Salone Del Mobile for me, this time around was all about Form…Function and Emotion
Salone Del Mobile 2022, Photo Courtesy: Alessandro Russotti
There is something about sunsets on a Sunday, I find myself staring at an abyss of emotions. 5th June 2022 was one such Sunday. Waiting at the Mumbai International Airport for my Emirates flight to Dubai and to Malpensa thereafter, I was a sole witness to the numerous thoughts that were colliding with each other in my head.
A flight stationed at the Mumbai Airport
A part of me was feeling like an escapist trying to move away from reality. The sane self knew this was not the case. It found solace in the fact that rationality at times, is all about surviving with contradictory ideas in your head.
Stepping out of the Malpensa Airport
Almost 14 hours later as I stepped out of Malpensa Airport, I found myself re-embracing the aura of sensitivity and creativity; one which turns Milan into the design capital of the world with Salone Del Mobile at its center.
The arrival of Salone could be seen in billboards, buses, trams and trains
The arrival of Salone could be seen in billboards, buses, trams and trains. If Supersalone in 2021 was akin to a pilot episode in the backdrop of the pandemic, Salone 2022 was a clear indication of a blockbuster waiting to unveil itself. Having landed up in Milan two days before Salone actually began, there was much to do. In this much-to-do list was also a visit to the Palazzo Reale to experience La Scatola Magica (The Magic Box), the very next day.
La Scatola Magica (The Magic Box), Photo Courtesy: Alessandro Russotti
The Magic Box was designed to communicate the founding values of Salone del Mobile. Eleven institutional values that have always made up its DNA were communicated using eleven masterpieces by eleven leading Italian filmmakers. Each filmmaker put their own personal spin on a word from the Manifesto, turning it into a film d’auteur. As the Magic Box unveiled and the keywords (read values) started appearing on the screen, Emotion and System were the two keywords which my mind chose to focus on for reasons best known to me. Minutes later, I sought the sanctuary of a bar overlooking the Duomo Cathedral. It was time to make some notes, revisit the Rho Fierra plan I had made for the two forthcoming days, and forget the difficult questions which kept popping up.
The view from the balcony of Hotel Hilton Milan
Hours later, I was back in Hotel Hilton Milan watching the sunset (and in Milan it happens pretty late by Indian standards). As the day turned into night and my thoughts made every attempt to overwhelm me, two stars kept shining in the empty sky as if trying to communicate. The usual cacophony from the adjoining buildings of the busy street below had died down; it was time to retire for the day. Next day was going to be busy.
The special meeting for media professionals with Salone the next day began on a sober note. It steered towards the collective ability of the stakeholders of Salone, the architecture and design community as well as the media to come together and celebrate good design after a Covid-19 induced hiatus.
Maria Porro, President, Salone Del Mobile, Photo Courtesy: Alessandro Russotti
Maria Porro, President, Salone Del Mobile who graced the occasion along with Marva Griffin, Founder of Salone Satellite, said:
“At Salone we introduce the global audience to a plethora of products which will define his/her home. For the last two years, a digital revolution has defined our lives, much of the work was executed on Zoom calls. Today as we emerge from the WFH scenario, objects that bring people together like a table or a beautiful chair we sit on are helping us feel confident in gathering together again. The furniture per se is not just an object, it has its own story to narrate. Likewise, all the companies who participate in Salone invest and come together to narrate and communicate these finer aspects of craftsmanship. In business terms, it may well be referred to as value addition. Coming back to Salone the fair, I like to believe it’s not a fair, it’s more than an event, it’s a shared culture. A community which shares the culture of beauty and good design, and I think that’s really important at this moment.”
The last two years deliberated upon the interaction we as species have with nature and its intrinsic relationship with design. It made us wonder, going forward what can and cannot be done. Salone 2022 too was looking for answers which reflected in the design activities, installations, seminars, and the carefully selected themes of the event.
Design with Nature by Mario Cucinella, Photo Courtesy: Ludovica Mangini
Design with Nature by Mario Cucinella, which was Salone’s central installation, was an attempt to showcase how we can find a different way of building and creating products in conjunction with nature, without continuing to consume raw materials, but by triggering virtuous ecological behaviours. By working with nature, how we can rebuild a new, fundamental, and vital friendship with it.
Designing for our future selves sustainability
Salone’s attempt to bring humankind closer to nature was also reflected in the 23rd edition of SaloneSatellite which occupied three pavilions. SaloneSatellite centered around “Designing for our future selves sustainability”. The event witnessed the participation of 600 promising young design talents from 48 different countries, five of which – Cyprus, Congo, Cuba, Nigeria, and Qatar – were SaloneSatellite ‘new entries’. One of these new entries, Nigeria, made a mark at the SaloneSatellite Awards 2022.
SaloneSatellite Winners with Marva Griffin, Founder of Salone Satellite, Photo Courtesy: Ludovica Mangini
Nigerian designer Lani Adeoye won the first prize for RemX, a refined prototype walker. The second prize was awarded to Studio Gilles Werbrouck (from the Belgium is Design collective), for the project Lamp designed using VHS tapes. Serbian designer Djurdja Garčević (from Young Balkan Designers) won the third prize with her project Meenghe, which recycled tire shavings to create a family of ergonomic urban furniture pieces. SaloneSatellite has always held my attention for the sheer freshness of ideas it brings into play. After interacting with some interesting young designers which included two Indian designers, Sashi Malik and Farzin Adenwala, I was ready to move on to check out the next pavilion.
