Reflecting on Milan Design Week

I will write again soon about the intense week of “I Saloni” in Milan but today I just want to give you some of my thoughts to summarize the experience.
It was a fairly good success, considering the world economy still recovering and the chaos of the European skies created by the ashes of the Icelandic volcano, which stopped for days flights in and out of Europe, with cancellations of participants and major consequences for the economy.
I can easily say that this year at even a greater level the winners were companies devoted to research, to the use of new materials and to a sustainable way of production.

Tubes has the most appealing heaters for a bathroom, a sculpture that gives warm and dry towels, a necessary luxury.

It was clear that companies instead of crying on the crisis have taken the courageous path to new territories with the willingness of renewing themselves, this was evident and we will see the results later on this year. Design returns to serve who uses the objects, which need to be useful not just beautiful. Function first then form.

Zanotta chairs, so comfortable and beautiful.

Comfort and the use of modular pieces, sectional sofas, bookcases we can arrange as we like and everything in modules, only changing dimensions and colors, create a simplified way of living our house and easily furnish a small apartment or a much larger loft.

With a clever use of a groove all these elements can be easily moved, gently sliding the pieces in and out, and they can be reassembled in any other forms or dimensions. Martino Gamper bookcase is also free standing and it does not need any support to the wall.

Moroso Sushi pieces.

The timeless beauty of Thonet furniture.

The innovative design of the Campana brothers.

Black is back.

 

An interesting table with a concave space in the middle for flower arrangements, fruit, bottles or whatever comes to mind, candles perhaps?

MagnetiKa leaves the composition of the elements to us, pieces can be repositioned in a moment.

Gorgeous lights by Moooi can bring a touch of nature to any room.

A kitchen with a herb-garden ready to be used.

Tom Dixon Mesh chairs.

Could we call all this attention to:

comfort

nature

lightness

freedom

the New Deal of Design?

Photography© by Albarosa Simonetti

From Milan, I Saloni 2010

The Fiera area, only 20 minutes by underground from the center of the city, a futuristic expansive complex designed by Massimiliano Fuksas studio of architecture.
I will start slowly to describe the Design Week in Milan, where every day there were dozens of events and opening of new stores. We spent three intense days at the Fiera and the other days we wondered day and night around the city for the Fuori Salone events.

A former church in Brera area was used for design and fashion installations.

An extravagant pierced wall.

I could not resist to take a picture of this sformato di zucchine e basilico with a creamy tomato garnish for lunch at the temporary Elle Decor Restaurant in Zona Tortona.

Many events were open to the public, but several every day were by invitation only.

A moment of relax, well deserved after hours of exploring.

Inside the Brera Museum another moment of relax.

The city was dressed for the occasion, with design and art installations everywhere, a feast for the eye and an inspiration for the mind.

Above is Via Montenapoleone (our Fifth Avenue) adorned with linen shades, lit at night for a magic effect.

Even the weather behaved, only a day of rain, mostly warm and sunny the whole week, even after the eruption of the Icelandic volcano...

A funny initial “A” made with fresh lettuce.

A newly designed outdoor furniture in an ancient courtyard.

An art installation at Palazzo delle Stelline

The Roof garden at Corso Como 10 with contemporary sculptures.

What a week! next I will tell you what I really liked, what happened and who I met.

Photography© by Albarosa Simonetti

Old houses and New design (part four)

Today I present the fourth Casa-Museo in Milan: Bagatti-Valsecchi.

Four unique houses for their heritage of history and art and contemporary design create an exhibition wanted by Cosmit in anticipation for I Saloni, the international Design Week in Milan, April 14-19, 2010. A model of a past way of living create a stunning set for over 200 contemporary objects of design. See my three previous posts. Above is the extravagant Nobody’s perfect chair by Gaetano Pesce for Zerodisegno, which stands out with its bright colors in this Neo-Renaissance style mansion, restored and decorated by two brothers, art collectors, in love with the style of Renaissance.

In another room the organic forms of Evolution bench by Nacho Carbonel in front of the antique fireplace.

In the dining room the beloved chair Crinoline by Patricia Urquiola for B&B Italia, on the bottom right the chair Favela by the Campana brothers.

