salone del mobile milano 2017 - be the first to see the latest in design

be the first to see the latest in design at the salone del mobile milano, the 56^th edition of the world’s biggest and most important event on the design calendar. as the recognized place to showcase excellence and quality in the sector, the week-long occasion, running from the 4th to 9th april, 2017, displays the work of over 2,400 exhibitors and last year, welcomed more than 300,00 visitors from over 165 different countries. they, alongside over 5,000 worldwide journalists, are attracted to the event which hosts further exhibitions and countless product launches in milan’s rho fairgrounds, aiding the city in reconfirming its status as the global capital of design once again.

the 56th edition of the salone del mobile milano will run from 4th to 9th april
all images courtesy of salone del mobile.milano

during the 56th edition of the salone del mobile milano, the biennial themes of light and the workplace will take center stage. as part of this, the euroluce exhibition, returning for its 29th edition, continues to host the new frontiers of lighting spaces and be the global benchmark for the industry. set to display the work of 454 exhibitors, half of whom are from outside of italy, this year’s show focuses on technological innovations, as well as designs that reflect an architectural and design-led approach. a wide range of products will be on show, including lighting environments, systems and sources, as well as software and original new eco-sustainable materials. the trends surrounding these designs will explore the orientation towards enhancing well-being, quality of light, and facilitating diverse range of activities. integrated within these trends, the topical challenges of the industry – functionality and emotionality – are also explored and trialled to form a balance.

as well as euroluce, the biennial workplace3.0 – an exhibition dedicated to the rapid changes in the world of work – returns for its 18^th edition. with a focus on human factors and smart technology, it explores new ideas, ways of thinking, and solutions to the workplace of the future. as more than just an exhibition, workplace3.0 is the catalyst for stimulating advanced ideas that can cater for a quickly changing market and its needs. furniture and furnishings manufacturers will present permeable and dynamic environments for work sharing, nomadic professionals, and relaxation/leisure facilities. additionally, the exhibit will show a new approach to customisation, looking beyond how a room is personalization by whoever is in it, and exploring how spaces become bespoke depending on specific human and professional values and needs, such as environmental and economic sustainability.

studio O+A sketches of their installation for ‘a joyful sense at work’

as a special event of workplace3.0, ‘a joyful sense at work’ is a visualization of the evolving workplace of the future, and was curated by italian architect cristiana cutrona. it is set to reconfigure the theory and design of offices and work products with four installations, each representing the cultural characteristics of the architects’ area of provenance. primo orpilla and verda alexander/studio O+A will showcase an american response, arash ahmad/ahmadi studio will speculate the work environment of asia, ben van berkel/UNstudio and jeff povlo/SCAPE will conceive the european vision, and additionally, alfonso femia and gianluca peluffo/studio 5+1AA will create an italian outcome.

visitors will meander through the four visions of a workplace in the future

delightful explores everyday living spaces

as another special event at the fiera milano rho fairgrounds this year, ‘delightful’ is a visual and sensory exploration of everyday living and the contemporary space within which the new generation lives in. it investigates how they conceive the domestic space in terms of the intersection between technology and archetypal living, public and private, and basic needs and new desires. with four key concepts; design, lighting, future and living, the space is adorned with unusual one-off pieces curated by ciarmoli queda studio, a milan-based practice working in architecture, interior design, and visual art. furthermore, matteo garrone projects a short film d’auteur, which displays a different perspective of the world of design by moving through a tangible yet illusory reality.

the exhibition space has been created by milan-based practice ciarmoli queda studio

inside, the rooms are full of unusual one-pieces that are designed for contemporary living

delightful – design, light, future, living
video courtesy of isaloni

classic: tradition in the future builds upon the success of xlux

following the successful launch of the previous edition of xlux – a section devoted to timeless luxury reworked in a contemporary style – salone del mobile has recalibrated its format specifically for classic furniture and furnishing accessories. under the names of xlux and classic: tradition in the future, the former will feature 220 exhibitors whilst the latter houses over 270 vendors. the two events support a more consistent, balanced and fluid layout where a central promenade directs visitors towards an area dedicated to displaying the knowledge, craftsmanship and skills needed to create items like them. furthermore, the exhibition space will also feature the theatre and one of the rooms from the well-received before design: classic project of 2016’s fair, which will play a short film by multi-award winning director matteo garrone.

the salonesatellite will feature up to 650 designers, all of whom are under the age of 35

returning for its 20th edition, the annual salonesatellite exhibit showcases and unites the very best of new designers under the age of 35. located at the fiera milano rho and running concurrently with the main salone del mobile milano show, exhibitors will encompass the ‘design is…?’ theme, which, rather than asking for a response, promotes the exploration of new solutions in the aim of creating a better future. this could vary widely from the research behind advanced materials to interface design, and from service design to rapid prototyping.

the event is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2017

as part of this year’s celebratory edition, the exhibit will showcase special pieces from established international designers who all started their career in past issues of the salonesatellite. additionally, at the fabbrica del vapore in milan, a major exhibition by beppe finessi – an italian design critic – will further the birthday festivities. titled ‘SALONESATELLITE. 20 years of new creativity’, the curation will present an anthology of products from the show’s past that have now gone into production.

20 years of salonesatellite
video courtesy of isaloni

following the success of the first edition, which attracted over 8,000 professional visitors alone, the space&interiors event returns to the salone del mobile milano. entirely focused around architectural finishes, the mall porta nuova, in the heart of the brera design district, will be lavished with the best interior surfaces, floors, doors and finishes on offer. the show highlights the sectors growing attraction and attention for designers and architects. curated by migliore+servetto architects, the space guides visitors through a meandering path between three different yet seamlessly integrated areas. these include a more commercial trade display, a dynamic space focused on accommodating private business meetings, and an immersive area tailored to communicating the qualities of individual products.

additionally, migliore+servetto architects have created their own exhibit, ‘absolute lightness’, which presents how different manufacturers integrate the concept of weightlessness into their solutions. the stand communicates on three separate levels. firstly, long white tables, occupying the wide central promenade, encourages visitors to explore contents and products. on the intermediate floor, reflective surfaces expand the space and provide entirely new dimensions to products. finally, the upper level, continuing the theme of lightness, features dynamic projections that form a complex lighting system. this overhead structure emphasises the significance of transitions, highlighting the aisles between the tables below.