Brussels on display at Milan Design Week
Monday 16 April marked the start of the famous Design Week in Milan, an unmissable event for fans of design, architecture and innovation from around the world. For one week, the whole city blooms with exhibitions, installations and events: endless opportunities to discover the latest trends in the sector and admire the work of world-renowned designers. Including #madeinbrussels, on display in our Brussels House!
To really understand Design Week, picture a Russian doll: one flagship event, made up of a whole range of satellite events all working together to make it shine.
Salone del Mobile, the world’s biggest furniture fair, is held right at the heart of Design Week. Organised every year at Rho Fiera Milano, it attracts thousands of visitors, all flocking to discover creations by the 2,000 exhibitors from over 60 countries.
Next up, it’s essential to explore the depths of Milan’s streets, familiarising yourself with the Fuorisalone, a collection of micro-events injecting a burst of vibrant, creative energy throughout various districts, with its showrooms flaunting prestigious brands, exhibitions taking over art galleries, immersive installations and artistic performances. Among them, look out for hub.brussels’ and MAD.brussels’ exhibition, “Brussels Design Beyond Borders”, in the Brussels House.
Our Brussels House on the programme of festivities
The refined layout and design of our Brussels House already delighted the local press when it was inaugurated in February 2023. But it seems the bar has been raised even higher for Design Week, thanks to the combined efforts – and talents – of 17 Brussels-based designers.
They were meticulously chosen with MAD.brussels to showcase the audacity and diversity of our Region, as well as its commitment to sustainability, all in one well-considered glance. The materials used are all organic, upcycled or recycled, and echo the design of the Brussels House, sustainable from floor to ceiling.
The rooms presented, created specially for the occasion, have been subject to an in-depth exploration, where aesthetics meets functionality. While all the works are, by definition, useful and actively contribute to bringing the ‘Bruxellitude’ House to life (chairs, tables, lamps, and more), their originality gives them an innovative and rebellious side, going beyond the boundaries of simple functionality – hence the name given to this temporary exhibition.
Between design and functionality
In the living room, look out for a deconstructed carpet by Margot Van den Berghe, a 3D-printed lamp made from recycled materials by Studio Minimètre, a mobile bookcase by Fien Van Der Steichel & Noëmi Orgaer, the landscaped curtains by Chateau Resort, a tapestry by Manuel Leromain, the convertible furniture by Kana Arioka, aluminium and bamboo shelves by Renaud Meunier Design, the travertine and marble lamps & the modular sofa by Claisse Architectures, a Tetris-style dressing table by BRCK, a table with its imposing legs made of earth by Cru Atelier, a colourful stool made of recycled wood by Arthur Halbique, and a surfboard engraved using straw marquetry by Damian O’Sullivan.
In the kitchen area, admire the kitchen ladder by studio Avandi as well as the ceramic knobs on the kitchen cabinets and the low beechwood table by Guillaume Slizewicz Studio.
All skilfully arranged by the Milan-based interior designer Fabio Romenici.
Precious opportunities for networking and B2B
In addition to the exhibition, Brussels House will host two conferences: one on the contemporary art scene in Brussels, and the other on the Belgian Beer Festival in Bergamo next May. The Open Night on Wednesday evening will allow design aficionados and specialists to meet the designers of Brussels House, and will be an opportunity for these designers to find partners for the production/distribution/sale of their work on the Italian market. Tourism and economic operators will be rubbing shoulders with schools, agencies and art galleries.
“The aim of the Open Night is to strengthen our links with the economic partners we already know, and to extend the invitation to local CCI players that are still unknown to our teams, so we can expand our address book and more easily introduce our businesses to this niche audience, out in force in the Design capital,” explains Guglielmo Pisana, our representative in Milan.
Supporting the CCI, in Brussels and abroad
The cultural and creative industries (CCI), the second largest employment provider, represent one of the biggest driving forces behind the Brussels economy. It’s a fertile sector, but also encompasses many freelancers, who are more vulnerable to crises, and is mainly made up of (very) small businesses, for whom the support isn’t always enough. Especially when it comes to international development.
As our CEO Isabelle Grippa reminds us, “the cultural and creative industries play a crucial role on an economic, cultural and social level. These are promising sectors for the economic recovery, and are also essential to strengthen the Brussels identity and the world-renowned quality of life in our Region.”
In its action plan, hub.brussels has therefore planned for increased support for CCI and the artisanal professions. Just like a quality window display at Milan Design Week.
7.300m2 of belgian design in Milan
Another unmissable spot to admire Belgian talent in the field of design is Baranzate Ateliers, with investment from Belgium is Design, an initiative that has been promoting Belgian design across the world since 2011. The exhibition, entitled BOLD Dualities, presents an audacious, daring and most of all unconventional selection of 30 Belgian designers and studios in a 7,300-m² former industrial building. For more info, visit https://www.belgiumisdesign.be/events/baranzate-ateliers
