Latest news with #MilanDesignWeek2025
Tatler Asia
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Tatler Asia
Highlights from Singapore's showcase at Milan Design Week 2025
'Future Impact 3: Design Nation', Singapore's showcase at Milan Design Week 2025, charted the Republic's emergence as a Nation by Design through three compelling acts: reflecting on its past, responding to the present, and reimagining the future Leave it to Singapore to turn a cathedral into a case study in national imagination. Set within the soaring nave of Chiesa di San Bernardino alle Monache—a vaulted church in Milan's Cinque Vie district, once part of a Benedictine convent, now a quietly resonant venue at which sacred architecture often meets contemporary design— Future Impact 3: Design Nation marked Singapore's 2025 return to Milan Design Week with thoughtful ambition. It is one of the many celebrations taking place this year to mark the nation's 60th birthday, Curated by returning duo Tony Chambers and Maria Cristina Didero, with a new associate, Singaporean designer Hunn Wai, the exhibition was structured in three parts that represent Singapore's design journey across time: Little Island of Brave Ideas revisits design's role in nation-building; Future Impact captures current responses to contemporary challenges; and Virtuoso Visionaires projects future possibilities through the work of emerging talents. Read more: 8 most theatrical moments from Milan Design Week 2025 Above The exhibition was held at the Chiesa di San Bernardino alle Monache church Above The three exhibition curators, the returning Maria Cristina Didero (left) and Tony Chambers (right) and this year's newcomer Hunn Wai (middle) Above The Future Impact team in Milan, clockwise from back row left: Werable's Claudia Poh, Nice Project's Sacha Leong, Olivia Lee, Tiah Nan Chyuan from Farm, clinical associate professor Lee Shu Woan from Changi General Hospital, Shi Yanjie from Vouse, Practice Theory's Randy Yeo, Supermama's John Tay, and Bewilder's Ng Sze Kiat Without natural resources, branding has played a crucial role in the Little Red Dot's nation building. Design icons—from internationally recognised symbols like Pierre Balmain's sarong kebaya uniform for Singapore Airlines and the souvenir-spawning Merlion, to hyper-local touchstones like the Courtesy Campaign and the colour-coded hawker centre tableware—have helped define how Singapore is seen from both within and beyond its shores. The first part of the exhibition at Milan Design Week 2025 was a crash course in how design—and successful systems design in particular—has underpinned Singapore's transformation, from pragmatic policies to imaginative placemaking—through visual culture, urban planning, and a future-oriented mindset. Above Kintsugi 2.0 by Supermama at the 'Future Impact 3: Design Nation' exhibition Above Fungariums in Space by Bewilder at the 'Future Impact 3: Design Nation' exhibition Above Pnewmatics by Eian Siew at the 'Future Impact 3: Design Nation' exhibition Above Celia by Kalinda Chen at the 'Future Impact 3: Design Nation' exhibition The second part of the exhibition highlighted eight designers and studios whose work embodied the immediacy of design-led solutions. From inclusive fashion to algorithmic ceramics, and digital healthcare tools to upcycled furniture, these projects grappled with contemporary life—how we move, heal, consume and connect—while experimenting with new materials, systems and modes of making. Highlights included Olivia Lee's Matahari, a terracotta solar cooker that reimagines ancient Southeast Asian cookware to spark reflection on the sun as a futuristic energy source; a digital twin of Changi General Hospital's (CGH) A&E department by Farm, Vouse and CGH, which uses real-time spatial modelling to optimise patient care without putting them at risk; Fungariums in Space by Bewilder, which brings medicinal mushroom cultivation into sleek, stainless-steel biodesign; and Supermama's Kintsugi 2.0, which updates the traditional Japanese craft with 3D-printed gold resin and algorithmic forms, turning broken objects into whole futuristic heirlooms. Above Matahari by Olivia Lee at the 'Future Impact 3: Design Nation' exhibition Above Leave it to Singapore to turn a cathedral into a case study in national imagination The final part of the Singapore exhibition at Milan Design Week 2025 captured the speculative energy of Singapore's emerging design voices. Six young designers presented works that pushed the boundaries of material use, identity, and narrative. These included Pnewmatics by Eian Siew—an exploration of inflatable medical braces and air-based joinery systems that rethink structure, comfort and care; Celia by Kalinda Chen, a mycelium-based air purifier that merges biophilic design with fungal intelligence; and Standard Singlish by CJ Tan, a typographic system that turns colloquial vernacular into structured visual language. Imaginative yet simultaneously grounded, these projects showcased how a new generation is using design to question norms, activate culture and anticipate new modes of living. As co-curator Wai notes: 'Singapore is well-known for thriving through ingenuity and resourcefulness and now, the future lies with the new generation of globally attuned, self-aware innovators who can continue this legacy." Credits
