Milan Design Week 2019 is almost upon us and the Superdesign Show, one of the most interesting Fuorisalone events is already getting ready to roll. We met Gisella Borioli, founder of Superstudio Più, who gave us a sneak preview as to what to expect.
What is the Superdesign Show presenting this year that’s new?
As part of a completely renewed layout in the central pavilion, there is a “square” surrounded with the typical “arcades” that are found in numerous Italian cities along with a considerable number of Japanese brands, an important exhibition from Korea, a presentation from Indonesia and much more. Among the emerging countries this year we are looking at the Ukraine and its modernist movement which is a real surprise. Compared to other international participations, the Italian presence has been somewhat reduced but it still features a number of original proposals, most of all the eclectic and personalized Superhotel by Giulio Cappellini. There will be spectacular and experiential events such as Matteo Thun’s tower-kaleidoscope for 3M, the “mostra che non c’è” or “the exhibition that isn’t” with works by Flavio Lucchini and a new virtual reality application that makes it appear from nothing – as part of Superstudio – as well as large-scale imaginary but real sculptures, thanks to Sense – immaterial Reality technology.
What does the Innovation & Tradition theme include?
The intention is to dedicate a good deal of attention, in both choices and material presented, to the “human-tech” factor, in other words looking towards the future while taking the past into account in the form of enthusiasm for technology and respect for nature.
As with previous years, the top design brands are working alongside some of the leading designers on the international scene: can you tell us what we can expect?
What’s new this year is the fact that in order to give visibility to what they are offering and their technology that is increasingly advanced and focused on sustainability, the big brands have decided to focus on emotional and immersive installations with creative and technical contributions from famous international studios, which they have developed quite sensationally through digital and special effects that tell us about the future. These include the luminous itinerary from Lexus and Rhizomatiks, 3D environmental solutions by Dassault Systèmes and Morphosis and Finsa’s spacewalk with Enorme Studio and Vitamin-Arte.
What can we expect from Giulio Cappellini’s Superhotel?
Giulio Cappellini is a sensitive and receptive architect who over the years has been able to anticipate trends and launch some of the most important designers as well as being the art director of the Superdesign Show. His Superhotel project reflects on repetitive and standardized hotels and gives an eclectic and personalized response which takes into account the hospitality desires and needs as expressed by a sophisticated international clientele, offering diversified and comfortable environments with the participation of major Italian brands and other artists, creative professionals and artisans as the result of his constant research.
The keyword within the Material ConneXion Italia is sustainability: how will the projects featured within this network present the dialogue between materials and the environment?
Nobody can ignore sustainability anymore. The alarm bell is ringing out loud and clear and the actions of Greta Thunberg and all the other young people who are following her are a signal that must make us stop and think. All those substances which are the “raw material” of things, have the task of embarking on the path to sustainability with choices that underpin everything and each of them does it in their own way. The Marie Claire Maison for example is a material home where fabrics and upholstery or coverings are used in a new way. The exhibition and talk shows by Smart City at Superstudio 13 are both extremely interesting and a chance to see companies using programmed manifestos to explain what they are doing and what their goals are to make the world cleaner and improve the quality of life.