In the armory Wavy chairs by Ron Arad for Moroso.

Under the magnificent "Madonna col Bambino e Santi" (circa 1515) is a contemporary piece of furniture named Riddle by Steven Holl for Horm.

What a wonderful way to open the 2010 Salone del Mobile (I Saloni) in Milan presenting the culture of the past and the creations of the present time.

 Photography by Pasquale Formisano

I am still metabolizing the Design Week in Milan, very intense and inspirational. I will post about it as soon as I will organize the material and the hundreds of pictures I have taken! Stay tuned...

Old houses and New design (part three)

Four unique houses for their heritage of history and art and contemporary design create an exhibition wanted by Cosmit in anticipation for I Saloni, the international Design Week in Milan, April 14-19, 2010. Four Museum-Houses, rich in history and representing a model of a past way of living create a stunning set for over 200 contemporary objects of design, called "Unexpected guests". See my previous posts.

Today I present the third Casa-Museo: Villa Necchi, the same villa that was the set for the movie "Io sono l'amore".
In the foyer chairs by Ron Arad for Moroso. On the desk by Piero Portaluppi a beautiful painting from 1929 by Mario Sironi which you could have seen in my other post The Art's Lady. Claudia Gian Ferrari unfortunately recently passed away but she had decided years ago to generously donate to Villa Necchi majority of her vast art collection

Together with charming furniture of the past the small tables Brasilia by the Campana brothers for Edra.

The guest bathroom has inlaid marble floor created by Piero Portaluppi, the cabinets Valises is by Marteen De Ceulaer for Casamania.

On the first floor the parquet in the foyer is partially covered by the Geoart rug by Luca Nichetto for Nodus.
The vaulted corridor in the background is the built in wardrobe (a novelty for 1930) and the several doors open to show purses, precious furs, dresses, the drawers are still full of scarves, some custom made by Dior for the sisters Necchi, and all sort of treasures.
On the same floor a huge room displays linens neatly folded in huge armoires and was used for pressing and mending.

Coming to the dining room we find the chair Ki by Mario Bellini for Horm amongst the others. The exquisite tapestries on the wall are only a copy, while the precious original ones are being restored.
It was a very warm day in Milan and after the visit we spent an hour in the garden near the pool, sitting on Urquiola colorful chairs and listening to the water running from a spout and the birds singing on the magnolias.

What a wonderful way to open the 2010 Salone del Mobile (I Saloni) in Milan presenting the collections of the past and the ideas of the future.

Photography by Pasquale Formisano
To be continued...

Old houses & New design (part two)

Four unique houses for their heritage of history and art and contemporary design create an exhibition wanted by Cosmit in anticipation for I Saloni, the international Design Week in Milan, April 14-19, 2010. They are four Museum-Houses, rich in history and representing a model of a past way of living and they create a stunning set for over 200 contemporary objects of design called "Unexpected guests".
Today I present the second Casa-Museo: Poldi Pezzoli.
Poldi Pezzoli is a magnificent house of a great collector of art, a treasure in the center of Milan, now a Museum-House full of treasures of the past.
In the Armory the light (above) Animal Thing by Front for Mooi is very appropriate, don't you think?

Surrounded by affreschi the Boa sofa by the Campana brothers for Edra creates a wonderful contrast in texture and colors; on the wall the mirror Sturm und Drang by Piero Lissoni for Glas Italia.

In the golden hall the extravagant and colorful seating system Michetta by Gaetano Pesce for Meritalia. By the way Michetta is the name of a traditional Milanese simple bread which I grew up with and sadly disappearing due to the myriad of new "design" breads invented every day, more expensive but often more disappointing.

On the table is the tray Torino from the series "100 piazze" (100 squares) by Fabio Novembre for Driade.

Through the door Clouds by the magic Bouroullec brothers for Kvadrat, in the foreground the Ripples bench by Toyo Ito for Horm.

What a wonderful way to celebrate the 2010 Salone del Mobile (I Saloni) in Milan presenting the rich culture of the past and the geniality of the present time.

Photography by Pasquale Formisano and Luca Fregoso
To be continued...