Milan Design Week 2019 by Design42Day

MILAN DESIGN WEEK SPECIAL ISSUE

MILAN DESIGN WEEK 8-14 APRIL 2019 MILAN, ITALY

photo cover Rosenthal plate by Pietro Sedda Photo by: Â©Rosenthal GmbH

As fluid as an organic body, rather than a strictly organized event, the annual festivity of design in Milan gives the opportunity to present the city dressed in its best outfit. This issue wants to make homage to Milan by giving a pinch of what this city can offer in terms of design, as a place perfectly fitted to absorb and learn the true essence of this Industry. Without focusing on the latest passing trends we want to propose a panoramic view touching different realities: traditional artisanship, education, art, new media, food and events. In this flourishing environment, standing out for young people with fresh ideas is a tough challenge, as, not only is the competition fierce, but also numerous projects and roles where interesting budgets are involved revolve around the same group of people. Nevertheless, it is the hottest spot to access a global market where interesting plans are scheduled, especially in the Middle East and China where Design42Day has a particular focus.

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D42D.SHOP

Editor in Chief Riccardo Capuzzo

Art Director Eugene Wood

Advertising Manager Thomas Walker

Production Manager Laura Beljanski

Web Editor

Oliver Smith

Copy Editor Sofija MaletiÄ&#x2021;

Graphic Designer Robert Harris

Editor's Assistant Paula Starck

WWW.DESIGN42DAY.COM

Fornasetti

Antonello Fusetti

Elena Salmistraro

Interview

Antolini

Haute Nature

Gisella Borioli Gisell

Design Wanted

Pietro Sedda

Pinacoteca di Brera

Simone Guidarelli

Interview

Interview Inte

Lara Bohinc

Planetaria & Kasthall

Peter Zec

Triennale Milano

Margriet Vollenberg

10 102

Pasticceria Marchesi

108

Paride Modenese

Interview

Interview Inte

Interview

Fornasetti

fornasetti.com We can rarely expect extraordinary things from ordinary people, and to say that Piero Fornasetti was an ordinary man would be a lie. Born in 1913 in Italy, Fornasetti was full of surprises from the get-go. Contrary to his father’s wishes, he discovered his artistic tendencies rather early and started studies at Brera Art Academy from 1930 to 1932, when he was expelled for insubordination. This, however, didn’t stop him from taking part in a student exhibition at the University of Milan, only to show a collection of printed scarves at the fifth Triennale in Milan. After a few years, he began collaborating with the famous designer Gio Ponti, and the duo’s pieces were both versatile and widely acclaimed. The two fit like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, as Ponti was thrilled by neoclassicist motifs that inspired Fornasetti, giving him, in return, wide surfaces of furniture where Fornasetti made his works of art on. One of the most well-known works, a collection, in fact, by Fornasetti was inspired by the face of Lina Cavalieri, an opera singer. It was the face Fornasetti toyed with hundreds of times, producing his “Tema e Variazioni”, a series of plates featuring Cavalieri’s face in various shapes, sizes, some realistic, some surreal, but every single one, without a doubt an original. When asked in an interview what inspired him to make more than 500 variations of Cavalieri’s face, he simply replied: “ I don’t know. I began making them and never stopped”. Piero Fornasetti passed away in 1988, leaving a tremendous legacy behind, and his son, Barnaba, the current Artistic Director, has reissued many of his father’s designs, but also introduced new collections, not straying from his father’s vision. During Milan Design Week, Fornasetti will showcase the newest collection at his store in Milan. The stars of the exhibit will be Fornasetti rugs, while coffee tables, ceramic cats, trays and cabinets will have a supporting role. All the rugs visitors will experience are hand-tufted, using the ancient Tai Ping technique. The rugs are crafted manually, consisting of wool and silk and the entire process takes about three months. The motifs on the rugs are eclectic, assuring that the vision of Piero Fornasetti is preserved to this day. They are a fusion of classical and contemporary, but most of all, they are timeless, varying from animal motifs such as the snake holding an apple in its mouth with a distinct classical connotation, to seemingly ordinary motifs, which, thanks to the Fornasetti signature, take the beholder beyond the realm of reality into the dreamlike, fantasy world. - Jovana Todorović -

