring themes of nationalism and societal paradoxes within the vast industrial space.
Specialty Zones and Collaborations
Design Districts and Neighborhoods
The Brera Design Week saw many unique presentations. For example, Valcucine’s Milano Brera showroom became a hub for ‘Connected Scenarios,’ exploring smart home tech, design, and cultural dialogue. Collaborations with e15, Rakumba, and architects like Neri&Hu redefined the kitchen as a space of interaction and innovation.
ETEL presented ‘Audacious Modernism: Oscar Niemeyer in Italia,’ featuring research by Francesco Perrotta-Bosch. This exhibition revealed Niemeyer’s original sketches for Italian projects and offered re-editions of his iconic furniture, including the rare Praiana chaise longue.
At the Tacchini Showroom, I saw their collaboration with Objects of Common Interest on the ‘Tact & Trace Mirrors and Refract Vases.’ These resin objects, inspired by the fluidity of memory, played with shifting colors and prismatic forms, creating dynamic light and shadow effects. It was a beautiful, tactile exploration of memory.
The GROHE Aqua Gallery invited visitors to see products as both functional objects and crafted artifacts, bridging the relationship between humans, water, and the environment. It was an interesting perspective on everyday items.
Gufram returned with ‘Italian Radical Design’ at Rho Fiera Milano, showcasing new creations and reimagined iconic pieces like the Boring Cactus® in a new gray hue. The booth itself, designed by (AB)NORMAL Architecture Firm, was part of the larger Italian Radical Design Pavilion.
FROMM.lab hosted ‘Design for a Changing World: Bridging Cultures,’ a full day of workshops and a panel discussion featuring industry leaders. This event also marked the launch of FROMM.lab’s first international design competition for emerging designers.
Forward-Thinking Concepts
Schindler unveiled the world premiere of the Schindler X8 at Via Tortona 31. This innovation aims to redefine vertical mobility and unlock new creative possibilities in modern architecture, ushering in a new era for elevators.
BUDAPEST SELECT – A VVoven View featured 24 Hungarian designers blending tradition with technology in the 5VIE district. The exhibition was divided into spaces exploring heritage, innovation, and their fusion, touching on sustainability and AI.
Even with my young kids, Michael loved exploring the more architectural and technology-focused exhibits. While Lily and Ethan often needed breaks, seeing their wonder at some of the more playful installations, like parts of the glo Creative Hub, made it all worthwhile. It’s a city that offers so much, no matter who you’re traveling with.
This trip to Milan during design week was a whirlwind of creativity and innovation. From large-scale art installations to intricate craft displays and forward-thinking architectural concepts, the city truly comes alive. I left feeling inspired and already looking forward to what next year will bring.