What’s Cooking
From functional minimalism to architectural innovations, kitchen design at this year’s Salone was a visual tour de force. EuroCucina was first held in 1974 and instantly became the benchmark kitchen event at international level. Within the exhibition, its collateral event FTK (Technology For the Kitchen), set up in 2004 is an opportunity to reflect on built-in technology. Interestingly, this year, the kitchen was treated as a focal point of interaction, leading to a rethinking of a versatile design that had an aesthetic coherence with the rest of the living room. By bringing it more towards the realm of social interaction in an open environment, the kitchen was given a markedly architectural and material imprint. Sustainability and the idea of a smart kitchen as a means towards simplifying everyday movements was also on full display.
Loo and Behold
Set up in 2006, the International Bathroom Exhibition was a dynamic exhibition that constitutes the most interesting event for those involved with bathroom furnishing. For years, bathroom furniture companies have been investing in research and innovation to come up with products with low environmental impact. This year, over 200 exhibitors showcased gradual deconstruction and redesign, and opened the door to a new kind of furniture that represents the idea of a wellness and regenerative area. From furniture and accessories to shower cubicles, and from sanitary ware to radiators, from taps to bathtubs, the latest products on display reflected the ongoing evolution of this particular space, which is becoming increasingly technological and green oriented. Think advanced but invisible technology that focused on water saving and the use of low-impact, recyclable and circular materials.
Home Improvement
The distinction between office design and home design is disappearing, especially as any place today can become a workspace, preferably with the comfort and warmth of a home.The world of work has gone through rapid changes because the idea of work itself has changed: new demands and modalities call for different sorts of workspaces. Workplace 3.0’s mission was dedicated to the design and technology of this increasingly flexible, porous and changeable space, showcasing the workspace of today, present-day solutions that look to the future.
The S Project, on the other hand, showcased infinite possibilities of turnkey interior design, in which technical elements, furnishings and decor coexist in perfect harmony. It is a relatively new exhibition devoted to design products and decorative and technical interiordecor solutions, showcasing interior and outdoor furnishing, and lighting and acoustic solutions to wellness products and textiles.
Extra Space
Back in 1998, art curator Marva Griffin founded SaloneSatellite that served as a showcase for young creative designers and graduate-to-be students from universities and design schools from all over the world. Devised as a “planet” revolving around the fair, SaloneSatellite has long since become a real multifaceted “universe” in its own right, and the exhibition “Universo Satellite”, edited by architect Beppe Finessi, celebrated its 25th anniversary this year. This year’s display traced the design history of this initiative and comprised hundreds of brilliant objects conceived by many designers, as well as photographs and documents, catalogues and drawings.
Interestingly it was put together by architect Ricardo Press Bello Dias (who was known to have designed the display of all the exhibitions since the very first edition).