TOP 20 shows of Milan design week 2019

We’re building up to Milan design week 2019 — the week in the calendar where the design world converges on the Italian city. Milan design week brings together 2,000-plus exhibitors from more than 165 countries, taking over the trendsetting city with a plethora of must-sees and not-to-be-misseds, setting design lovers the impossible task of seeing it all, like furniture and so on. curious about this year’s highlights? We rounds up the TOP events to satisfy your planning needs in the run up to the most exciting design event of the year.

THE DESIGN PRIZE 2019

What: THE DESIGN PRIZE 2019

When: April 9 — doors open at 10PM, ceremony begins at 10:30PM *by invitation only

Where: triennale Milano, teatro dell’arte, viale emilio alemagna, 6

THE DESIGN PRIZE has become an institution of the city of Milan. the third edition of the international award celebrating design excellence inaugurates Milan design week 2019. the unique program, curated by designboom, recognizes both the extraordinary achievements and little sparks of beauty and delight that have emerged over the past 12 months. on April 9th, 2019, the award ceremony will be hosted at triennale Milano, in partnership with the order of architects and under the patronage of the municipality of Milan. the highly-anticipated event cements its status as a democratic, free and participatory design award, which calls on the international creative community for nominations. the evening will see the winners — including the result of the public voting in the ‘social impact’ category — presented with the iconic golden madonnina award — a ceramic statuette that has been designed for the occasion by antonio aricò. THE DESIGN PRIZE gala is produced by PRY.

SONY

What: affinity in autonomy: a positive future with artificial intelligence

When: April 9 – 13, 10AM-8PM / April 14, 10AM-4PM

Where: spazio zegna, via savona 56/A

‘When robots have evolved so far that we feel like they’re alive, then humans will begin to feel an affinity towards them,’ says SONY. at Milan design week 2019, the technology brand’s immersive exhibition enables visitors to experience and interact with robotics. titled ‘affinity in autonomy’, it explores and proposes how technology can enrich our lifestyle by creating emotional bonds between ourselves and robotics. since setting up their own in-house creative studio in 1961, sony’s designers have sought to do what has never been done before. they fill the world with emotion through the power of creativity and technology, transforming functional values into experiences with their products and services. as part of their ‘perceptual experience project’, these innovations enable entertainment and creates an enriched lifestyle for a new tomorrow. an emphasis is always placed not only on convenience, but also sensitivity and emotion – all of which is felt in their ‘affinity in autonomy’ exhibition.

LAUFEN

What: ‘materialmessage’ installation

When: April 9-13, 11AM-8PM / April 14, 11AM-5PM

Where: teatro arsenale, via cesare correnti, 11

During Milan design week 2019, snarkitecture will narrate the world of LAUFEN with a special installation of juxtaposition. titled ‘materialmessage’, the design takes visitors through the brand’s 127 years of history and then onward towards the future. this will be with a focus on using the materials from the industrial ceramic production and connecting the experience with two precise points: the original (the material) and the arrival point (the finished product).

LEXUS DESIGN AWARD 2019

What: LEXUS DESIGN AWARD 2019

When: April 9-13, 10AM-9PM / April 14, 10AM-6PM

Where: superstudio più (art point), via tortona, 27

For the seventh year in a row, designboom collaborates with LEXUS to present the LEXUS DESIGN AWARD 2019, an international design competition that targets up-and-coming creators from around the world. LEXUS created the LEXUS DESIGN AWARD to foster the growth of ideas that contribute to society by supporting designers and creators whose works can help to shape a better future. it provides a unique opportunity for six finalists to work with globally recognized designers as mentors to create prototypes of their designs, and then exhibit them at one of the design calendar’s most important events — Milan design week.

POLESTAR

What: ‘into the light’ installation

When: April 9 – 14, 10AM-9PM

Where: OPIFICIO 31, via tortona, 31

Since starting its journey in 2017, the progressive and design-driven electric car brand polestar has not only been conceptualizing but also realizing a stimulating, pure and more beneficial future for mobility. they first introduced the electric hybrid polestar 1 in 2017 and then the all-electric polestar 2 at the geneva motor show 2019 – a signal for what to expect from all their models in the future. from electrification to design and even user and consumer experience, they think differently to the traditional conventions of automobile manufacturers not just to standout, but also in order to better the world one journey at a time. this uncompromising dedication to design has led to polestar showcasing at Milan design week 2019.

SALONE DEL MOBILE

What: salone del mobile

When: April 9-14, 9:30AM – 6:30PM

Where: Milan fairgrounds, rho (Milan)

Salone del mobile.Milano will bring more than 2000 exhibitors occupying over 10,000 square meters, showcasing the best the world of furnishing accessories has to offer in terms of typology – accessories, objects, ornaments and decorations, fabrics – and style – from classical to design. the over 300,000 visitors who flock to it each year will find the exhibition packed with everything that helps to bring character and originality to the domestic spaces.

