May 2, 2017 by CallisonRTKL

Scenes from Salone: Inspiration and Installations from Milan

Senior Associate Bridgette Hyde takes us inside her inspirational finds from Milan Design Week 2017 and Salone del Mobile.

This April, I attended Milan Design Week and Salone del Mobile. As a retail designer, these events offered endless inspiration. Below are installations that are still on my mind and already influencing my work:

YET BY NERI OXMAN

The Lexus installation, designed by American-Israeli architect and MIT Media Lab Professor Neri Oxman, highlighted the work of four up-and-coming designers and their industry mentors. The Theme explored “Yet,” a philosophical belief that the imagination required to combine two seemingly contradictory ideas can yield greater innovation. The Lexus Design Award winner—PIXEL by Hiroto Yoshizoe and Snarkitecture—played with light and shadow in a simple, brilliant expression of small A-framed building blocks assembled as a gridded screen. The animated Retrospective used interactive light and media projections to highlight the Lexus brand’s commitment to innovation and design.

OBJECTS NOMADES FOR LOUIS VUITTON

Futuro House 1968 by Matti Suuronen

Now in its fifth year, the homage to the Maison—think famous monogrammed travel trunks—highlighted 25 nomadic objects. Collaborating with luminaries like Marcel Wanders, the Campana Brothers, India Mahdavi and Tokujin Yoshioka, each piece pays tribute to craft, materiality and the spirit of travel. Set throughout the Baroque Palazzo Bocconi, this was the perfect blend of architecture and art.

(Left) Palaver and Swing Chair by Patricia Urquiola; (Right) Paravent Screen by Marcel Wanders

FONDAZIONE PRADA

The OMI-designed arts centre, Fondazione Prada, is a mecca for architectural material. Twenty-four-carat gold leaf, mirror, metal mesh and textured foam aluminum panels clad the art galleries and cinemas of the permanent installation space just south of Milan. The incredibly playful museum café, Bar Luce, was designed by film director Wes Anderson for his first foray into non-fictional spaces. Referencing the stereotypical Milanese cafes of the 1950’s, the terrazzo flooring and laminate furniture mix a bit of “pedestrian” into the high-brow space.

(Left) Bar Luce; (Right) Coat Check at Fondazione Prada

S.F_SENSES OF THE FUTURE BY TOKUJIN YOSHIOKA FOR LG

In this science-fiction-inspired light installation, moving through the 1930’s cinema venue fitted with LG technology felt like a haunting, futuristic dream. Pulses of light from the over-scaled OLED “Wall of Sun” captivated the viewer in a trance-like state. The environment also included a forest of OLED-lit chairs for attendees to move through, projecting a choreographed riot of color.

SF_Senses of the Future by Tokujin Yoshioka

PASSEGGIATE: AN AIRBNB EXPERIENCE OF MILAN

Inside Leonardo da Vinci’s historic 15^th-century house, Passeggiate features a curated series of objects and intimate experiences paired perfectly with each room’s character. Visitors explored the personal collections of designers including Dimore Studio, as well as works from emerging designers. From the courtyard to the library and private gardens, the whole experience felt like you were in on a local secret, which not-so-surprisingly corresponds with Airbnb’s launch of their new “Trips” platform.

GARDENING THE TRASH

An unexpected collaboration between textile house Bonotto and Miniwiz’s Arthur Huang, Gardening the Trash opened a dialogue about circular economies. The highlight of the installation, a trash-filled pool paired with a stunning woven tapestry made entirely of recycled plastic from Cristiano Seganfreddo, reinforced the goal of offering “premium experiences” using down-market recycled materials—design with a conscience.

Gardening the Trash; Photo: Domus

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CallisonRTKL

For more than five decades, Callison and RTKL have created some of the world’s most memorable and successful environments for developers, retailers, investors, institutions and public entities. In 2015, our two practices came together under the Arcadis umbrella, expanding our sphere of influence and the depth and breadth of our resources. Our team is comprised of nearly 2,000 creative, innovative professionals throughout the world who are committed to advancing our client’s businesses and enhancing quality of life.