Salone del Mobile Milano: a dream come true
Every year one of the largest international design fairs in the world takes place in Milan. With a history of more than 60 years, the Salone del Mobile brings together not only to traditional companies and famous designers, but also to emerging artists who will chart the future with their designs.
This year I had the opportunity to immerse myself in this sea of design representing MP Workplaces SA, a company in the corporate sector where I have worked for almost 15 years. It was a much-desired and long-awaited trip that I shared with Ana Moreno, founding partner of MP, and so much for what was exhibited in the endless pavilions of the Salone, As seen outside of it, it greatly exceeded my expectations.
As soon as I entered the Rho Fiera, home of the fair, I was struck by the volume of brands and products present there, many of them unknown to me. There we met the great leaders of furniture design such as Knoll, Arper, Kartell, Missoni, Fantoni, who, with their enormous stands and multiple configurations, shared a pavilion with smaller-scale companies showing trends and novelties. Everything seemed unfathomable, impossible to explore during the days that the exhibition lasted, because every detail caught our attention during the tour.
Although we are mainly focused on corporate architecture, we also allow ourselves to be tempted by home settings, spaces for collaboration, sitting and relaxing, which are currently part (and even protagonists) of work spaces that we design.
The tour did not conclude with the visit to the Fair. The FuoriSalone days were a plus that wasn't on my radar. Experiencing the city of Milan from the perspective of design in its various areas was an extremely enriching experience. We visited, for example, an Armani sample and then we toured the incredible Poltrona Frau showroom, one of my favorite inspiration places where it was a surprise to find a hidden Buzzi sample. We also shared some visits and other activities with colleagues, we caught up with the latest products from the brands we usually consume and discovered some more to incorporate into the projects that are they come.
I gave myself the pleasure of touching each new material and texture that I found, I was able to walk through all the spaces that caught my attention to live the experience in first person... I asked a lot, I listened to each explanation with special attention, looking at everything with the eyes of learn since my main objective was to connect with design, which is an important part of my life and of course, rescue what is new and then share it with my project team.
I did not want to stop sharing my experience, because it is not only part of a dream come true, but also a great satisfaction for the effort of years dedicated to forming teams and transmitting my passion for what I do.
I am enormously grateful to Ana and José Luis, partners at MP Workplaces, for giving me the opportunity to make it a reality.