Wrapping up our coverage on the Milan Design Week 2013, we’ve taken a look at some of the innovative and new ideas which graced the various exhibition spaces of FuoriSalone. The special event has been running parallel to the Salone Internazionale del Mobile since 1990 and each year sees hundreds of independent designers and architects inhabit local shops, buildings and public spaces in and around central Milan. By showcasing an array of creative designs, FuoriSalone hopes to launch the careers of young designers from around the world, while at the same time giving the public a limited time access to view; experience and in some cases purchase from the collection.
The Hybrid Architecture & Design exhibition was a highlight during FuoriSalone, occupying the halls and exterior landscapes of the University of Milan. The special event gave several internationally-acclaimed architects the challenge to come up with a project that represented their interpretation of a hybrid structure. The event offered a key talking point that challenges our perspective of everyday architecture and offered suggestions of how we can adapt sustainable ideas into plausible buildings in the future.
As part of the Hybrid event, French designer Christophe Pillet presented an installation structure built entirely in wood. Dubbed “House of Senses,” the open structure boasted a lush green roof and three walls which featured floor-to-ceiling video projections. The floor and ceiling were made with a special reflecting material that increased the impressionistic effect of the space, merging both nature and technology to “investigate the world of the senses."
Architectural firm Archizero created an open pavilion structure named “SenSai.”. The pavilion was made with iron piping and a weaving wall of lamella wood. It hovered over four masses of solid marble blocks which incorporated a barbecue system, a sink, a table and a pool which was created from a single block of Calacatta marble.
Meanwhile, Italian architect Simone Micheli presented “Moduloibrido,” a prefabricated unit featuring four distinct spaces as part of a high-tech expandable housing module. The modular units were built using recyclable waterproof plastic materials with a glossy lacquer finish. Contrasting from the stark white plastic walls, the unit also featured a central sauna unit made from hemlock wood. The sauna incorporated an advanced climate control system with aerothermal and geothermal heat pumps.
Featured at the Via Tortona quarter of Milan, the Singapore Furniture Industries Council (SFIC) unveiled a fresh furniture range entitled Singapore Lah! For the first time, the SFIC presented a collective of the island's young award-winning designers along with their collections, which included lighting, sitting, tables and tableware, cabinets, advanced shelving systems, modular outdoor furniture and unusual pet furniture. As a world premiere, the event showcased more than 60 pieces of furniture, all made in Singapore from design studios Acidstudio, Creativeans, Desinere, Jarrod Lim Design, Kelvin Teo, NextOfkin Creatives, and Studiorigins.
Just down the road, the “Tuttobene” exhibit showcased a range of innovative ideas from the Netherlands. The program presented 27 new design talents for the 10th time in Milan, with works that were characterized by an ecological, social or economic vision on design. The event included the Vouwwow foldable lounge which boasted an innovative use of recycled materials and efficient use of storage and transportation. Designed by Dutch Studio Nuy van Noort, the foldable chair was made from six separate pieces of plywood covered in PET-felt, which is produced from recycled plastic bottles.
Additionally, Dutch design studios Bomm and Sit & Heat collaborated to create a wooden structure that facilitates comfortable outdoor dining. Dubbed "Field Kitchen Sit & Heat" the unit can be set-up in almost any outdoor location and features "low-consumption" heat cushions to keep your toosh warm while you dine.
Overall the FuoriSalone events were buzzing with life and uniquely rich with new ways of presenting furniture and household accessories. And although it was physically impossible to visit each event, we have put together an extensive photo gallery of some of what we thought were the best designs during this year’s FuoriSalone, Milan Design Week.
All images: Edoardo Campanale/Gizmag