interview

Antonello Fusetti scuoladesign.com

Founded in Milan in 1954, SPD is the first postgraduate school for design disciplines in Italy. Internationally oriented yet with strong Italian roots and heritage. Their students are offered unique experiences and challenges, as well as the opportunity to collaborate with some of the most notable international companies such as Lamborghini, Pepsi, Ikea, Poltrona Frau, Bulgari. Furthermore, the SPD is the first school to launch a master’s degree program in Food Design, that enables students to become professionals in the food industry. Antonello Fusetti, the director of Scuola Politecnica Di Design, shared his take on education and professional topics. What are the advantages of studying in a city like Milan? I believe it can be really useful for all design students to spend at least one year in Milan studying design after their formal education (Bachelor’s degree.) It is one of those places where the past and future reconnect. This is the city that gave birth to a pioneering approach to design and saw its heydays thanks to a unique combination of cultural openness, artistic vibes and manufacturing capabilities. SPD is the oldest design school in Italy and is still famous worldwide for the level of its faculty and the quality of the teaching methodology. Nowadays, Milan managed to consolidate its role as the world capital of design, being an extraordinary hub of innovation. We can talk about “Milan design system” that is unique in the world because only here you can find designers in various areas, companies, craftsmen, showrooms, schools, magazines, associations and design support services such as modeling studios, advertising and external relations etc. On top of this, Milan hosts the most important design fair in the world (Salone Internazionale del Mobile) which, with the Milano Design Week – hundreds of events and exhibitions scattered throughout the city - once a year brings all the players of the value chain together, both big corporations and independent creators from various fields and all places. This is exactly where many ideas on design and the most innovative languages were born, shared and spread throughout the world, as many young people come to participate or study and make their first professional experiences. The city succeeded in making a platform based on an effective balance between business and culture, production and innovation, local and global where such creations can still happen. Which design area will see the biggest expansion over the next 10 years? I could hardly name one in particular. I believe that the current trend of having all boundaries between traditional design areas blurred will become all the more visible and effective in the next few years. We see signs of the return of a more human-centric design era where a considerable use of technologies will enable a seamless experience, binding the crucial parts of our lives together. For example, mobility, tourism, retail, and education are being radically transformed as we speak. I hope for the comeback of the humanistic vision of design, built upon solid design-thinking pillars. Additionally, I suppose that design is related to circular economy, biotechnologies and internet of things. These fields will reshape our connections to objects and the general perception of what design means. Over the last few years, contrary to fashion, other design fields were able to maintain a high-quality innovation, even for a wide audience; how did that happen? I think this could partly be explained by the attention that innovative materials gained over the last years across the design communities. After a couple of decades of innovation’s close ties to the arts, worlds and expressiveness, highperformance materials eventually surfaced as the real game-changers. Super-materials and innovative processes as seen through the lens of design can give new life to well-known typologies for a richer and more relevant user experience. Add to this that – with a similar process as the makers’ movement – super-materials are expected to become cheaper and easier to process, thus allowing designers to promote social change thanks to their inventiveness and critical take on our world. The passage from academic to professional world is pivotal. How does Scuola Politecnica di Design facilitate this step? SPD Master’s programs have a professional orientation as many renowned designers and professionals in the field from our faculty. Academic collaborations with prestigious institutions and premium companies such as Lamborghini, Audi, Pepsi, Ducati, Cappellini, Ikea, Samsung, Whirlpool and many more have been carried out over the years as this has always been a crucial experience at SPD. This methodology prompts real challenges to students and represents a tremendous boost for their skill set. The final internship also allows participants to join primary firms and continue their education, consolidating the key abilities and knowledge needed in a professional environment and in real-life situations. As is our vision, this continuous learning process strengthens the students’ growth and facilitates their future career steps.

The SPD Master’s degree in Food Design is one of a kind, which kind of professional figures are shaped? We created a master’s degree that is unique on a global scale, thanks to its structure and content, as well as the prestige of the teaching staff and companies involved. The aim is to train the ‘designers of the food sector’. These professionals will combine their knowledge of marketing and communications with design skills in one field that makes Italy the worldwide benchmark. The master’s course emerged from on one hand, the need to train new professionals of the food supply chain and other related industries, and to reskill the existing ones on the other. This is because in the current competitive system, new consumer needs and new technologies require the development of occupations that are increasingly able to provide innovative contributions, even in the food sector. In a world where food is increasingly removed from its nutritional function in favor of aesthetic, symbolic and communicative values, we often talk about food design and are witnessing a proliferation of exhibitions, competitions and conferences on the topic. And yet, no systematic research or training courses have been created to effectively develop the food-design binomial and to bring about positive effects on the food industry. In this context, the master’s in food design aims to educate a new generation of professionals, designers, and managers who will be able to combine marketing and communications skills with design sensibility and methodology. Students will be given the skills, and methodological and operational tools to coordinate the design: - of processes and modes of production, distribution and consumption of food products; - of distribution venues and consumption of food; - of food from an aesthetic, communicative and representative point of view; - of equipment and utensils for the preparation and enjoyment of food; and - of communication activities for promoting food products. “The Master’s in Food Design and Innovation will bring new methodologies to the world of food management and marketing helping it to reinvent itself in a more contemporary way, thanks to its interaction with design culture. It will provide the design world with new opportunities to experiment and work in the food sector – an area that still offers many aspects for designers to explore. This kind of initiative could only have developed in Milan, the design capital.

Elena Salmistraro elenasalmistraro.com

Milan-based product designer and artist Elena Salmistraro has been working in her studio with the architect Angelo Stoli since 2009, after graduating from the Polytechnic University of Milan. She made her presence undoubtedly felt while working on designs for some of the leading companies in the world, including Disney, Apple, Yoox, etc. Aside from her independent work, she had the opportunity to collaborate with numerous galleries like Dilmos, Camp Design Gallery, Secondome, Subalternol, among others. Closely looking at some of Salmistraro’s pieces, the work alone reveals her versatility as an artist with an impeccable sense of detail. Her pieces are vibrant, yet sophisticated as are her abilities to swing from illustrations to products. Her acrylic on canvas pieces mirror individuals in various occurrences, some of them reflecting eternal social problems and Salmistraro’s take on them. What strikes the most when observing Salmistraro’s art is the fact that it’s not just art for art’s sake, although the high aesthetic value of her works cannot be argued. By using her pieces as messengers, she delves deep into our society exploring the ever inspiring human nature and its complexity, troubles that people face individually and as a community, signing every piece with her own perspective. In Salmistraro’s collection “Primates” the line between the past and present is discretely blurred, as the classical art of Roman pottery meets the contemporary. She embodies the connection and similarities between an ape and a man through her own prism, engulfed in subtleties and pastel colors. “Caltagirone Panel”, on the other hand, guides us through the abstract world of an artist. Lines stem from the centre, twisting and turning across space, and although seemingly lacking order, upon resting your eyes, the magnificent and precise symmetry of every element will slowly sink in. Done in pitchstone, exclusively extracted from Ragusa, with the center where the copper leaf is applied, the panel evokes memories of Majolica pottery of Caltagirone. “The Rain Dance”, acrylic on canvas, is a symbolic representation of African harvest and prayer to Gods to end the drought and bless the land with rain, thus ensuring food that sustains life. Although vibrant and intricately detailed, it is amazingly light and delicate, as if opposes establishing dominance in any space, or to forcing the observer's attention; Salmistraro’s work continues to evoke emotions in people on her personal quest to find the harmony of shapes. It will truly remain unapologetically poetic and loyal to the truth it seeks. - Sofija Maletić -