Tatler Asia
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Tatler Asia
Nation by Design: 5 events to look out for at Singapore Design Week 2025
1. Future Impact 3: Design Nation Above Future Impact will have its highly anticipated homecoming at Singapore Design Week 2025 (Photo: Mark Cocksedge) The third installation of the Future Impact series will be presented at the National Museum of Singapore. Its highly anticipated homecoming follows the showcase's successful outing at Milan Design Week 2025 earlier this year. Presented in three parts that represent Singapore design's past, present and future, the showcase features works that demonstrate how design enhances the world we live in. When: September 11 to November 2 Where: National Museum Singapore 2. Unnatural History Museum of Singapore Above This exhibition reframes the nation's past 60 years of development (Photo: HTX (Home Team Science and Technology Agency)) Led by co-founder and creative director of creative agency Kinetic Singapore Pann Lim, this exhibition reframes the nation's past 60 years of development. Staged at the National Design Centre, explore how the city-state flourishes through deliberate planning and bold design despite the lack of natural resources. Learn about the nation's most curious creations from hybrid flora and robotic fauna to reimagined landscapes. When: September 11 to October 26 Where: National Design Centre 3. The Sausage of the Future: Singapore Edition Above Mortadella with vegetables (Photo: Emile Barret) Making its debut in Asia, this exhibition is designed by Zurich-based Dutch designer and researcher Carolien Niebling's investigation into one of mankind's first-ever designed food. The commission presents various innovative sausages inspired by Singapore's culinary culture and food security needs. The upcoming exhibitions a response to urgent food sustainability challenges such as food waste, biodiversity and preservation. When: September 11 to October 19 Where: Nafa Fashion Gallery, Nafa Campus 2 4. Find — Design Fair Asia Above This fair brings together over 300 local and international design brands (Photo: AlvieAlive) Returning for its fourth edition, this fair brings together over 300 local and international design brands. Happening from September 11 to 13 at Marina Bay Sands, the fair celebrates excellence in furniture, interiors and design. Along with returning showcases from Czech Republic, Thailand, Italy, Singapore and Indonesia, anticipate debuts from Hong Kong and France. Arguably its most successful showcase of Southeast Asia's young furniture designer showcase, Emerge, will be back too with fresh exhibits. When: September 11 to 13 Where: Sands Expo & Convention Centre 5. Design for Care Above Every element in each showcase is curated with both people and the planet in mind Head to Marina Central and find 10 showcases that explore Care as a spatial, social and environmental design practice. From the materials selected to the designs, every element in each showcase is curated with both people and the planet in mind. Along with the showcase, anticipate a program filled with talks, wellness workshops, music festival and more. When: September 11 to 21 Where: Marina Central
Vancouver Sun
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Vancouver Sun
The Home Front: The many wonders of Milan Design Week
Article content From bold debuts to nostalgic glamour, Milan Design Week 2025, which took place last month, delivered light, colour and magic. Vancouver studio A-N-D made waves, Christian Woo surprised all, Bocci showed its signature magic, and Italian brands like Minotti and Paola Lenti dazzled with retro flair and Mediterranean calm. Article content Article content Article content Article content One of the best surprises at the show was a collaboration between well-known Italian brand Zanotta and Vancouver designer Christian Woo. Article content Woo is known for his sculptural pieces and masterful woodwork, but amazed showgoers in Milan by stepping outside his usual palette, introducing bold colours and rich fabrics, says Burgers. 