Once again this year, Tortona Design Week asserts itself as one of the foremost stages on the global design scene. From April 15 to 21, the streets of this iconic district transform into a vibrant “Walk of Design,” featuring exhibitions, installations, and workshops with the participation of internationally acclaimed designers. From via Tortona to via Novi, and from via Savona to the spaces of Antica Fabbrica 14, locations steeped in the history of post-industrial Milan become the backdrop for unique and immersive experiences. Through the collaboration between businesses and the local community, design is seamlessly woven into the fabric of the city's rich history and tradition, inspiring industry professionals and visitors alike.
Superstudio, through its Superdesign Show, ventures beyond with its concept of “Thinking Different - everything, everywhere, everyone.” This annual event welcomes those who are not afraid to dare, to think outside the box. The initial idea is daring: any product can undergo reinvention differently. Here, the focus is on crafting fresh solutions where aesthetics and sophistication blend with originality, merging technology and embracing contemporary themes like sustainability and inclusivity. The event will see the participation of 11 nations, the involvement of 3 continents, the participation of over 80 companies, and the presentation of almost 40 cutting-edge projects. Giulio Cappellini, art director of the event, also expresses these concepts through the setup, with the choice of a new color for the walls of the Superdesign Show: an unusual bright green that speaks of nature, peace, and serenity.
Exhibitions and projects from Asia play an increasingly important role including Tokyo Creative Salon aims to establish the city as the global epicenter of creativity, and Slow Hand Design Thailand by Ditp offers the public a fascinating insight into Thai culture. The journey to discover this continent continues up to China with the proposal of the furnishing elements by Grado Design. Making full use of traditional techniques and those acquired through research, many Japanese companies bring the fruit of this evolution to the Superdesign Show, such as Kawashima Selkon Textiles with its 100 types of black derived from the kimono industry of Nishijin, Kyoto. The Superdesign Show also showcases advanced technologies, such as those offered by Forum8 software, which allows everyone to design innovatively and creatively.
Sustainability and technology are key themes again this year, with companies such as meliordesign and the Vietnam Pavilion presenting eco-friendly and anti-waste solutions, while Lexus, with two surprising installations, focuses on electric mobility. Habits Design presents a near future in which technology has acquired emotional and sensitive intelligence, while Pixom combines sustainable materials, generative design, artificial intelligence, and 3D printing with robotics. Among the projects focused on upcycling, eco-materials, and circular economy The Good Plastic Company (for the info point and the installation they created with StudioXag), NichelcromLab (with a site-specific installation by the sculptor Michele D'Agostino), and Materially. The latter presents Materially Now, a plural format that physically and symbolically places at the center the in-depth analysis of materials that define the present and mark the path of the future according to three major orientations.
Jönköping University and Istituto Marangoni Milano's students present some projects that combine innovation and creativity, reinterpreting the classical design through a contemporary approach.
As always, at the Superdesign Show art dialogues with design. Ten Czech artists bring to life the exciting installation of glass objects Designblok Cosmos presented by the Prague Designblok festival. The graphic artist Daniele Cima with his “Why not?”, 42 different graphic versions translated into all the languages of the world, challenge the public to dare the impossible.
The theme of accessible design is interpreted thanks to the project Nook by designer Mara Bragagnolo, where innovative furnishings are designed to facilitate autistic children to express themselves freely without encountering obstacles.