Antolini

Haute Nature antolini.com

At the absolute forefront of its sector, Antolini is a world leader in the production of natural stone. The company’s mission - founded by Luigi Antolini in 1956 and active today on a global scale - is to offer a wide selection of materials that stand out for their unique colours, finishes and patterns. Quarrying from the best sites around the world, with passion and insight, the company constantly offers new and exclusive solutions, making them available to the most creative minds and to the lovers of beauty. Among more than a thousand natural stones produced by Antolini, the Exclusive Stone Collection is prominent, representing the company’s constant commitment to its customers and its dedication to unearthing and presenting extraordinary materials. Within this astonishing collection, natural stones Irish Green and Jurassic Brown are highly regarded for their powerful and audacious communicative expressivity. Such versatile materials capable of enhancing the beauty of any room, these two natural stones were used by Antolini to create two Lifestyle settings, designed by Alessandro La Spada. Jurassic Brown, with its different effects, confers a unique character on the winery space. Powerful reminder of ancient geological formations, this marble gives a sculptural value to the single elements that make up the space, emphasizing their unique characters. Right in the middle of the setting stands a monolithic kitchen island made of Jurassic Brown in polished, riven and hydro finishes that highlight the sharp edges of the composition. Moreover, the composition includes an expertly cut, continuous shelf and a display wall in which bottles are positioned one by one, horizontally, favouring the bottom view. Amongst the bottles, the Jurassic Brown emerges again with a bold “split-face” finish, that allows for a playful light on the rugged surface, like a block of broken rock. The Irish Green marble is the sole protagonist of the charming bedroom, made from two different and adjoining settings: one precious and astonishing bedroom and an intimate and essential wardrobe space. In the bedroom, a continuous backlit panel in Irish Green wraps the large double bed like a soft fabric. Emphasizing the bright tones of green, emeralds and yellow, the panel serves as a nightstand and headboard, then rises onto a large iridescent area, and finally reaches the ceiling, creating a great sense of intimacy. Thanks to the natural treatment and the lack of direct light, the Irish Green walls soften the bold personality of the bedroom, introducing, at the same time, the hidden space of the wardrobe area. - Sam Walsh -

antolini

interview

Gisella Borioli

superdesignshow.com Superstudio Più, one of the hottest spots of the Milanese Design Week with over 100.000 visitors from all around the world, opened its gates to the new exhibition ‘’Superdesign’’. Gisella Borioli, the established art director, fashion journalist, entrepreneur and founder of this influential venue offered her valuable perspective on today’s and tomorrow’s design scene. Comparing to the other important design centers, what is Milan’s strong point of Milan and what does it lack? Each design center is different in regards to the context, the mix of exhibitors, the target audience, the size, the urban characteristics, ambitions and commercial goals, the national business and productive situation. Milan is remarkable for many reasons: its history of interior design and handicraft, for its influence on domestic industries but also, for the international appeal; Milan attracts everyone from designers, manufacturers, operators to visitors. It is unparalleled for the size of its Salone with a variety of quality proposals that concern all the fields of living, for the energy and emotions of its Fuorisalone that increasingly invade the city. There is a certain effervescent atmosphere there not just for products, but also experience and culture, for the cosmopolite public and the resulting relations, for young talents that in one way or another find hospitality and visibility. Perhaps the shortcoming could be the huge increase of numbers of Salone and the Fuorisalone. There is an occurrence of different problems such as issues of selection, transport, timing, hospitality etc. However, Milan’s great success compensates for a few weaker points. In such a saturated global market, having a good product is not enough. In addition to effective communication, what is the most important element for an object or project to determine its success or failure? Knowing how to make people fall in love with the product. With the personality, originality, appeal, contemporaneity, seduction and last but not least, the sustainability. The right chemistry among selected objects, sensorial paths, and organization of the spaces make SuperDesign Show one of the most relevant exhibitions of the Milanese design week. Can you explain its essential rules to ensure a successful event year after year? Even though Superdesign is a collective event, I plan it each year as a wholesome project where all showcased brands and designers are harmoniously protagonists. The floor plan, the setup, the collaborations all change each time but always with a precise focus, a “theme of the year” that summarizes a general trend. The end goal is to create a detailedbased jigsaw with a clear and broad vision. I recently changed the title of the event from the ambitious “Temporary Museum of New Design” in a more inclusive and simpler “Superdesign” to welcome all the experimentations and categories that nowadays use remarkable design to improve products that were once simply expected to be functional. Nevertheless, I still think of it as a Museum of gathering trends, movements, changes of the world of living, interactions with art, cultural reflections in various galleries. In order to achieve this, one must strive for innovation, selection, quality, opening and finally, for a mix of great names and new designers; that’s the key. To what extent is it good to anticipate trends or should one try and highlight its own signature? The important thing is to present high-impact, forward-looking products, focusing on the mise-en-scène and on the selection and quality of the products. The direction’s sign must be noticeable but not shouted. It should be complementing like a background note that creates a smooth yet unforgettable harmony.

