Milan design week expands in scope every year, offering vast amounts of inspiration but also a challenge: how do you see it all? The truth is, it’s next to impossible to ‘complete’ the event. That’s why we are offering a curated edit of what to see. As the countdown clock ticks closer to April 20 we will update this list with the destinations, installations and more that excite us. See you there…
MoscaPartners Variations has invited architect Lina Ghotmeh (the talent behind the 2023 Serpentine Pavilion) to create ‘Metamorphosis in Motion’ (pictured above), a maze-like installation at Palazzo Litta. ‘It is a playful labyrinth that activates the courtyard without altering its structure, introducing a contemporary layer that offers visitors a silent pause within the intensity of design week,’ says Ghotmeh of the hot-pink experience. 21-26 April, moscapartners.it
Nina Yashar’s Nilufar Depot will be transformed into Nilufar Grand Hotel, with the venue’s entrance reimagined with a check-in desk and signature bedrooms designed by Allegra Hicks, David/Nicolas and Filippo Carandini. Head to the penthouse suite and you will be met by British designer Bethan Laura Wood’s eclectic welcome. Experiential and conceptual, this shows hospitality through the lens of collectable design. 20-26 April, nilufar.com
Alcova will this year be split between the Baggio Military Hospital in Milan’s Primaticcio district and Villa Pestarini by Franco Albini – a location that until now has never been open to the public. British designers already confirmed to be showcasing at the event include Faye Toogood, who is set to present new work with Noritake, Lara Bohinc and, for the very first time, interior designer Sophie Ashby. She will be presenting ‘Speak Back’, a new collection of furniture, lighting and fabrics from her Sister by Studio Ashby brand. It will be presented as an immersive sitting room in the hospital’s Casa Delle Suore (a former nunnery that once housed nurses). 20-26 April, alcova.xyz
The 64th Salone del Mobile will see the return of the biennial EuroCucina and International Bathroom Exhibition – both of which provide incredible insight into the futures of two of the most important rooms in the home. This year will also see the anticipated launch of Salone Raritas, the event’s first foray into the growing world of collectable design (more on that in our interview with Salone del Mobile’s president Maria Porro in the ELLE Decoration April issue), and ‘Aurea, an Architectural Fiction’. The latter, an installation by Maison Numéro 20, will present Italian luxury within the context of an imaginary hotel. Check in any time you like. 21-26 April, salonemilano.it
Louis Vuitton will be taking over the frescoed grandeur of Palazzo Serbelloni once more to present its breathtaking ‘Objets Nomades’ designs that showcase the height of craft alongside new additions to the brand’s ‘Signature’ collection, which will include decorations, tableware and games. 20-26 April, louisvuitton.com
British design royalty Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby are being honoured with a retrospective of their design careers at the Triennale di Milano. The installation, named ‘Alphabet’, coincides with Barber Osgerby studio’s 30th anniversary and serves as the perfect opportunity to look back on an extraordinary body of work. Read an interview with Barber, reflecting on three decades in design in the ELLE Decoration April issue. 18 April - September, triennale.org
Artemest will again be collaborating with some of the world’s most exciting interior designers to transform Palazzo Donizetti into L’Appartamento. In charge of creating memorable rooms this year are The Rockwell Group, Sasha Adler, Charlap Hyman & Herrero, March and White Design, and Urjowan Alsharif Interiors. There will also be a preview of the Gachot by Artemest Collection – Artemest’s Ippolita Rostagno and husband/wife duo John and Christine Gachot’s immaculately crafted pieces that meld Italian and American design sensibilities. 20-26 April, artemest.com
Located in the previously abandoned tunnels behind Milan’s Central Station, Dropcity will be continuing its collaboration with students from the ‘Material Futures’ masters course at London’s Central Saint Martins. The brief this year was to anticipate the needs, desires and challenges of the near-future, with many different disciplines – science, politics, engineering, fashion, architecture and design – coming together to create innovations, such as holographic surfaces and lab-grown gemstones made from paint waste. 20-26 April, dropcity.org
After launching its first international edition in Tokyo last year, Capsule Plaza – part furniture fair, part design collective – will return to Spazio Maiocchi and other satellite venues across Milan during design week. This year, the main venue’s spatial design will be the work of young local studio NM3, which specialises in the use of raw materials and multisensory experiences. Expect an industrial edge to the show, with the brands that will be presented bridging the gap between beauty and technology, craft and innovation. 20-26 April, capsule.global
The Rosewood Milan (planned to open next year) is already making its mark as a future icon of the city’s design scene with its first Milan design week exhibition. ‘Objects that Speak’ will be a showcase of bamboo lamps by Andrea Branzi, a founding figure of the Italian Radical Design movement. Each produced in the period before the designer’s death in 2023, these works (some of which reach up to three metres in height) will transform the hotel – situated within the historic Palazzo Branca and Palazzo della Banca Commerciale Italiana – into an atmospheric garden of light, curated in collaboration with Deyan Sudjic. 21-25 April, rosewoodhotels.com
