It was born right here, at Superstudio Più in via Tortona, ten years ago and it has immediately been regarded as the most important fair dedicated to photography and moving image. The coronavirus cancelled the celebration of the tenth anniversary, but MIA will be back in March more important and beautiful than ever in the new astonishing spaces of Superstudio Maxi, in via Moncucco.

“It is a sort of homecoming - states Fabio Castelli, patron of the fair together with his daughter Lorenza- “The first editions of MIA Photo Fair took place at Superstudio Più in the Tortona area, the well-known Design District of Milan. Since then, our relationships with the Superstudio Group have remained excellent. We started to deal with the Borioli family, owners of Superstudio, a few months ago, before the start of the renovation of SUPERSTUDIO MAXI, evaluating together which could be the possible synergies between MIA Photo Fair and Superstudio Events, entity which manages all the events of Superstudio Group. Furthermore, pushing towards wider scenarios, we feel that this new site has great potential and we think, with good hope, that the Famagosta district of Milan can quickly become one of the centres of photography in Milan, as far as the Tortona area has been for design"...

Such a strong love for wood and natural elements, the respect for the environment, for tradition combined to cutting-edge contemporaneity   characterizes the work by Michele De Lucchi and his cross-disciplinary “circle” of designers, innovators, humanists, futurologists with whom he creates buildings, museums, interiors, design, little sculptures, urban development or highly complex projects.  He was part of the Sottsass group at the beginning of Memphis. Today, he is probably the most important and sought-after protagonist of Milan that changes. 

2000/2020 In twenty years what has changed, what will change?
Since the beginning of the new millennium the digital wave has changed the way to approach the most varied day-to-day reality and work, creating huge potentialities that are in continuous development. There are platforms that promote the “download design”, systems of quick prototyping, 3D printers and top technology CNC machines. In addition, it is getting easier to photograph, film, and write and new ways of narration are developing mixing all this expressive tools combined with digital supports. Given the quick progression it is now possible to talk about new design freedom, but the ability to detect new uses for the available technological potential is also required.

The moment the Temporary Museum of Superstudio hosts for the first time the group exhibition of Thailand, it is almost a challenge. An unusual country in the design market, yet full of promises and with a very interesting point of view, a wise mix of craftsmanship, artefacts, tradition and desire for renovation.

In 2011, it is a little space in the Former Ansaldo of via Tortona, inside the complementary project “Innovation/Imagination” always curated by Superstudio in collaboration with SlideArt: a group exhibition with the best of Thai design and the winners of the prestigious DEmark (Design Excellence Award) that rewards design, innovation and functionality, all curated by the Thai researcher and designer Eggarat Wongcharit.
The following year, the group exhibition moves to Superstudio Più for three years in a row, taking up an important space and becoming a proper national pavilion also thanks to the important investments in support of the companies from the government...

Every year installations by Lexus during the Fuorisalone tell emotional visual stories with the contribution of top names of architecture and design. The car exists and doesn’t, revealing itself by means of symbols and representations of movement and of fluidity close to contemporary arts. The last performance, a show of dance, lights and technology, curated by studio Rhizomatiks, at Superstudio during the last Design Week, provided a unique and unforgettable experience. 

In the past thirty years, the automotive world has undergone a sensational transformation, making the creative element that was hidden behind the project part visible: industrial processes, social changes, new driving systems, a vision of motorized vehicle not as a symbol status anymore, still testimony of lifestyle but first of all an “aware object”. Design not as an aesthetic symbol element anymore but as research mainstay...

The desire for outdoor life has become so perceptible that companies today move among design science and research to fulfil it at best. An interesting initiative by Pratic that every year, in collaboration with various Universities, studies people’s desires and market trends.

The human brain always favours outdoor structures or better, nothing like outside protection structures can balance the right hemisphere and the left hemisphere of the human brain. This is one of the interesting results of the new neuroscientific research “Design for Well-being” born from the long-time collaboration between Pratic and Dr. Stefano Calabrese’s staff at IULM University and University of Modena and Reggio Emilia.
“This is the third research we make in the last years with the same partners”, says Edi Orioli, vice president of Pratic, “After those on colours and natural light”. “We were interested in the colour” he continues, “As a couple of years ago we launched a new painting system Qualicoat Seaside that protects against the salt corrosion risk, with the application of high performance anti-aging paint provided by top international suppliers on the market. Regarding light, it is easily understood; our core business is to protect clients from direct light, from heat and the most bothersome sunlight rays”.

At SUPERSTUDIO, all the greatest protagonists of contemporary International design have come, thanks to an innovative way of showing projects with emotional installations, temporary architectures, contaminations between art and design and widening boarders to everything that is lifestyle. Gisella Borioli, founder and creative director, and Giulio Cappellini, art director, will explain you how the idea of an event complementary to the Salone del Mobile to the new Superstudio Più in 2000 was born, how it was developed and how it became the driving force of an new way of presenting design. The whole city followed the example, with the birth of many temporary Districts of design collected under the sign of Milan Design Week, the world’s most important one.

Watch the video on the Youtube channel Superstudio Tweb. (Soon also English version).

Superstudio is glad to support the "Designers for Bergamo" project and invites you to the live streaming today from 6pm on DimoreDesign's Facebook and Instagram channels to discover this exciting project that sees the participation of great design names including Alessandro Mendini, Paola Navone, Fabio Novembre, Aldo Cibic, Franco Raggi, Italo Rota, Alessandro Guerriero, FormaFantasma, Luigi Baroli and Giulio Iacchetti.

Speakers: Paola Antonelli (senior curator MoMa of New York), Giacinto Di Pietrantonio (curator of the DimoreDesign project and professor of the Brera Academy), Giovanna Ricuperati (Marketing Association +39; MULTI), Gisella Borioli (SUPERSTUDIO), Massimo Farinatti (ADI Lombardy), Carlo Branzaglia (IED Milan).

His refined, essential, style with a strong recognisable visual identity, is perhaps the key to a success that involves various design fields at International level also thanks to two studios in Milan and New York. He has been among the first architects to be part of the “band” of young designers that Giulio Cappellini gathered around himself for the first exhibitions at Superstudio since the beginning of the millennium. Unforgettable experiences for us, and for him.  

 2000/2020 what has changed and what will change?
Everything has changed and nothing has changed. Perhaps we got better, faster and we have gained awareness at doing things.

Has there been a popularization of design?
I think so but not so much as standardization, according to classic parameters. I think that design has become bigger as intellectual model. Twenty years ago it was already “conformed” enough to talk about design, now even more. More people are getting closer to this universe, and it wasn’t simply due to the arrival of large chains which sold or are selling the so-called democratic design but simply design has become more interesting, wider...

A young talented designer, with a long militancy at Giulio Cappellini’s side, guarantee of an open and conscious vision on design, gives us a reflection on how to deal with planning after the coronavirus lesson. The months of forced lockdown made us understand the real values and perhaps regret all excess that invaded our homes and our lives.

"The forthcoming trends in the world of design will not be stylistic but will talk about planning awareness.
The new limits will not be overcome by new forms, but will need new solutions.
Whereas before the designer’s job used to be looking at the world with different eyes, today is looking at it with new eyes and to do so, I believe it is necessary to stop and examine what happens around us, to be able to redesign new house and setup scenarios.   
It is extremely restrictive thinking that a good planning of 2020 will be just to create beautiful and functional objects: we have all noticed since a long time – even if some do not want to hear this – that it totally doesn’t make sense to redesign dozens of products to saturate the market, present them in fairs all over the world, to then perhaps, put them on a catalogue a year late, then selling insignificant quantities...