Design Wanted adesignwanted

Every product designer dream of exhibiting their creations during the most important design weeks in the world. There is one in particular, though, that represents the design’s elite: the Milan Design Week. The place where you must go at least once in your life, a crossroads of professionals and enthusiasts, legends and young talents; a mixture of ideas, projects and initiatives that represents the core and the essence of this world. ExpoWanted, a project created by the international magazine DesignWanted (based in Milan, Italy), was born precisely to give an answer to those who cultivate the dream of exhibiting in Milan. During its first edition this year, it produced the largest design competition ever launched on Instagram, that reached over 15 million people thanks to social media and has given 10 designers from seven different countries the chance to exhibit for free at Milan Design Week 2019. An international call for students, designers, architects, design studios and companies, and an exceptional venue: the BASE Milano space, located in the famous Tortona Design District, where ExpoWanted created its own exhibition space in collaboration with Ventura Projects, one of the key players of Fuorisalone. The idea behind the contest was to search for smart objects, products capable of having an impact on people’s daily lives. The call was opened to craft items as well as industrial and high tech products. The entries, over 500 within a month, from more than 40 countries, have been incredibly diverse and interesting to say the least. The public vote and a world-class jury have decreed the 10 winners. Jurors: Patrick Abbattista, Founder & CEO at DesignWanted Sarah Wayne Callies, Hollywood actress famous for her roles in Prison Break, The Walking Dead and many other TV series Margriet Vollenberg, Founder & CEO at Ventura Projects Mirco Pasqualini, Head of Design at Ogilvy Aleks Tatic, Founder & CEO at Tatic Designstudio Fabio Colturri, Founder at HaigoThe prize for the winners, in addition to the free exhibition at the ExpoWanted space, included a communication campaign on DesignWanted and the possibility of encountering industry professionals, particularly, buyers and journalists who will visit the exhibition area. ExpoWanted is one of a kind opportunity that has sparked a massive interest and participation from numerous international partners, such as: • • • • • •

Some of the most famous Instagram influencers: Architecture Hunter, Architect & Design, Amazing Architecture, P.roduct, All of Architecture, Design Bunker, Design.Only RDS 100% Grandi Successi, the well-established Italian radio with over six million listeners daily Ventura Projects, a strategic player of Fuorisalone and Milan Design Week The magazines Design42Day and Feel Desain Institutional realities like Creative Industries Styria and The Institute Haigo, - a distinctive retail brand and retail design consultancy agency

- Carolina Bruni -

Oleg Faveliukis _ Blueberry Pie Sofa

Sebastian Meinecke _ Stadtfuchs

Ernesto Pastor _ X&Y

Aamar Kwaja & Heather Dubbeldam _ Modgarden: tinyFarm

Francesco Dolce _ Woodie Milano / Luna Smart Lamp

Jan Klingler _ Bacteria Lamp _ Photo by Sandy Haggart

Oliver David Krieg _ Aestus

Badih Rameh_Twisted Concrete Bench

Luca Pinotti & Francesco Stravino _ Big B

Charlotte Kidger _ Industrial Craft Side Table

interview

Pietro Sedda pietrosedda.com

When Captain James Cook landed on New Zealand, his crew was so impressed by the facial tattoos of the Maori, that they wanted some for themselves. This is considered to be the origin of the sailors with anchor-tattoos on their arms. Almost 250 years have passed since then and this style remains constant thanks to the artists that carried on with this antique form of beauty. A distinguished representant of this category is certainly Pietro Sedda, founder of The Saint Mariner tattoo studio which brings together tattooing with paint and design. A marvellous expression of his eclectic talent can be appreciated in his last collaboration with Rosenthal, world-famous porcelain manufacturer; where he curated an entire collection with his signature. Saint Mariner has a particularly strong charisma in terms of execution and choosing the subjects. How did you bring maturity to the design? I think devotion to practice makes all the difference. Picasso used to say that talent takes eight hours a day; just talking about the fact that you are really creative isn't enough. You have to commit yourself to this practice. As the days go by, your work becomes something different. What do you feel you had to bring from Sardinia and what did you find in Milan? My childhood memories and the sea are something I’ll always have from Sardinia. I love walking along the west coast in remote places such as Maimoni and San Giovanni di Sinis. I also love how people bake “pane coccoi”, which is a typical kind of bread finely detailed and decorated, a work of art. In Milan, I found lots of shops, great restaurants and of course a good city to travel from. Tattoos are what brought you to where you are now. Can you describe your impression about your 'clients', have they grown since you started, do you see some cultural changes within them? All the tattoo scenes have dramatically changed since the early years. I guess social media contributed to these changes, allowing people to learn about what tattoo culture is. In the past, it was difficult to find images and the only sources were some magazines or events such as tattoo conventions. Tattoo artists were protective of their work and kept it secret. Nowadays tattoo artists post videos of themselves working, and you could easily understand the techniques they use. Youtube is full of tutorials and Instagram is an endless source of images and ideas to share and copy. Obviously, tattoo culture has changed because of social media but so have clients; they are more aware of what they want and tend to be “collectionists”. This is why people travel in order to get tattooed by specific artists they like. Tattooing has been practised since Neolithic times and had different meanings during history. Is there anything significant in the history of tattooing that you find particularly interesting? Tattoos have mostly been related to identity, I guess... Although nowadays, I honestly perceive the shallow end of an era that was initially born as sacred. Then it became radical and underground, until ending up as a product you can buy on the shelf, such as a pair of jeans. Still, there is something profound in getting inked, and hopefully that will never change. Your style is like a contemporary lens of the 'sailor time' history, which you keep 'trapped' in time and skin. What can you reveal about your personal feeling that you hold on to regarding each piece you do? Personal feeling? I guess... being a craftsman, you develop your style the way you want to and keep proposing your imagination. Otherwise, I would have made other choices for my life. I could have been a salesman. I try to follow my icons and transpose them onto different surfaces: paper, skin, fabric, wood... the song remains the same, the technique changes and so do materials. You have a long career in arts and your business has evolved significantly. Which hobbies would you say keep your mind balanced? My hobbies are going to museums and eating in great restaurants from all over the world. If you want to understand a foreign country's culture, you have to try the food they eat.

