Soon after arriving in Milan from New York, a colleague expressed, “We aren’t going to see everything.” It was sage advice and a touch of reality as we finalized our plans to tackle Milan Design Week, arguably the world’s largest design event each year.
Centered around Salone del Mobile, the fair continues to compel an impressive showing of local and international talent to activate across the city, bringing together interesting young designers with many well-known brands and creative thinkers. In its 62nd edition this year, Milan Design Week ushers in a weeklong smattering of exhibitions and experiences in inventive ways.
Dropcity, photo by Piercarlo Quecchia.
Milan Design Week 2024
Our first stop was Dropcity—a new center for architecture and design located directly beneath Milano Centrale train station. Cavernous tunnel-like spaces are filled with art exhibitions, design studios, 3D printing machines in action, and space for performances and programming. Dropcity’s objective was to provide architects, designers, and other creatives space to work and think, in a city that continues to develop quickly, pricing out younger design professionals. With a stellar lineup of participants, we are excited to see how the project evolves over the years.
“New Geologies” by Surface Design, photo by Alex Lesage.
Another unmissable event is Alcova, a self-described “platform for designers, companies, institutions, and researchers investigating the future of living and making.” This year, the show is split between two unbelievable sites: Villa Borsani and Villa Bagatti Valsecchi. Villa Borsani, a house designed by architect Osvaldo Borsani between 1943 and 1945, is an exquisite site for contemporary designers to show their work in a domestic environment. Villa Bagatti Valsecchi, built in 1890, provides an incredible counterpart to the modernist feel of Borsani, and provides a bit more room for designers to showcase new collections.
Many designers, including Studio Daniel K, are exhibiting at the fair for the first time, so it’s a wonderful place to discover some exceptional international talent. Make sure not to miss San Francisco-based landscape architecture firm Surfacedesign’s foray into collectible design behind the villa: they’re presenting a mix of pieces that utilize the language and material from the region through their incisive installation of works using reclaimed stone and aluminum.
Lehmann Maupin at Circolo Milano (April 10 – June 21, 2024), photo by Andrea Rossetti, courtesy of Lehmann Maupin.
Lehmann Maupin and Fondazione Prada
Beyond the design circuit, galleries and museums put on great shows to coincide with Design Week, including Lehmann Maupin, which opened a seasonal exhibition venue at Circolo—a non-profit by the art collectors Nicole Saikalis Bay and Matteo Bay. The gallery’s Milan space and program is overseen by gallery partner Jessica Kreps, with a first exhibition of works by Hernan Bas, Mandy El-Sayegh, Todd Gray, Alex Prager, and Nari Ward. There are also a few design pieces by Italian artists shown in juxtaposition with the Lehmann Maupin artists, underscoring Circolo’s mission to provide a platform to emerging and established artists in the region. Other unmissable art destinations include Fondazione Prada and Pirelli HangarBicocca, the latter of which is hosting the first European retrospective for Nari Ward.
Andres Reisinger, “12 Chairs For Meditations.” Photo by Alejandro Ramirez Orozco.
Art and design connect powerfully at the storied gallery Nilufar, which has two spaces in Milan: a gallery on Via della Spiga, and another a bit further outside of the city center called the Depot, which is well worth a trip. Digital artist and designer Andrés Reisinger has taken over the Depot with an exhibition entitled “12 Chairs for Meditation,” curated by Reisinger and Nilufar founder Nina Yashar.
Courtesy of Kohler.
Inside Salone del Mobile, there are endless things to experience and see. Kohler’s booth—including new products from brands including KALLISTA®, KLAFS, and Kast—debuts FORMATION 02, a new toilet designed by Samuel Ross and SR_A, which coincides with a water-inspired installation by Ross at Palazzo del Senato.
Baranzate, photo by Amber Vanbossel.
A Not-Miss Show by Baranzate Atelilers
Located a bit outside the city center, and just five minutes away from the airport, Baranzate Ateliers has one of the most compelling collections of design that the week has to offer. Bringing together work from 35 different studios, with 15 curated and selected by Zaventem Ateliers, the venue is incredibly cool, and the group of designers is remarkably inventive with the materials they employ. Every single installation is immaculate, and we particularly enjoyed Laurids Gallee’s work at Objects With Narratives is not to be missed.
Purble Nebula-Objects Of Common Interest, photo by Alejandro Ramirez Orozco.
Top Sights at Milan Design Week 2024
There were so many other amazing things to see, including LOEWE Lamps at Palazzo Citterio, Rottet Studio’s “The Living Room” for L’Appartamento by Atemest, ” BEYOND THE HORIZON” by Hideki Yoshimoto/Tangent with music by Keiichiro Shibuya and sponsorship by Lexus, and DIMORECENTRALE’s exhibition “Occupazione.” There were also many special lectures: Form Portfolios, a firm that manages and licenses design archives, convened a discussion about Louis Kahn, the celebrated American architect whose buildings are well known, but whose whose work at other scales—furniture, lighting, and interiors—is less broadly understood. His daughter, Sue Ann Kahn, discussed this work with Triennale director Marco Sammicheli, architectural critic and historian Deyan Sudjic, and Kahn’s grandson, Gregory Kahn Melitonov.
“LOEWE Lamps” by Genta Ishizuka, courtesy of the artist and LOEWE.
It would not be unusual to feel intimidated by such an immersive, sprawling week of exhibitions across an entire city. A few tips as you plan for next year: don’t be afraid to take the Metro. It’s infinitely easier than trying to find a cab and you avoid the hectic traffic. Figure out your priorities and make a list of what you must see. Know you’ll be steered in different directions as you hear about buzzy shows. Instagram is also your friend. Follow people whose aesthetic visions you trust, as it’s an easy way to ensure you know about venues not to be missed. See you next year!
