The thought of sorting through the hundreds of events at Salone del Mobile, one of the great annual furniture fairs, filled us with panic so we thought we’d cut down the choices to just a top 5 – perfect if you’re visiting the show for just one day. If like us, you’re heading to Milan for the weekend then a top 5 might be difficult to keep to but it’s a good starting point.
You could say that Salone is the definitive playground for design loving adults, with its large-scale area to be only explored by map and its heaps of fabrics, textures and furniture to experiment with. We’ll be coming away with more than smiley faces and grazed knees because this playground is all about lasting impressions and valuable knowledge of future design trends. We can’t guarantee that we won’t return with extra baggage though…all that pasta and ice cream has to be eaten by someone…!
1. No other than the COS x Phillip K Smith III Open Sky installation tops our list. This exhibit is set in the 16th century Palazzo Isimbardi courtyard and magically reflects the surrounding architecture and sky through different perspectives, encouraging the viewer to connect with what is above. Location: Palazzo Isimbardi
2. Stranger Pinks by Artemest and in partnership with TED Milano. This is a one-of-a-kind all pink exhibition to celebrate women.It’s a curated selection of handmade furniture and decorative pieces created especially for the exhibition by a selection of Artemest artisans and designers. Location: Via G. Randaccio, 5, Milano
3. Disco Gufram, a party themed disco exhibit – what more could you need?! To present Gufram’s newly inspired surreal disco-themed collection they’ve created a space out of this world complete with ‘disco seats’ and cabinets of ‘melting’ disco balls. Location: Mediateca Santa Teresa 14, Via della Moscova 28
4. 3D Housing 05 by CLS Architetti is a 3D Printed Concrete House. Constructed on site within the timespan of a week, this concrete house features a living area, bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom made from 35 modules. It aims to provoke thought surrounding sustainable architecture and the housing crisis. Location: Piazza Cesare Beccaria
5. Living Nature by Carlo Ratti is a Garden Pavillion that sees four seasons coexist at the same time. Spring, summer, autumn and winter will all fall under the studio’s climate control system. A crystal membrane will filter the sun into the space, making the plants responsive to their conditions. Location: Piazza del Duomo
