In-person events are slowly making a comeback this year. The Salone del Mobile in Milan, which will take place from 5-10 September under the new name of Supersalone, is one of the most anticipated events of the year. It’s one of Connections By Finsa’s favourites and we’ve been covering it since we first launched this page in 2017. You’ll find a list of our previous articles about previous editions of this event at the end of this post.
This year, the Supersalone is a sign of the times, with a smaller and more minimalist format. However, it continues to shine a light on international trends. Read on to learn more about our four must-sees at Supersalone 2021 and Milan Design Week:
Supersalone 2021: home is where the heart is
The current trend is pretty clear: interest in products made for our homes has increased significantly in the wake of the pandemic. Stefan Boeri, the fair’s curator, told Dezeen that “Supersalone is looking to provide solutions to people’s concerns, with everything from ideas on a commercial aspect to reducing prices”.
This year, instead of stands, there will be a single, open-plan space in the pavilion. “It will be a linear experience along a vertical wall designed by Andrea Caputo where you will be able to see all the brands taking part in the fair this year,” Boeri says.
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Fuorisalone: design hits the suburbs
Big brands will have their own showrooms in Milan, where they will greet clients and celebrate smaller events. Though there aren’t quite as many events this year, here are five of our recommendations that can be found in different areas of Milan:
- Brera: dOT-design Outdoor Taste. Which materials can be used in the architecture and design of outdoor spaces? Make sure you catch the debut of Thermopine Savia from 7-9 September, a thermo-treated timber ideal for demanding outdoor applications.
- Brera: post-pandemic life in minihouses. The Village is a collection of miniature houses created by designers from all over the world, including John Pawson, Patricia Urquiola, and Kengo Kuma. Natural stone brand Salvatori wanted us to reflect on what home truly means following the many lockdowns of 2020.
Ver esta publicación en Instagram - Brera: conversations about the use of timber. On 5, 6, 8, and 9 September, journalist Giorgo Tarto will host a series of conversations with architects about the many applications of the new Gradpanel system, which features a recycled aluminium structure laid over thermo treated wood panels. It was designed in collaboration with Gradhermetic.
Ver esta publicación en Instagram - Tortona: the utopía of biodiversity. Yet another idea for outdoor design. In this neighbourhood you will find a new collection of furniture from Vestre, touted as “a utopia of immersive biodiversity”, with trees, plants, and flowers.
Ver esta publicación en Instagram - Via Durini, Corso Monforte and Corso Venezia: immerse yourself in the best Italian furniture showrooms. It never ceases to amaze us that a huge variety of Italian interior design can be found all over the city. These three districts are home to brands such as Cassina, Porro, Giorgetti, Flexform, and Artemide. Make sure you mark them on your map.
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Superstudio: in the wake of innovation
Superstudio is one of the most innovative events, and this year it will feature a brand new exhibition space called R/EVOLUTION, with two interactive pavilions and ideas related to current themes at the Superdesign Show.
- Cult & Must: outlining the last twenty years of Italian design in fashion, automobiles, interiors, and more, and how design in general has had an impact on every aspect of our lives.
- Donne & Design: a feminine perspective on how to solve the big challenges of modern life, with a focus on repairing and regeneration. It will feature projects led by women of every age and nationality.
- Materially: this edition is all about how to make the materials that we use in our daily lives more sustainable, from their production to their uses.
- Discovering: ideas from young designers that offer a true, unjaded view of our current reality.
- 1000 vases: Yes, this is an exhibition of 1000 vases. Creators from 35 different countries offer new perspectives on this everyday object.
- Outdoor generation: after months in lockdown, there’s been a huge increase in outdoor design, some examples of which are on display at Superstudio Più.
- Supercampus: A project that explores the spaces in which work, relax, and interact with others, and the stories that we tell with them.
A retrospective and three perspectives of design
If there’s one thing that stands out about Supersalone, it’s the use of different spaces across Milan to celebrate design, including La Triennale de Milano and the Museo Nazionale Scienza e Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci. This year, these two spaces will host four exhibitions that come highly recommended by Connections By Finsa:
- Retrospective (La Triennale de Milano): Mario Piazza has curated an exhibition dedicated to the history of the Salone del Mobile de Milano and how the city has helped promote design.
- 60 years of Enzo Mari (La Triennale de Milano): a look at the artistic contributions of iconic designer Enzo Mari, who passed away from covid last year, including an audioguide discussing his life and work.
- All things in Nature (La Triennale de Milano): Kenji Kawabata creations combine Japanese artisanry with the latest technology, featuring imaginary forests full of light and shade from which chairs, lamps, and tables emerge. This is the first time his work has been seen in Milan.
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- GUILTLESSPLASTIC (Museo Nazionale Scienza e Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci): “Plastic is not guilty. Abuse and misuse are the real problems.” Patron Rossana Orlandi has been promoting this exhibition since 2018, and is looking to raise awareness about reusing recycling of different materials.
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2017-2021: the best of Milan on Connections by Finsa
As we mentioned at the beginning of this post, the Salone del Mobile has featured on our website many times since Connections By Finsa began five years ago. Below is our own retrospective of the highlights from previous editions:
2017
2018
- The must-sees of Milan Design Week 2018.
- Gudy Herder’s must-sees.
- Our tour of Salone del Mobile 2018.
- Trends at the Salone del Mobile 2018.
2019:
- The must-sees at Salone del Mobile 2019.
- Trends at Salone del Mobile 2019.
- A chronicle of Milan Design Week 2019.
- The Astral Bodies Exhibition.
Will you be attending Supersalone’s 2021 comeback? Let us know your thoughts using #ConnectionsByFinsa on social media.