TORTONA DESIGN WEEK

What: tortona design week

When: April 8-14

Where: tortona district, Milan

Tortona design week 2019 promises to be an edition fueled by a mix of big names and new proposals, product and service innovation, technology and tradition. this network of exhibitors, events, locations and activities has always embodied the broadest sense of Milan design week. always full of surprises and content, tortona design week 2019 is a magnifying glass focusing on contemporary life and the spirit of the times. the event is a reflection of reality, a narrative tool that offers the public an unprecedented perspective and interpretation of modem life. through their projects, companies and designers offer ideas for interpreting new needs and understanding the direction taken by today’s trends in designing experiences, products and services. experiments, products and synergies will be presented in a series of events combining an international dimension and the local realities of this vibrant urban area of the city.

COS X ARTHUR MAMOU-MANI INSTALLATION

What: ‘conifera’ installation by arthur mamou-mani and COS

When: April 9, 10AM-8PM / April 10+11, 10AM-5PM / April 12+14, 10AM-8PM

Where: palazzo isimbardi, corso monforte, 35

London-based fashion brand COS has tapped arthur mamou-mani to collaborate on its next installation, to be presented during Milan design week 2019. the french architect follows the likes of phillip k smith III, studio swine, sou fujimoto, and snarkitecture. mamou-mani is set to create a digitally fabricated pavilion that will guide visitors through the courtyard and into the surrounding gardens of palazzo isimbardi, the 16th-century palace that hosted phillip k smith III’s atmospheric open sky sculpture last year. together with COS, he hopes to combine architecture with the natural world, showcasing the capabilities of digital fabrication and renewable materials.

ANTONIO ARICÒ PRESENTS ‘LE RADICI E LE ALI’

What: antonio aricò premieres ‘le radici e le ali’ documentary

When: April 8, 7PM

Where: arci bellezza, via giovanni bellezza, 16/A

Italian designer antonio aricò presents a poetic documentary that tells his fascinating story of art, craft, and collaboration. ‘le radici e le ali’ — meaning ‘roots and wings’ — focuses on the theme of identity that runs throughout many of his successful projects. the film was born out of a desire to capture and share the rich experience of collaboration between aricò and his grandfather. beginning with this personal story, the compelling documentary shifts from artisanal craft to contemporary industrial design.

TOMÁS SARACENO X BULGARI

What: tomás saraceno x bulgari

When: April 9 -14 — on the 9th there will be an arachno-concert at 7pm with musician silvia bolognesi

Where: planetario ulrico hoepli, corso venezia, 57

Bulgari has invited tomás saraceno to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the B.zero1 ring with an installation that will create a dialogue with the ulrico hoepli planetarium in Milan. next to it, at the indro montanelli park, a bulgari project linked to the evolution of the ring over the course of twenty years will be set up.

XXII TRIENNALE DI MILANO

What: the thematic exhibition curated by paola antonelli

When: now through september 1, 2019

Where: triennale Milano, viale alemagna 6

The XXII triennale di Milano unveils the thematic exhibition curated by paola antonelli entitled ‘broken nature: design takes on human survival.’ opening on friday march 1st until september 1st 2019, the installation explores the threads connecting humans to the natural environment that have been put in jeopardy over past years. by casting a wide net on architecture and design projects, the exhibition aims to underline the concept of restorative design by highlighting objects and concepts that reconsider our relationship with our environments – including both natural and social ecosystems. visitors will also be able to experience: an online platform for dynamic discourse and to unveil the curatorial process; public programming and symposia; a catalog with essays from scientists, scholars, designers, and critics, as well as a section devoted to the national participations.

HEAVY SOUVENIRS EXHIBITION

What: the presentation of the 2019 pretziada collection

When: April 9 –-14, 2019 @ 10:00 – 18:00

Where: lucio vanotti haus | via dei valtorta, 9

Pretziada presents ‘heavy souvenirs’, which refers to the idea of the object as representative of a place, an experience, a moment in time. as we get ever more used to trinkets, these objects become smaller, more commonplace – easy to purchase and easy to forget. we want our souvenirs to be heavy – in importance, in heritage, in meaning. the show will be held at lucio vanotti haus, the new, multifunctional exhibition space of the fashion brand lucio vanotti, located in a restored factory dating back to 1938 in the northern area of Milan. this show, in the occasion of the salone del mobile 2019, will be the first in a series of events dedicated to the arts to be hosted by the space.

HUMAN CODE

What: HUMAN CODE by roberto sironi, curated by annalisa rosso produced by 5VIE

When: April 6 – 14

Where: SIAM, via santa marta 18

Roberto sironi’s solo show HUMAN CODE, presented in the underground spaces of SIAM, is the culmination of a reflection that has characterized the inquiry of the Milanese designer from the outset. an autobiographical project that brings together anthropology, technology, data analysis, and experimentation with processes and materials, as well as memories of illuminating encounters and journeys of exploration. set in a parallel dimension with respect to the city streets, the exhibition traces the most important stages of human evolution. a series of pieces, exhibited here for the first time, fuse fragments of the past and present into a single human code, in a dense sedimentation that spans 300,000 years.

