The highly anticipated Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan is one of the most prestigious furniture fairs on the planet. Running from the 18th to the 23th of April, this year’s event took place in the new 200,000 square metre exhibition area of Rho, designed by acclaimed architect Massimiliano Fuksas.
Squeezing 2,500 exhibitors from 40 different countries into the massive avantgarde environment, there were numerous exhibitions, installations and parties taking place across the city including the ‘Fuori Salone’ and ‘Via Tortona’, perfect spots to discover the underground movement and the latest trends.
The Fuori Salone expression is used to define the vast range of events animating the whole city during the event. The term, coined in the nineties, represents an alternative solution that takes the furniture collections’ out of the ordinary ‘salone’ area and into a new, more theatrical dimension, with events and parties.
Impressing the visitors with his latest installation-design, Spain’s Jaime Hayon (aided by his wife) created for Bisazza a huge toy representing the wooden puppet Pinocchio. Luxury Italian mosaic specialists Bisazza collaborated with emerging stars in the design world, looking for a unique way to present the company’s heritage. Also Marcel Wanders, the Dutch star from Droog Design showed off his personal flooring tile prints, oversize bells and delicate packaging bringing a surrealist ironic blow in the grey polluted Milan air. ‘In this installation, I wanted to go beyond the sentiments and needs of daily life to create a sense of wonder and find a new space for design,’ said Wanders.The surrealist macro trend continues with hidden objects, including the bizarre chair that eats a suitcase from Campeggi or the secret statuette inside the paper book by Takeo.
While new designs by giants Poltrona Frau, Moroso, Flos, Kartell, Cappellini and Edra showed a collective sense of innovation, big noise was made by design master Tom Dixon in the eco-green arena. For the sixth consecutive year Swarovski Crystal Palace asked top creatives to reinvent the chandelier with astonishing results, especially from Patricia Urquiola and Hussein Chalayan.
In the Salone Satellite, the area reserved for emerging young designers, other trends were spotted. The focus of attention here was definitely on eco products and experiments in folded furniture made by only one piece of metal. Something that caught my eye was a bed sharing service to help attendees who can’t afford hotel accommodation in Milan. Last but not least, British-based design house &made had obviously read the article on ‘branded utility’ in the last issue of Contagious, and offered delegates a free taxi service. Nice touch.
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