The 2025 edition of Salone del Mobile will extend its influence beyond the exhibition halls, with Milan set to become a vibrant canvas for contemporary design. Spanning the city's most iconic locations, the event showcases a blend of digital installations, immersive exhibitions, and thought-provoking cultural experiences.
© Salone del Mobile.Milano
Running until April 15, Salone del Mobile's "Thought for Humans" theme takes centre stage with Vernissage, an open-air photographic exhibition on Via Dante, featuring powerful images by American photographer Bill Durgin. The exhibition reflects the interconnectedness of the human body and designed objects, made from sustainable materials such as wood, metal, fabric, and bioplastic. 'Each shot is a visual dialogue between anatomy and design, built with materials that narrate not only the form, but also the vision: wood, metal, fabric and bioplastic, selected for their aesthetic value and for their symbolic value in terms of sustainability.'
Salone del Mobile's influence expands through a strategic digital campaign across Milan. A total of 49 LED walls across the city will turn public spaces into an open-air gallery, with an additional 320 billboards in underground stations and 38 screens at Malpensa and Linate airports. These digital installations will engage citizens and tourists alike, offering a continuous visual narrative that speaks to design in everyday life. 'The strategy then extends to an integrated system that takes in not only railway stations, but also airports, with 38 screens to intercept the flow of national and international travellers at key transit points.'
© Salone del Mobile.Milano
Further extending the cultural journey, the Design Kiosk, curated by Corraini Edizioni and designed by DWA Design Studio, will be open until April 13 in Piazza della Scala. Serving as a meeting point for design professionals and visitors alike, the Kiosk hosts daily talks with renowned designers. Notable speakers include Piero Lissoni, Federica Biasi, Aldo Cibic, and Stephen Burks. 'Every day at 6.30 pm there will be a conversation. A face. A voice,' providing a platform for the exchange of ideas and discussions about design's role in shaping society.
From April 6, the Mother immersive installation by Robert Wilson, a tribute to Michelangelo's unfinished sculpture, will be displayed at the Museo della Pietà Rondanini. This poignant installation, set to the music of Arvo Pärt, invites reflection on art, design, and humanity. The experience continues with Library of Light, Es Devlin's site-specific installation at the Pinacoteca di Brera, running from April 7 to 21. The installation, made up of 2,000 books donated by Feltrinelli, will be a space for performances and evening talks.
The event will also host talks such as Weaving Indian Art (April 8), examining the intersection of textiles, culture, and identity, and C'era una volta il corpo (April 9), which reflects on the human body in literature, philosophy, and design. 'A body that changes, that battles, that tells of the times we live in.'
© Salone del Mobile.Milano
In a bid to integrate local communities and visitors, over 100 showrooms and design events will take part in the city-wide celebrations, alongside Welcome Project, a collaboration with Milan's universities, where students will help guide the public to key locations.
Salone del Mobile 2025 brings a fresh wave of sustainability and human-centric design to Milan, blending creativity, culture, and technology to tell a collective design story that will resonate far beyond the exhibition floors.
More information:
Salone del Mobile.Milano
www.salonemilano.it