Oasi by Stefano Boeri for Aran Cucine, Photo Courtesy: Diego Ravier
The nature element was visible in the kitchens too, in EuroCucina 2022. Oasi by Stefano Boeri for Aran Cucine attempted to define the idea of man-tree coexistence through a domestic furnishing item. Presented in the new wall-mounted version, Oasi defines a simple single dining table-cooking block that houses all the essential elements of a traditional kitchen. A fundamental characteristic of this kitchen is the opportunity to grow trees or plants, ornamental or aromatic, mnemonic and symbolic presences that are also functional, around which members can gather and grow like a family.
Elica LHOV, conceived and designed by Fabrizio Crisà
Unlike EuroCucina FTK – Technology For the Kitchen focused on smart, efficient, and functional solutions designed to optimize the cooking experience whilst responding to the demands for multifunctionality, integration, and looks. LHOV, conceived and designed by Fabrizio Crisà, a new category of electrical appliances by Elica which integrates hob, hood, and oven, and Signature Kitchen Suite which epitomized flexibility in terms of space and versatility of use, were some of the key products to watch out for. Kitchens and appliances reminded me of the special lunch arranged by organizers of Salone. Besides, I was hungry too, so off I went to the cafeteria. Apart from the good food, this was also a chance to interact with fellow media personalities from India and around the world and meet old friends.
Kartell at Salone Del Mobile 2022
After a hearty meal, it was time to get back to the fair. The stalls at Salone are always a highlight, so is the presentation. There were quite a few across different pavilions which were truly awesome. The ones which remain etched in my mind are Kartell and Zanotta. As the attendees made their way into the Kartell stall, an exposition of its best products and crisp write-ups vied for attention. Inside the stall, the products were segregated on different podiums.
The Zanotta Stall at Salone Del Mobile 2022
Besides the Kartell stall stood Zanotta which sported a total checkered look. Inside the stall, the product presentation was a clever amalgamation of the real and the virtual, as if trying to denote the transition we are going through from online to offline.
LaCividina at Workplace 3.0, Photo Courtesy: Diego Ravier
The exhibits of Workspace 3.0 denoted a similar attitude — a real-time attitude wherein workspaces have become a hybrid element. As an impact of the pandemic, homes became an extension of office spaces, and as normalcy resumes, in-office spaces, the comfort of home is being desired. This was one of the key challenges different companies in Workplace 3.0 tried to address.
Zucchetti at International Bathroom Exhibition 2022, Photo Courtesy: Luca Fiammenghi
In Pavilions 22–24, brands like Maison Valentina, Antonio Lupi, Dornbracht, Kohler, Devon & Devon, and Victoria & Albert Baths made a mark. Spread across 17,140 m² with 186 exhibitors, the International Bathroom Exhibition 2022 was a concoction of the very best of international production — right from furniture and accessories to shower cubicles, sanitaryware to radiators, and taps and fittings to bathtubs. Delicate shades continued to be in vogue this edition, along with white and new colours like Jaipur Red and Curry Yellow, biscuit and terracotta. Material-wise, new ceramic and synthetic materials reigned supreme, along with polychrome marble and wood, and customisation turned out to be the key winning strategy for all bathroom companies.
Arrivederci 18 al 23 aprile 2023, Photo Courtesy: Andrea Mariani
By the time I stepped out of Pavilion 22–24, visitors were heading back to Rho Fieramilano. I too started heading towards the exit gates leading to the subway. At the exit, my eyes fell on the posters which announced Arrivederci 18 al 23 aprile 2023 (See You 18th to 23rd April 2023). A promise was made that the eclectic tale of architecture and design will continue next year from 18th to 23rd April 2023 at Rho Fiera Milano.
Duomo di Milano
Minutes later, I was looking for some divine intervention. Staring at the Duomo, I was reflecting on the difficult questions which had been bothering me and trying to seek answers for the same. My gaze turned to two shining stars in the sky just like the ones I had seen earlier. Many people across the world have a tendency to believe that when your loved ones pass away they turn into stars and keep a watch on you from time to time. At that moment I wanted to believe that. I also wanted to console myself and reassert the fact that it was not ‘escapism’ but my love for architecture and design which brought me to Salone in Milan.
Palazzo Reale
Every time I came to Milan, I ensured I called my mom and gave her a glimpse of the city via a video call, but this year it was not possible. Her journey into the afterlife had begun on the 12th of March 2022 and like we say in India, after death, the soul is reborn. But the mortal in me continues to miss the mortal in which her soul was enveloped in. It was for this very reason Emotion and System were the two keywords my mind chose to ponder on at Palazzo Reale while watching The Magic Box, for these were also the keywords which mattered in this relationship — keywords which kept my life in order. As I looked towards the Duomo di Milano yet again, I wondered if my life would be the same again. Apart from my mom, I was missing the love and reconciliation which I so desired. Love and reconciliation which will allow me to be the architect of my own happiness and design a life inundated with pleasure, contentment and satisfaction… Tathastu! (So be it)
Text By: Vikas Bhadra
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