Milan, my cherished city, harmoniously juxtaposes history, the present, and the future in design, particularly during the annual Design Week of the Salone del Mobile.
Having attended Salone del Mobile for three and a half decades, I have developed a pro-found connection to the city and its protagonists who gather annually to create an extraordinary design extravaganza. Salone del Mobile, the exhibition around which the Design Week is centred, celebrates its 63rd edition, featuring 2100 exhibitors from various global locations. However, it is the streets of Milan that truly come alive during this week.
The exclusive Milanese experience
This year I stayed in the Porta Nuovo district, an exemplary manifestation of Milan’s design prowess. Seamlessly integrating the past, present, and future, this district is named after the neoclassical gate constructed in 1810. It has transformed into a prominent high-tech and international hub, home to Italy’s tallest building, the UniCredit Tower, contrasting with the residential vertical towers adorned with trees and vegetation known as Bosco Verticale. The Salone del Mobile offers unique and magical landscapes that give visitors a glimpse into a very Milanese experience, often reserved for exclusive encounters. Milan’s cityscape boasts the magnificent Art Nouveau Palazzo Castiglioni and the 18th-century neoclassical Palazzo Bovara. These, and numerous other classical landmarks, provide the backdrop for the most spectacular activations during the week, juxtaposing the ancient with the contemporary and evoking both the emotional and visual aspects of design.
Illuminating ancient spaces
The historical, 17th-century courtyard of the Pinacoteca di Brera housed a revolving, kinetic sculpture crafted from over 2000 books. The exhibition ‘Library of Lights’ by British artist Es Devlin is a spectacular site, especially when visited at night: the sculpture is illuminated, throwing amazing shadows across the architecture. Palazzo Bovara metamorphosised under the creative vision of Patricia Urquiola for Elle Decor, resulting in an experiential manifestation of ‘alchemy’ through ten distinct environments. Beyond the city centre, the Alcova platform showcased remarkable emerging international and Italian talent within the magnificent modernist masterpiece Villa Borsani and the once pristine, but now decaying, 19th-century Villa Bagatti Velsecchi. Notably, some of Milan’s design showrooms are housed in buildings that harmoniously blend the city’s industrial and classical pasts. Contemporary design blends with classic elements, and in some instances, high-end design is integrated into former industrial working spaces.
The DePadova showroom on Via Santa Cecilia occupies a former workspace of the renowned fashion duo Dolce & Gabbana. In my opinion, it is one of Milan’s most aesthetically pleasing spaces, characterised by abundant natural light emanating through skylights and large windows with interlocking spaces created by rough, whitewashed brick walls and modernist structures. The layout evokes the ambiance of a New York loft where timeless interior solutions seamlessly interact with the furnishings of De Padova, creating a constant dialogue between design, functionality, and emotion.
Another notable space that encapsulates Milan’s propensity for combining the past, present, and future is Nina Yashar’s Nulifar Depot. Spanning 1500 square metres, this exhibition space draws inspiration from the La Scala Opera House. Founded in 1979, it is renowned for displaying vintage design masterpieces alongside contemporary pieces curated by Nina Yashar in this spectacular setting. I made a special point of spending a good few hours wandering through the space, admiring a fantastic array of Geo Ponti pieces amongst the latest offerings from artists and architects.
Espresso with a slice of Cova Sacher cake
There is no surviving a week of the Salone without a coffee and a pastry, which is very much part of the Milanese heritage, both past and present. A must-visit destination on Via Monte Napoleone is Pasticceria Cova, established in 1817. As one of Milan’s oldest patisseries, it offers a delightful experience of savouring an espresso and a slice of the iconic Cova Sacher cake while observing the city’s elite.
It is also worth visiting Marchesi 1824, located on Via S. Maria al Porto. This family-owned patisserie, which opened in 1824, is renowned for its Panettone. The Prada Foundation has acquired and restored the establishment, adhering to the Milanese tradition of honouring the past while embracing the future. As a result, contemporary Marchesi stores can now be found in Milan and London.
This year’s Salone was a resounding success, and the city once again succeeded in impressing design enthusiasts by encapsulating the rich design history and a promising future for international architecture and design.