Sironi’s work seems to suggest that the anthropocene – the current geological age connoted by the impact of humankind on the planet, whose symbolic date is 16 july 1945 – actually begins with the earliest appearance of human beings, who have always had an antithetical relationship with nature. in the cellars of the SIAM building adjacent to the roman ruins on which the city of Milan is built, the designer projects his gaze thousands of years forward. through this space-time passage, familiar objects of the present become mysterious and powerful archaeological artifacts, re-emerging in a distant future where the artificial and natural components are stratified together in an indissoluble way. a powerful suggestion that leads the viewer to question the condition of human existence.

CARPENTERS WORKSHOP GALLERY X VINCENZO DE COTIIS

What: de cotiis x carpenters workshop gallery

When: April 8 – July 20, 11AM – 6PM

Where: vincenzo de cotiis gallery, via carlo de cristoforis, 14

During Milan design week 2019, vincenzo de cotiis’ gallery will display pieces by carpenters workshop gallery designers. the exhibition, which will remain on view until july 20, will feature de cotiis’ own pieces in dialogue with works by maarten baas, wendell castle, rick owens and many more.

ANTON ALVAREZ, L’ULTIMA CERA / 5VIE

What: anton alvarez — l’ultima cera

When: April 7-13, 11AM to 7PM

Where: church san bernardino alle monache, via lanzone, 13

Anton alvarez explores a new material he never worked with before, bronze, in a unique and innovative manner. commissioned by curator nicolas bellavance-lecompte for fonderia artistica battaglia as part of their new residency program, alvarez adapts his self-built machine called the extruder. a large metal cylinder hanging with chains from the ceiling, the extruder uses an electric motor to exert more than six thousand pounds of pressure on wax, pushing it through different moulds and shapes. the wax is then flowing into a large cold swimming pool and into the hands of the artist who guides the extrusion and adjusts its final shape.

THE FISH AND THE CROWD

What: the fish and the crowd exhibition

When: April 7-14, 11AM-8PM

Where: oratorio della passione, piazza sant’ambrogio, 23A

Curated by maria cristina didero, ‘the fish and the crowd’ is the first solo exhibition by carlo massoud in italy and brings together a number of objects realized since the designer started his studio in beirut in 2013 until today, combined with a new production realized for the occasion. for Milan design week 2019, massoud has reimagined the oratorio della passione through a new collaboration with his sister mary-lynn. for ‘the fish and the crowd’ carlo and mary-lynn massoud quote the classical icons of christianity and its liturgies to involve the viewers in an intense and ironical reflection suspended between the physicality of the objects and the spiritual tension of the context.

IBRAHIM MAHAMA / FONDAZIONE NICOLA TRUSSARDI

What: ‘a friend’ installation by ibrahim mahama

When: April 2–14 (installation open 24 hours)

Where: caselli daziari, porta venezia – piazza guglielmo oberdan

From tuesday, April 2, to sunday, April 14, 2019, fondazione nicola trussardi presents ‘a friend’, a monumental installation specially conceived for the two neoclassical tollgates of porta venezia by the ghanaian artist ibrahim mahama (b. 1987, tamale, ghana), curated by massimiliano gioni. the site-specific installation is presented on the occasion of the Milanese art week, and during the Milan design week – salone del mobile.

LIZZIE FITCH AND RYAN TRECARTIN @ FONDAZIONE PRADA

What: lizzie fitch | ryan trecartin: ‘whether line’ multimedia installation

When: April 6 – August 5 — Mon/Wed/Thu, 10AM-7PM, Fri/Sat/Sun, 10AM-8PM, closed on Tuesdays

Where: fondazione prada, largo isarco, 2

Commissioned by fondazione prada for its Milan venue, ‘whether line’, the large-scale multimedia installation, conceived by lizzie fitch and ryan trecartin represents the first output of a creative process begun in late 2016, investigating the perpetual promise of ‘new’ terrain and the inherent instability of territorial appropriation. taking the idealized rurality endemic to back-to-the-land ideologies as a conceptual starting point, the project represents both a return and an escape. the opening of the installation coincides with the start of Milan design week.

TADAO ANDO – THE CHALLENGE

What: tadao ando exhibition at armani/silos

When: April 9 – July 28, Wednesday – Sunday 11AM-7PM

Where: armani/silos, via bergognone, 40

‘The challenge’ is the first exhibition at armani/silos dedicated to architecture. the narrative joumey showcases the career of tadao ando through his most significant works, a retrospective that comprises over 50 projects and is structured around four major themes: primitive shapes of space, an urban challenge landscape genesis, and dialogues with history. the project, specially adapted for armani/silos, was designed by tadao ando in collaboration with centre pompidou.

EMERGENCY @ SALONE DEL MOBILE

What: renzo piano presents design for the emergency children’s surgery center

When: April 9-14, 9:30AM – 6:30PM

Where: reception of pavilion 9-11, Milan fairgrounds, rho

EMERGENCY is an independent and neutral Italian organization founded in 1994 to provide free and high-quality medical and surgical care to victims of wars, anti-personnel mines and poverty. during the 2019 edition of salone del mobile, the organization will present its children’s surgery center, currently under construction in uganda. designed by renzo piano building workshop, the hospital will offer free treatments and will be a reference center for ugandan patients and for children with surgical needs from all over africa.

Edited by Emeiju Echo