On April 16 in Milan, on the dazzling first day of Salone del Mobile, Molteni&C invited dear friends and family from around the world to rejoice in its momentous 90th anniversary with a dynamic affair of art, dinner, performance, and dancing at Pirelli HangarBicocca. The evening’s significance was amplified by the much-anticipated launch of “Molteni Mondo. An Italian Design Story,” the revered brand’s new, comprehensive book published by Rizzoli New York, spotlighting 90 years of pioneering creative prowess.
Courtesy of Molteni&C.
President Carlo Molteni Welcomes Guests for a Sweeping, Star-Studded Event
The tremendous industrial building—which once housed a sweeping factory of locomotive construction—stands as one of the largest horizontal exhibition sites in all of Europe, and was the memorable site of the star-studded event.
President Carlo Molteni and family joined the house’s Creative Director Vincent Van Duysen in welcoming beloved Molteni&C design collaborators including Ron Gilad and Marta Ferri, as well as Beda Achermann, Jeff Burton and Spencer Bailey, who served respectively as art director, photographer, and curator of the era-defining editorial endeavor.
Andrea Molteni, Vincent Van Duysen, Carlo Molteni, and Giovanni Molteni; courtesy of Molteni&C.
New Monograph “Molteni Mondo. An Italian Design Story” Imparts a Spirited Journey
“Molteni Mondo. An Italian Design Story” meticulously follows the brand’s long-standing journey through its inspired identity and ardent relationships. Founded in 1934 in Giussano by Angelo Molteni, a myriad of strong ties with spirited architects and designers underpins Molteni&C’s legacy, as does its boldly symbolic and ever-evolving history.
A splendid “Made in Italy” tale of ingenious partnerships with design figureheads like Van Duysen, Gilad, Jacques Herzog, Jasper Morrison, Jean Nouvel, Tobia Scarpa, and Patricia Urquiola awaits readers, as well as insights on the brand’s ravishing headquarters and united community at the Giussano Compound in Brianza.
Details on the magnitude of its production processes, technological novelties, master craftsmanship, supreme dedication to sustainability, global projects, and singular Molteni Museum—just to name a few elements—are illuminated throughout the far-reaching monograph.
Courtesy of Molteni&C.
International Glitterati Attended the Cinematic and Sensorial Evening
International glitterati, from Alex Rivière to Blanca Mirò to Ning Chang, arrived for the poignant evening by way of an elongated ebony-hued carpet, lit by ethereal lights. The celestial and otherworldly thoroughfare was enhanced by sensorial effects of sight and sound, evoking a wondrous film set. Radiant lights brought the brand’s logo to life, leading to the cinematic style of the new Molteni&C monograph.
Within the rapturous exhibition space, luminary Anselm Kiefer’s permanent work Sette Palazzi Celesti (2004-2015) was a breathtaking set piece. The colossal installation of seven reinforced concrete towers made a name for itself as one of the most legendary creations of the city. Alongside the sculptural masterpieces, a bespoke installation of two larger-than-life multimedia boxes projected riveting photographs included in the book.
Giulia Molteni and Vincent Van Duysen; courtesy of Molteni&C.
Guests sat down to a sumptuous dinner at a majestic table designed by Van Duysen, and were entranced by a provocative show of modern-dance, spearheaded by choreographer Thomas Signorelli.
Following the unforgettable meal, a triumphant after party ensued, and a joyous DJ set curated by Matteo Ceccarini set the festive night aglow, raising a toast to the boundless future of Molteni&C.
Alessia Lanza; courtesy of Molteni&C.
Ron Gilad, Francesca Molteni, and Vera Rossi; courtesy of Molteni&C.
What is the Molteni Museum?
The Molteni Museum was inaugurated in 2015 to celebrate the Molteni Group’s 80th anniversary. The aim was to highlight the company’s history, identity and core values by telling the extraordinary stories of men and women who invented, produced and built objects, work and social relations. In 2021 the museum has new premises, in the Glass Cube set in the park of the Giussano Compound, and with a new art direction re-designed by Ron Gilad. A space devoted to the history of the company – products, prototypes, stories and images – told with a glance at the present and at the future through a select programme of initiatives.
The transparency of the pavillion is one of the architectural features that the project exploits to the full: the new interior distribution, designed on orthogonal axes, suggests viewpoints and perspectives on the outside and creates surprise movement in the interior pathway. The only exception to the perimetric transparency is an angular courtyard which, closed from the outside and glazed inside, completes the rectangular floorplan. This space, a sculpture garden, is delimited by two walls which, thanks to a hidden structure, float on white gravel, without ever touching the ground.
The Spazio QallaM, a game of perspectival enlargement of the leg of the Diamond table, is a place that represents the theme of Quality. It was designed in 2006 by Patricia Urquiola and has received the Menzione d’onore of the XXIII Premio Compasso d’Oro ADI as well as the Premio Nazionale per l’Innovazione ADI / Presidenza della Repubblica Italiana.
A dynamic and constantly changing space, a place of vision and contamination for whoever shares the innate values of design culture. It is the knowledge hub, which hosts, among other things, theme workshops, conferences and presentations. Thanks to the innovative multimedia system, it offers a broad catalogue of films and videos about designers and architects and about technologies linked to the search for perfect quality. — Source
