Last week, in the immediate wake of miart, Milan’s streets and squares once again became a global stage for design, creativity, and exchange. With over 1,500 events, more than 700 brands, nearly twenty districts, and upwards of 500 venues involved, Fuorisalone 2026 reaffirmed its remarkable scale. The numbers alone are telling – matched only by the long lines outside courtyards and palazzi – pointing to the ever-growing appeal of the city-wide dimension of Milan Design Week, where the focus shifts beyond the Salone del Mobile and into the urban fabric itself.
Spread, as always, across Milan’s neighborhoods – from Brera to Portello – this year’s projects responded to the theme Be the Project. Rather than treating design as a finished object – static and self-contained – the concept framed it as an ongoing process: open-ended, evolving, and deeply embedded in its context. Design, in this sense, is not something that exists in isolation, but something that continuously engages with people, spaces, and time.
This approach was especially evident in the way installations interacted with their surroundings. In the courtyard of Palazzo del Senato, Škoda Auto’s Ooooh, that’s EpiQ! explored the idea of transformation through the language of plasticine. With its vivid colors and soft, almost baroque forms, the installation unfolded like a landscape of rolled clay – playful, tactile, and deliberately at odds with the austere architecture above. Visitors were invited to take part: small containers of plasticine were handed out, encouraging each person to contribute their own piece to a collective composition. A simple yet effective gesture, underscoring a central idea – design is never a solitary act, but the result of shared experiences, influences, and interactions.
A similar dialogue between space and intervention could be seen at 10 Corso Como, where a largescale installation by set designer Andy Hillman appeared to wrap itself around the building. A giant octopus extended its tentacles across the façade, onto the roof – where its head emerged – and into the interiors, creating a continuous, immersive presence that blurred the boundary between structure and installation.
Equally prominent was the relationship between the built environment and nature – understood not only as a backdrop, but as the origin of both human life and design itself. This was central to Molteni&C’s presentation of its 2026 outdoor collection, curated by Vincent Van Duysen, with an installation concept by Elisa Ossino Studio. The project transformed Garden Senato (Via Senato 14) into a contemporary Eden, a carefully composed landscape of six distinct zones. Each area explored a different balance between human intervention and natural presence, offering a subtle reflection on coexistence.
“The exhibition conceived by Molteni&C for Design Week 2026 was undoubtedly a great success,” comments Filippo Perissinotto, President of Art Events, the company responsible for production of events and managing numerous historic venues across Venice, Florence and Milan, including Via Senato 14. “Garden Senato is already an inherently versatile space, thanks to its balance between architecture and nature. What projects like this do is unlock that potential – creating a dialogue that enhances both the identity of the place and the vision behind the installation.”
Here, the dialogue extended well beyond spatial design into the sensory realm. From garden-inspired soundscapes to sculptural arrangements of fruit and vegetables, and even green-hued cocktails, every detail echoed the project’s theme, Responsive Nature. Design was not simply something to look at, but something to experience fully – through sight, sound, touch, and taste.
A similarly layered approach defined Byredo’s In Conversation With, developed with designer JeanGuillaume Mathiaut and set within the historic Chiostro del Cappuccio (Via Cappuccio 3-5). Conceived as a dialogue on multiple levels – between material and memory, form and perception – the installation turned the courtyard into a space of interaction. Wooden sculptures, the surrounding greenery, the presence of the designer, and the fragrances diffused throughout all contributed to a dynamic, evolving exchange. Adding an unexpected, almost playful element was a giant cat moving through the space, quietly prompting moments of surprise and engagement among visitors.
Experience and immersion emerged as defining themes throughout Fuorisalone 2026. Light, in particular, was explored as both a design tool and a sensory medium – capable of shaping space while activating perception across multiple dimensions. Among the most notable examples was Feel the Aura by Ploom, JTI’s heated tobacco brand, often cited as one of the most forward-looking installations of this year’s edition. Located at Brera Site (Via delle Erbe 2), the project unfolded as a carefully choreographed sensory journey, combining visual elements, scent, and taste into a cohesive narrative. At its core was a distinctly human-centered approach, where technology served not as an end, but as a means – enabling individuals to explore and express their own sensory identities.
Moving between individual and collective, past and future, nature and human intervention, Fuorisalone 2026 brought together a wide range of voices and perspectives. From When the Apricots Bloom at Palazzo Citterio to Chasing the Sun by Veuve Clicquot at Mediateca Santa Teresa, and OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER by 6:AM at the historic Piscina Romano, the event continues to expand beyond the traditional boundaries of design. Increasingly, Fuorisalone positions itself as a platform for exchange – where design becomes not just about objects or spaces, but about shaping the ways we live, interact, and relate to one another.
“Now that Design Week is over, we’re excited to welcome international creatives as part of the Venice Biennale,” Filippo Perissinotto jokes.
Iaroslava Kulikova