Pinacoteca di Brera pinacotecabrera.org

When it comes to Milan, one can say with certainty that apart from being a hotspot for design, it also has a great historical significance, making a perfect fusion of the two. One of the most enchanting places the city has to offer is the Pinacoteca di Brera, which opened its doors to the public back in 1809. It boasts about 500 Renaissance works of art, dating from the XIII to XX century. The Pinacoteca is located in a building which dates back to the 17th century, alongside the Accademia di Belli Arti in the Palazzo di Brera. Just like pretty much everything in Italy, the Pinacoteca has a long and eventful history. The building, originating from Baroque, was made on the remains of a XIV century monastery, and it has been home to the Academy of Fine Arts since the second half of the XVIII century, thanks to Maria Theresa. Also, there is something that sets the Pinacoteca apart from most Italian museums. It was founded in 1809, courtesy to Napoleon and its collection of the finest works of art was there for educational purposes. Unlike other museums in Italy, that were founded by private collections, the Pinacoteca came to be due to the political action of the state. When it had just opened, its collection mainly consisted of Italian works of art taken from churches and monasteries in the period when Milan was the capital of the kingdom. However, the Pinacoteca was heavily damaged during WWII, more precisely in 1943 by aerial attacks on the country. Thanks to the vision and determination of its director Fernanda Wittgens and architect Piero Portaluppi, the museum reopened in 1950. Apart from the breathtaking art the Pinacoteca showcases, there is also café Fernanda, a place where visitors can relax after the tour around the museum, which offers refreshments, and more art. Right above the bar, visitors can see Pietro Damini's ‘St. Bernard Converting the Duke of Aquitania’, and on the other side of the café, guests are greeted by the Cupid and the Three Graces. There is also the bust of Fernanda Wittgens by Marino Marini, and her portrait painted by Attilio Rossi. The place underwent another renovation curated by director James Bradburne, and the project mainly involved the last two rooms devoted to the XIX century. As the café is perceived as the last, 39th room, its petrol blue walls, along with the marble floors in peach blossom color both maintain the chromatic flow of the museum and keep the connotation of its 1950s style, as envisioned by Portaluppi. - Jovana Todorović -

interview

Simone Guidarelli

simoneguidarellihome.com Simone Guidarelli, the internationally recognized stylist and author of several covers of prestigious magazines, has collaborated with celebrities like Monica Bellucci, Wei Tang, Michael Bublé, Dita Von Teese and many more. Now, thanks to his fascinating wallpapers, the door of the design field have opened for him. While we chatted, we found out how the first chapter of his story was written, what challenges and inspires him, and why he finds working with Elisabetta Franchi tempting. How was the www.simoneguidarellihome.com project born? My project of creating wallpaper was born last year with the 2018 Salone del Mobile. My exuberant creativity bursts into furnishing, becoming design. Romantic colors, in a fresh reinterpretation of the iconic textile designs of the Renzo Brandone Fund, kept in the archive of the Fashion Research Italy Foundation (FRI) in Bologna. “I had the honor of accessing the endless FRI archive that contains over thirty thousand textile design drawings on paper and fabric, made by the best Italian and foreign designers from the mid-nineteenth century to the twenties-thirties of the twentieth century, all entirely catalogued and digitized. I was given four subjects, I made them my own and I redesigned them with the precious help of the artisans of the S3 Fratelli Sangiorgio; a company from Como that specializes in making jacquard fabrics for over 40 years. I went to the frames, I studied, and I discovered a, perhaps forgotten, manufacturing reality. I also worked with a team of passionate and talented people, to whom I must say thank you “. This year [SALONE DEL MOBILE 2019] sees three new designs always redesigned and inspired by nature to which I am constantly really attached. This year, the protagonists will be Gorillas, Herons, Elephants, and a floral theme from which butterflies and paradisiacal birds will emerge. Nature has always accompanied me in my life. I was born in the Marche (Cagli), a place that allowed me to confront myself with its nature, by recognizing its strength and its beauty. So today I would like to represent it in my LIFESTYLE project that has just blossomed. Why did you decide to do this project of Home and Wall Design? I decided to do this project because, basically, I feel the need for continuous challenges and the one for exercising my creativity. I put my creativity to work for many designers with whom I collaborate, and for once I wanted to create something of my own. I consider the home or the places where one can stay in a place of refuge, and therefore they have to be special, dreamy and have to make us feel good. I love the unusual and the unexpected. I don’t follow a precise commercial line, I do what I want, not bothered by trends or strategies. I, as always, follow my instinct, my colors, my world. When you do something with a deep passion, sooner or later someone will notice your work. Who is the project aimed at? The project is aimed at anyone who wants to enter my ironic world; where I always try to maintain a certain but unique balance between things, shapes and colors. To those who are tired of a gray wall and to those who want to appreciate the research and the quality of things. These drawings hold beneath them a year’s worth of work. My drawings are printed on fabric and then applied to paper. The quality of the print is extremely high. I would like my wallpaper to inhabit large spaces, such as hotels and restaurants, as well as very small living spaces. Last year you did a co-branding with K-Way, what about this year? Last year I lent one of my drawings (the one with the ostriches) to K-way, with which we created a limited-edition Capsule Collection, exclusively for the fashion week. The result: Sold out in two days. This year, I decided to make this collaboration with the brand Elisabetta Franchi. “I love her as a person, as she is full of energy and new projects, as well as super creative and very popular on social media. There is one thing that makes us similar: passion and positivity.” We will cover six windows of her shop in Via Alessandro Manzoni, 37 20121 MILAN with all of my wallpapers, repeated in two color variables. Elisabetta has created two dresses, a suit and a shirt with one of my prints, that will be sold only during the week of the Salone del Mobile 2019 from the 9th to the 14th of April at the shop in Via Manzoni. It will be a busy week ... and the surprises are not over yet ...follow me on my Instagram and on my website: www. simoneguidarellihome.com

