As every year, when planning the overall concept for the upcoming Design Week in Milan, the first step is to choose the theme of the year, which will guide the entire Superstudio Più event, the Superdesign Show 2025.
Celebrating 25 years of design is a major milestone for us, especially as we were the first to launch and drive the Fuorisalone phenomenon across various neighborhoods. It required a strong and meaningful idea, one that speaks to the times we’re living in. Perhaps we’ve found it.

I was looking for a strong, provocative, and optimistic theme that could offer a more hopeful and forward-looking perspective than the wars and horrors that fill our daily news. A way to pierce through the fog of destruction and open our eyes and minds to projects of rebuilding, hope, research, and... happiness.

And so, Happiness emerged.

This word seemed like the perfect summary to invite designers – architects, artists, industry professionals, and all the vibrant creative and technological minds that gather every year to bring our popular event to life – to highlight the moments of joy, pleasure, progress, well-being, growth, inclusion, passion, beauty, and love, in other words, happiness, that exist in every presentation or installation.
At first, I won’t deny that some potential exhibitors were taken aback by such an unusual term in this context. But most embraced the idea enthusiastically, made it their own, and were inspired to see things in a new way – beyond physical use, I would say, especially in a mental sense.

To give more depth to this thematic choice, we once again worked with Daniele Cima, the graphic artist already known to Superdesign audiences for the impactful “Why Not?” exhibition, which in the 2024 edition encouraged designers and creatives to venture into unexplored territory.
Happiness has now become a graphic symbol, more than that: a unique work of art where each of the eight letters is an artistic expression crafted by Daniele, using a distinctive color palette. Together, they would deserve to be displayed as paintings in an exhibition about the design of lettering when it transforms into art.

Superdesign Show 2025 also marks the 25th anniversary of that first event in April 2000 when, in the newly opened Superstudio Più on Via Tortona, alongside the historic Superstudio 13 on Via Forcella (founded in 1983), the concept of a distributed exhibition district was born. The idea was to let the Fuorisalone evolve from the factories and abandoned workshops in this peripheral area of Milan, with the visionary base idea at the time: “less fair, more museum.”
A milestone that deserves a special edition with a strong and inspiring vision, offering space to showcase projects for exhibitors and visitors alike. This is what we’re preparing, with the meticulous and flexible organization of our architects: Laura Vella, Superdesign Show Project Manager, Gabriella Orefice, Production Manager & Exhibit Designer, Marta Beretta, Production Assistant & Exhibit Designer, creative art direction by Giulio Cappellini, and my all-around contribution.

Happiness at Superdesign Show 2025 will take many forms, expressed in various ways, drawing from the expertise of renowned names and the talent of young explorers. It will respond to needs in furniture, accessories, materials, architecture, decoration, art, and inclusion, all with the goal of giving everyone serene moments.

By the way, Zaha Hadid left us with this thought: “I think people want to feel good in a space... On one hand, it’s about shelter, on the other, it’s about pleasure.” And Naoto Fukasawa added, “The main goal is to make people happy. But also, happiness in creating happiness.”
To conclude, Luis Barragán said, “Any work of architecture that does not express serenity is a mistake.”

We’ll try not to make that mistake, and instead, bring a little bit of happiness.
That’s why the selection of exhibition projects is still open, with care and passion.
For those with a happy idea, there’s still room.