'It was unexpected but seamless. His clean lines and architectural forms remained, but softened with upholstery and saturated tones.' Article content It was a perfect debut for Milan Design Week, which is like a week of wonders, says Burgers. Article content 'That kind of surprise doesn't just catch your eye — it signals growth, relevance and a willingness to evolve. And in a place like Milan, that matters.' Article content Article content Tucked behind a garden gate in central Milan's Zona Vincenzo Monti, the Bocci showroom felt more like stepping into someone's home — like a friend with impeccable taste, says Burgers. Article content The Bocci apartment is set in a 20th-century residential building, with lighting installations that seamlessly integrate into the architecture. To mark Bocci's 20th anniversary, the apartment was transformed into The Numbers Between the Numbers, an immersive exhibition conceived by designer Omer Arbel and curated by David Alhadeff of architecture and design studio The Future Perfect. Article content Article content This apartment highlights one of the best things about Milan Design week, which is how the city itself transforms to become part of the who. Article content Article content 'Brands don't just show products, they create worlds.' Article content
Business Mayor
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Mayor
ephemeral tech: A.A. murakami on using robotics and physics to create nature in installations
A.A. Murakami discusses using robotics and physics to invoke nature in their installations , a technique and practice they describe as 'ephemeral tech.' During Milan Design Week 2025 , the art collective exhibits two scenographic installations at Museo della Permanente for the show Opposites United: Eclipse of Perceptions, presented with Kia Design and Zero. Several days after the event, Alexander Groves, the half of A.A. Murakami alongside Azusa Murakami and the art practice of Studio Swine , sits down with designboom to rehash the nature-inspired robotics installation. It's a two-part show that visitors go through. The first is The Cave. Just like its name, the only light illuminating the space is the saturated, sunset-colored backlighting along the wall. It's enough to cast a shadow and form the silhouettes of the replicated ancient animal bones, surfacing from the pool of oil in the middle of the room. These artifacts don't emerge on their own since a large-scale automaton with robotic limbs brings them up, making their outlines visible to the visitors. Alexander Groves tells us that it's his and Azusa Murakami's way of showing their interest in the dawn of humanity. 'We were interested in making replicas of these bones and hearing these ancient sounds, having them emerge from a pool of oil on these robotic limbs that almost have the appearance of bird legs. We wanted to create a very evocative cinematic space using these almost haunting sounds as well as red light flooding the space,' he says. The robotic installation by A.A. Murakami puts a tech twist on the customary way of showcasing historic artifacts. 'There's a divergent moment where technology itself could become conscious. It was using the ancient past to think about the far future,' adds Alex Groves. Azusa Murakami and Alexander Groves of A.A. Murakami (Studio Swine) | all images courtesy of A.A. Murakami Contrast plays between 'the cave' and 'beyond the horizon' Past The Cave, visitors walk through yet another vaguely lit room named Beyond the Horizon. A different ambiance plays the tone of the space. Instead of the light piercing through the viewers' vision, large bubbles float above their heads, passing for a few seconds before they pop and the mist comes out, forming the shape of clouds. On the walls, hanging automata enable the robotic installation of A.A. Murakami to work. The art collective's Alex Groves compares the amorphous bubbles to moons gliding through the space. The room contrasts The Cave. Whereas Beyond the Horizon brims with cool blue, seemingly moonlight, The Cave shines like a radiant sunset, invoking the glow of a fire. 'We wanted to set up a contrast, so you had an interesting journey through the space. It's setting up a distinction between these two things so they enhance each other—the difference,' Alex Groves tells us. Read More Core77 Weekly Roundup (2-12-24 to 2-16-24) The bubbles glide at a glacial pace before they slowly disperse into thin air like fog. The British artist explains to designboom that A.A. Murakami uses a mixture of ingredients to make them for the robotic installations. 