Photo : Cosimo Buccolieri Set designer : Massimiliano Gallli

Lara Bohinc

Planetaria & Kasthall bohincstudio.com

Lara Bohinc is an internationally acclaimed and widely sought-after artist with her uncompromising style and finesse. Her art manifests in-depth knowledge about materials, and although she obeys long-established rules of her craft, she produces pieces that are a mixture of contemporary and functional. Effortlessly, she oscillates between mediums while maintaining the timelessness of design. One can truly say she is a master of her craft. Geometry is one of the vital parts of her signature, she toys with it, pulls it together and tears it apart. Her art is seductive, elegant and powerful at the same time. One of Bohinc Studio’s newest projects is called „Planetaria“. Planetaria is a novel furniture collection that includes lighting, seating and console designs. Pieces from that collection derive from the artist’s infatuation for planets; each piece carefully crafted in Italian and Portuguese workshops. They are comprised of geometric, yet organic lights, boasting spheres, all implying the greater cosmic matter we are all made of. This planet-inspired project will be proudly showcased for the very first time at Milan Design Week. Planetaria collection champions Lara’s metalworking techniques and it is a prominent characteristic of many of the pieces. Palette drawn from nature balances the dark audacious lines and together, such contrasts achieve harmony. The entire collection is unmistakably the culmination of expertise and inspiration. When an artist’s work is as multifaceted as hers, partnerships with household names come naturally, resulting in working together with Kasthall, the prominent producer of woven and hand-tufted rugs. When two put their heads together, the result is guaranteed to amaze. The collection yielded two wall hangings, two rugs and a set of decorative cushions. The inspiration was, once more, found in nature, this time in Japanese Zen gardens, which reflects Bohinc’s love for opposites - symmetry and asymmetry, saturated spaces contrasted by some that are minimalistic. Each piece from the collection is made from different kinds of yarn and wool grades, while some pieces contain a mix of woollen and flax yarns but Bohinc offered each item its own little twist. Leaving us in awe, “Planetaria” embodies Bohinc’s values of art, respect for the materials and impeccably elevates everyday objects to their celestial functional selves. It is everything she stands for; finding beauty in rawness, discovering the truest colors and embracing boldness. - Sofija Maletić -

interview

Peter Zec red-dot.org

Professor Dr. Peter Zec is the founder and CEO of the Red Dot which is considered the most ambitious award in the industry for its steering influence in the market. With the diligent advocacy for the value of good design, over the years he has been working as a design adviser gaining worldwide recognition and giving lectures in more than 40 countries. A true design connoisseur and a brilliant entertainer when on the stage of the Red Dot Gala night. The Red Dot became an internationally recognized household name. What is the thing that makes you proud the most in this project? I am proud to host the most eminent and prestigious design competition worldwide, that attracts designers and manufacturers from all over the world. The Red Dot Design Award received more than 18,000 submissions from more than 70 countries just last year. These numbers demonstrate how significant the award is and how crucial design has become for entrepreneurial success. In particular, top brands and world market leaders want their innovations tested independently and accurately by our jury consisting of around 90 specialists. The fact that the Red Dot Design Award achieved this status makes me beyond proud. You witnessed thousands of products over the years. Looking back, what was a trend you found particularly pointless? Trends do not equate with good design. They come quickly and go even quicker. Design describes something else. It is a holistic approach to the product, starting from the very idea of it, contemplating the choice of materials and finally to the implementation and marketing. Contrary to trends, products with a high design quality are irreplaceable, in my view. This is perfectly illustrated by classics that stand for persistence and timelessness. For instance, products designed by Hans Gugelot and Dieter Rams for Braun became such classics thanks to their unique aesthetics and particular performance characteristics. Do you have an object you are particularly attached to in your possession? Aside from cars and watches, I am very passionate about furniture. The Alu Chair by Charles and Ray Eames is especially valuable to me. I always associated this chair with the beginning of my career. I long admired this chair seeing it in a popular sports show on German television. At the time, I had no idea that that chair was, in fact, one of the most beautiful design classics. To this day, my personal relationship with this piece is harmonious. I particularly like its unity of form and function. In which design area do you see major improvements in the years to come? Digitization, artificial intelligence and robotics are all shaping many design fields. This will also shift the demands on design. For decades, the designersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; emphasis has been on significant product shape and usage. Nowadays, products must function in a broader context. It is imperative they improve usersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; quality of life, communicate with other systems, connect products and systems, and finally exchange data. Therefore, the context in which a product operates acquires a greater relevance and importance than the product itself. This change directly affects the individuals whose new life situation occurs in which people work and live together in a world of living artefacts. Milan Design Week is continuously developing. What do you think could be the next milestone for this event? A design fair must always react to current issues, such as densification of urban living, individualization of society or even the transformation of the workplace because all these developments impact design. Salon del Mobile wants to meet these changes and that is already shown by the new category Workplace 3.0 that focuses on inevitable transformations of this field. Besides that, I am curious to see what the impact of the Chinese furniture market will be. If we compare the German and Italian furniture market to the Chinese one, we can definitely see exponential market growth.

