It’s not just you; this year’s edition of Milan Design Week is bigger and better than ever. At the center of it all is Salone Del Mobile, which draws an international crowd of professionals, industry experts, and insiders out to the Rho fairgrounds. While there’s no shortage of must-see goings-on around town, ticket holders have access to some of the most highly anticipated installations, talks, and exhibitions from the convenience of Rho.
“Our intention was very specific, says Salone del Mobile president Maria Porro. “Quality and cultural value have been in the Salone DNA since its beginnings in 1961. We aspired to showcase them more than ever. Our goal is for visitors to live an enriching experience at the Salone thanks to the commitment of more than 1,950 partners.” This year’s biggest headliners include former Surface cover stars Hans Ulrich Obrist and David Lynch, as well as venerable movers and shakers in the culture sphere like Formafantasma, Triennale Milano, and the Design Museum.
Much ado has been made of “Interiors by David Lynch. A Thinking Room.” The Lynch-designed rooms in Pavillions 5 and 7 foster convening with oneself sprung up from a cold call placed by curator Antonio Monda with special help from Lombardini22 and Piccolo Teatro di Milano. Expect a high dose of visual drama in the filmmaker and designer’s usual avenues of color and texture. While not technically on-site at Rho, a new Triennale Milano exhibition celebrates the 25th anniversary of Salone Satellite and legacy of supporting young designers for a quarter century.
Meanwhile, the Milanese design studio and repeat Salone del Mobile collaborator Formafantasma returns to this year’s edition as the designer of the Drafting the Futures Arena and the Corraini Mobile Bookshop. The former will host a slate of talks between industry luminaries, among them Studio Gang’s Jeanne Gang and the Design Museum’s chief curator Johanna Agerman Ross (Apr. 19, 11:00 AM) and also former Surface cover star and Serpentine Gallery artistic director Hans Ulrich Obrist and Salone del Mobile President Maria Porros (Apr. 20, 11:00 AM). And finally, before packing bags and catching a transatlantic flight from Milan Linate, book fiends should be sure to flock to pick up a souvenir or few from the 110 titles at the Corraini Mobile Bookshop.
