iSaloni and Milan Design Week 2015—Hidden Treasures and Disappointments

An important event such as Milan’s design week and furniture fair deserves a closer peek. We decided to offer you a special treat in our LIVE iSaloni issue—a photo report of the goings-on. People and products abound at the fair! And there are multiple exhibitions to discover around the city. After spending the morning with designers such as Luca Nichetto, Borja Garcia and young Arturo Erbsman, the excitement mounted in anticipation of a promising afternoon.

Tuesday’s afternoon began at RHO fairgrounds with a guided tour of the Vitra Home Collection featuring Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec’s Belleville.

Belleville’s a great piece and we were able to get Ronan to pose. The French duo charm by simply smiling. Follow along to find out how our run around Milan went from blissful to swollen feet, as we searched for a happy ending, one that never came. Well, let’s not be melodramatic. We did uncover a few hidden treasures that made our struggles worthwhile, ones you’ll surely appreciate.

Ronan Bouroullec and Belleville chairs at Vitra Home Collection. Photo by Vincent Brachet for ArchiExpo e-Magazine.

VITRA HOME COLLECTION

On the way to Vitra’s stand for a quick tour, the description of the space in the press release came to mind. We were expecting a “creative yet pragmatic space that combines contrasting materials and patterns.” Honestly, the same words weave through press releases and articles on many subjects, so we’re more often skeptical than not. But arriving chez Vitra, the variety of materials and colors was evident.

They presented new products from Barber & Osgerby, Hella Jongerius and Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec. We’ll add images in the photo slider below so you can see the different products in the Belleville collection by the Bouroullec brothers.

THE WALK BY MICHELE DE LUCCHI

You’ve heard about The Walk, this year’s workspace-based installation conceived by Italian architect Michele De Lucchi. We’d been waiting to see the result of this “metaphor for the importance of never standing still” because “The art of walking is a visual art that gives us the ability to see the world in a different way.” (from The Walk press release on Wu Ming2). This mostly because we’d been running literally all day, but also because we were curious about his concept of four themed areas (The Club, Free Men, Agora and Laboratory).

The Laboratory’s the place to be and to check out. Rooms are set up as work areas and people are in constant movement. Those in the know are guiding the less experienced, teaching them techniques with specific tools and materials. On the other end, we saw MADEinlab working on 3D printed objects. They talked to us about their continued research to improve such products, to make them more user-friendly and physically appealing.

The Laboratory at The Walk. Photo by Vincent Brachet for ArchiExpo e-Magazine.

A path looped around and above the four themed spaces. We first wandered the main floor to observe and analyze. Our perspective changed, however, once we were on The Walk. From up high, we were able to view the different aspects of the installation in an enlightening way, all while listening to birds chirping. Marcello Chiarenza’s art installation, for example, appeared odd from the side, but from above we were able to see beyond the round red circles held in the center of a frame by four elastic cords. The frame was actually holding a desk in place in the air. One leg of a chair was connected to the frame, allowing the rest of the chair to float. Not only does this tie in with the concept of freedom in the workspace, but it perfectly echoed Wu Ming2’s point. We definitely saw things in a different way while walking.

DESIGNJUNCTION DISAPPOINTS VISITORS

Tom Dixon at The Cinema for designjuntion

We left the fair and headed into town, direction—designjunction. The buildup of the new venue spun around the media as soon as the press release was sent out. We expected the old brick structure to be used in a way to amplify its historical importance, but we were quite disappointed.

Tom Dixon at The Cinema for designjuntion

The feeling of emptiness in a space that was hyped as incredible, and perhaps could have been, left us muddled, since designjunction is known for its amazing presentations. Was this it? We shared looks of confusion. Hopes for something livelier and more heart-warming soon came crashing down.

However, we did come away with more than a few products to show you. Tom Dixon gave a talk at his very personal exhibition, The Cinema. The old theater was completely filled with his lighting, seating and accessory products, and the atmosphere had a very cinematic feel. This is one of the few opportunities for visitors to buy a designer’s products. We’ll be publishing a piece on his talk in the next few days, so keep an eye out.

FINDING THE HIDDEN JEWELS

Disappointment from designjunction took away our joy of running the streets of Milan. However, our goal was to bring you something exceptional. We decided to have a look at the Creative Platform for young Japanese designers.

The press release showed very promising products and identifying up-and-coming designers would mean we have the eye of the tiger. We hopped subway lines to get from S. Babila to Lambrate and searched high and low for via Ventura 14, a process of 40 minutes in the same neighborhood. One wrong turn led to another, fatigue adding to our frustration. Our painful struggling seemed to have no end. All we could do was laugh.

Long story short, the Creative Platform was not for young JAPANESE designers, but for all. The Japanese designers only had a minuscule corner in an already small space. The objects were not appealing enough for a long stay. We kindly ask PR agents to consider how they word press releases. It’s not enough to get us there, we need to want to stay.

Yet, what we found in the area was pleasant. Crowdy House, the crowdfunding platform for designers, showcased a selection of their most popular products. Each object has a story behind it, one worth knowing. Another exhibition across the courtyard had products from Studio Jeroen Wand and two others. We’re posting images below to give you a brief visual and will provide an in-depth piece later on.

Once we left our surprise findings, we wondered where this year’s crowds were hiding. Fair attendance is decent, but not that high. And designjunction was empty on every level. We turned the corner to head back to the subway and spotted a huge bright red sign reading EAT SHIT. Milan ambiance 2015…we’re going to leave it at that.