Triennale Milano triennale.org

This year, the XXII International Exhibition of La Triennale celebrates design sensibilities for our planet with a new theme called Broken Nature: Design Takes on Human Survival curated by Paola Antonelli. Broken Nature is a thematic exhibition with a number of international participations that explores the current alarming topic of the wavering relationship between people and nature; once strong and constant, now ever so fragile and more unstable with each passing day. Once the relationship of curiosity and mutual respect, now a state of uncertainty where ambivalence is constant. Broken Nature should not be mistaken for a pessimistic aspect of La Triennale. On the contrary, Broken Nature is above all a celebration of design’s possibilities to offer creative solutions despite our current relationship with nature; design as a powerful mediator between people and our environment, showing what can be. Some of the more specific topics addressed in this exhibition are forgotten parts of cities, plastic waste problem, giving recognition to anonymous designers, etc. Besides La Triennale’s main theme for this year’s edition, a homage to design created in Italy will take place. The Italian Design Museum, the other noteworthy exhibition, whose director is Joseph Grima, will take part in La Triennale by presenting an assortment of the most significant works in the realm of the Italian design. At La Triennale, visitors will find the museum on the ground floor of the Palazzo dell’Arte, in the corner of the building. This exhibit aims to underline the importance of design, its history, as all pieces will be organized chronologically while offering the context in which the work was designed. The opening of the Museum will not only be significant on an individual level, but it will be a crucial part for La Triennale, making it the nucleus of international design. Grima, who sees the Italian design for what it really is, an intricate ecosystem with a lasting history, wishes to allow the audience an opportunity to see, interact and experience familiar objects in a decontextualized situation, giving them the freedom to make their own interpretations and draw conclusions. Together, Broken Nature and The Italian Design Museum will help La Triennale once more prove its crucial role in the design world and with the contribution of such remarkable exhibitions, the collective of International Exhibition of La Triennale will remain forever changed and further consolidated as invaluable. - Sofija Maletić -

interview

Margriet Vollenberg venturaprojects.com

Margriet Vollenberg, founder of Ventura Projects, became one of the major players at the Milan Design Week over the last years with her itinerant creative hub with a specific focus on international contemporary design. Graduated at Design Academy Eindhoven, her professional venture started in Milan and it continued as she launched her own design and PR agency in the Netherlands, Ventura Projects; a series of events in Milan, New York, London, Berlin, Kortrijk and Dubai showcasing both emerging and established designers. Could you tell us about the advantages and drawbacks of starting Ventura Projects in Milan? When we first started Ventura Projects, we wanted to create a new event where we could offer a stage to upcoming designers and emerging design talents. In our opinion, such a stage was missing in Milan and by offering this possibility, academies worldwide had a chance to showcase their talented (graduate) students. Over the course of years, Ventura Projects has grown, and we’ve experienced that our exhibitors grew together with. At a certain point, we felt that we needed to expand our events to give a stage to established brands and labels as well since those exhibitors grew alongside us as well. That’s the reason we decided to set up Ventura Centrale under the Milan Central Station, to give the stage to established brands with majestic installations. Besides our growth in Milan the past ten years, we’ve also expanded to other design cities with events in, for instance, New York and Dubai in order to conquer new markets worldwide. What is a common characteristic of successful products? And failed ones? In my opinion, there isn’t one common characteristic of successful or failed products. The few years years, designers are not only asked for an end product but are also for the design thinking and solutions. The creative way of thinking of designers is applicable to almost every industry and social problems. Apart from this, there is a trend where the making process and material choices are as important as the end product. Nowadays, having a good product is not enough, the communication noise is overwhelming and a good designer or product risks going unnoticed if not exposed properly. With limited financial resources, what marketing priorities would you determine? It’s very important to communicate with your audience about your product. With limited financial resources, you can use social media as a stage for exhibiting your products. With a great social media strategy, on for instance the visual platform Instagram, you can promote your products, but also give an insight into the production process. This way you are updating your followers and making them a part of your design journey. However, it is still very important to exhibit your product in real life, at an event with a professional audience. An exhibition, for example, at Ventura Future in Milan can open doors for new designers, since they’re seen by buyers, galleries, design journalists and many more. The Netherlands is a very sophisticated ground to test a product due to its sensitiveness in design and price evaluation. What is the best way to introduce a product to the Dutch market? The Netherlands is a great market for testing since it’s a small, but a very progressive country. Every country has its own character traits, aesthetics and needs. In the Netherlands, it’s important to keep in touch with users, so it’s important to showcase your products at large design platforms, such as Dutch Design Week. Dutch Design Week is becoming more and more international and is a great stage to propose your product to the Dutch market. At DDW you’ll not meet only consumers, but also a variety of Dutch design professionals.

VENTURA LAMBRATE

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Pasticceria Marchesi pasticceriamarchesi.com

Pasticceria Marchesi is one of Milan's oldest and finest pastry shops that immerses you into the past with its authentic atmosphere, preserving the original early-20th-century furnishings, coffer ceilings, ancient mirrors and art deco lighting. The shop, which first opened in Via Santa Maria alla Porta, has a long-standing history as the business started back in 1824, and instantly became famous for its handmade confections. In the early 20th century, the owner Angelo Marchesi came up with the idea of serving coffee in the mornings and cocktails in the evening. This appealed to the public as it was more than just a simple patisserie; it was a place of charm and irrefutable elegance. Despite modernizing times, Pasticceria Marchesi has successfully kept the spirit of the past, not only with their carefully made products which follow old recipes but also with the ambience that can be found there. Another thing that is bound to grab your attention is the building’s façade that dates back from to 18th century and the very first shop. Marchesi can be found in three locations in the city, one of them being right above Galleria Prada in Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II due to its acquisition by Prada Group in 2014. The first thing that catches your attention is a pastel-colored interior that resembles a Wes Anderson movie color palette. A tunnel which boasts confections and fairy tale looking cakes, welcome you with the warm, antique-looking atmosphere. The café and Galleria Prada go together perfectly, as they are both created for lovers of exquisite quality and aesthetics. Customers wander in for different reasons, some are there just to savour the coffee, others wish to treat their palate to some luscious chocolate or its classic Milanese Panettone. Pasticceria Marchesi’s customers owe a debt of gratitude for all those pleasures to the Marchesi family that tirelessly worked on providing their visitors with the unique service. It is undoubtedly the perfect serenity nook away from the business of everyday life. In a world that is so rapidly changing, having a place that takes you back in time, a place that remained unchanged for centuries, simply feels precious and almost divine. Such shops are perfect testimony that old ways are often the best. - Sam Walsh -

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interview

Paride Modenese

modeneseinteriors.com Remember the chills you felt when you heard your favorite fairy tale for the very first time? We get the same chills when observing the precious artisanship of company Modenese Gastone. Paride Modenese, the heritor and Head of International Sales, shares with us the nibble of the magical history and future aspirations of this magnum opus of classical furniture. Modenese Gastone Interiors products require in-depth proficiency. Which skill would you say is the most significant in that regard? Handicraft is the foundation on which we built Modenese Gastone Interiors, using our own savoir-faire along with artisans having profound knowledge about furniture, handed down from one generation to another ever since 1818. There is more required than just being skillful or knowing which tool to use, the artisans need to recognize the wood they work with, understand its structural behavior and mold the profiles following intricate methods. Specialized artisan masters are creators of valuable and high-quality carvings and inlays and have contributed to the realization of a worldwide renowned and appreciated lifestyle. In your opinion, which project has been the most challenging so far? Every project is unique and represents a new challenge in its own way. We aim to create the best atmosphere for our clients through a complete service of turn-key projects: from on-site measurements to worldwide installations. When the sketches come from our in-house designers and get realized in the fully customized projects, it gives us a great pleasure to see our customers’ dreams come true and that means that we are ready to take on a new challenge. This is a family business which has expanded worldwide. Could you give us a few details about the history? Our story started in northern Italy, in a tiny village Casale di Scodosia known for its woodworking traditions. That’s where the factory of luxury classic furniture Modenese Gastone Interiors is situated. Our family has been in this business since 1818, and the family secrets and traditions have been passed on from father to son across seven generations. In 1818, like most families in the area, we created our own workshop and started production of what was in demand in the nearest communes and towns – wooden farming tools. As time went by, the workshop and its product range started to change: from trailers and carts, the craftsmen moved on to the production of simple home furniture. Later on, Italy went through important historical events, generations in the family changed, and the enterprise founded in 1818 kept growing and expanding its activities. In the late 1960’s it was young Gastone’s turn to manage the company, and it was he who transformed the workshop into a large factory named after him. The factory today produces not just single furniture items, such as chairs, tables, sofas, beds or consoles, – but entirely finished interiors for living and dining rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms, offices and walk-in closets, made from natural materials exclusively in accordance with traditional technologies.

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Today, the three sons of Gastone Modenese, Renzo, Renato and Francesco, and myself, the grandson, carry on the family traditions and manage the company. An important milestone for the company happened at the beginning of the 1990s when after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the production of Modenese Gastone Interiors became well-known in Russia and CIS countries. In these years, the factory successfully completed a great number of interior projects not only for private clients but also for government institutions, restaurants and hotels in Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Belarus and Baltic countries. In the last few years the staff of our factory increased in number and we are now a team of young professionals who love Italian design and luxury interiors. Modenese Gastone Interiors is represented by people from seven countries and we speak 16 languages combined. That’s why it’s so easy and pleasant for us to communicate with our clients! The factory’s young generation has broadened the horizons of the company activities: we actively started collaborating with designers and architects from the Middle East, African countries, China and other Asian countries, North and South America. Modenese Gastone Interiors is rightfully considered a world-famous brand of luxury Italian furniture and accessories. We are proud to say that today the exclusive interiors by Modenese Gastone Interiors can be found all over the world: from private villas of Arabic sheikhs and offices of Russian politicians to European opera theatres and Luxury resorts in the United Arab Emirates. Modenese Gastone Interiors is always a remarkable presence at Salone Del Mobile, a reference point event to observe the market. How would you say it changed over the years? Salone Del Mobile in Milan is an annual event awaited to guide the visitors along the stands, with the pleasure and the pride of showing the results of companies. Modenese Gastone Interiors and the world of the Classic Luxury Interiors will be at Hall 02 Stand D34-D40. We will renew our presence by confirming once again the sophistication of our classic luxury furniture: the classic Italian touch, a hallmark of Modenese Gastone Interiors high-end furniture, will rise among the collections that will be displayed. The main theme will be the pure, uncontaminated classic style, visual storytelling made by details; the reproduction of a dimension where “Beauty” reigns and the opulence exalts the glory of past times. Our goal is to focus on the use of raw materials and on the fine art of woodworking: nothing is left to chance since perfection is demanded in luxury home furniture. Every year, Salone del Mobile represents a crucial moment of expansion for our markets with the main aim to promote our brand and meet potential customers; besides that, it is a great opportunity to strengthen the relationships with our current clients. The target remains to satisfy our customers with new collections and a renewed trending taste of Italian classic-style furniture to meet their requirements even better.

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The Gateway to Saudi Arabiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Multi-Billion Contract Business Market

+971 4 4453739 Supported by:

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Milan Design Week 2019

Articles inside

Fornasetti

Antonello Fusetti

Elena Salmistraro

Antolini

Gisella Borioli

DesignWanted

Pietro Sedda

Pinacoteca di Brera

Simone Guidarelli

Lara Bohinc

Peter Zec

Triennale Milano

Margriet Vollenberg

Pasticceria Marchesi

Paride Modenese