'When you make giant bubbles, it needs to be a more viscous substance that retains water. It's much thicker. There are different emulsifying agents, but nothing toxic. It's all safe. Essentially, it's soaps and surfactants – things that reduce the surface tension of water. It no longer makes a droplet but forms a thin skin,' he says. It's not their first time blowing large bubbles into the air, citing their Floating World exhibition at M+ Museum Hong Kong between August 2024 and February 2025. They've already produced installations with small bubbles too, one of the first times being New Spring and New Spring Miami (2017). Here, the tree-like structure features branches shaped as curved tubes hanging above the visitors heads. Slowly, these poles pipe out small bubbles, landing on the floor before they lightly burst. Beyond the Horizon (2024) at Museo della Permanente | exhibition photos by DSL Studio, unless stated otherwise Ephemeral tech in A.A. Murakami's robotic installations During our conversation with A.A. Murakami's Alex Groves, he mentions the term 'Ephemeral tech' a few times. It's one way they describe what they do, using technology with ethereal materials to create 'fleeting moments' and 'new, unnatural phenomena.' Ephemeral, when looked up, means transient or brief, like floating bubbles that slowly land or burst, ancient bones that languidly emerge from a pool of oil, or cannoned fog that glacially makes its way in the middle of the room. Tech comes in different forms. With a few of the nature-inspired robotic installations of A.A. Murakami, it can be through the use of automated limbs or mechanisms. Alex Groves sums up ephemeral tech by saying, 'when you witness the digital world—watching something on a screen—you're aware it can't fade. You can pause it, revisit it, rewind it—it'll be exactly the same. It doesn't die. When you encounter nature, if you come across a fox, for example, and you both stop and stare at each other, there's this awareness that this is an incredibly unlikely gathering of atoms in front of you. You're both sharing a moment that will never come again. We're interested in using technology to give you an experience almost like nature. When you're in the presence of a bubble, you know what's going to happen. It's got a life to it. You watch the creation of it, and you watch it dissolve and disappear. The fleeting nature of it adds to its beauty.' Read More Versale lighting by Anker Studio for Nordlux the bubbles glide at a glacial pace before they slowly disperse into thin air like fog A.A. Murakami is the art division and practice of Studio Swine. Alex Groves and Azusa Murakami are both the masterminds behind these two. Whereas Studio Swine focuses on materiality and how materials can make viewers feel, A.A Murakami and its nature-inspired, tech-driven, and even robotics, installations allow people to live through what they feel. 'We don't want to make things on a screen or use projectors, which is what we consider inherited tech. The way we use technology is about bringing materiality into it; not just materials, but states of matter,' says Alex Groves. He clarifies, however, that their approach isn't solely robotics because their installations aren't kinetic in the traditional sense of using robotics to create kinetic art. They use instead these limbs and automated parts to deliver a space, one where visitors meet with fog rings, bubbles, and plasma, the natural phenomena. When asked if A.A. Murakami considers robotics as co-creators of their installations, Alex Groves tells us it's about balance. 'You rely on these robots and technologies to take on part of what's happening. The other part is, you want physics and the natural world—the laws of nature—to take on the rest. We're interested in when digital code and electronics transition into the physical realm, where it's about fluid dynamics, entropy, and intermolecular forces all at play. That's when it becomes really interesting, because then you get a dance—like how mesmerizing it is to watch the surface of the ocean. There's a constant dance between the intermolecular forces. We want to do both, but we want to create unnatural phenomena—things that wouldn't be there without the use of technology,' he says. the work appears in the exhibition Opposites United: Eclipse of Perceptions during Milan Design Week 2025 The British artist looks back at how A.A. Murakami comes to life. He and Azusa Murakami founded Studio Swine in 2010. He is armed with fine arts history, and she with architecture, but they both have a background in design after studying at the Royal College of Art. They were interested in exploring materials, shaping them in a certain kind of utility or functionality, hence the birth of Studio Swine, 'We liked the archetypes of furniture and using furniture as a way of exploring the world around us and possible futures,' Alex Groves shares with us. Read More A Hotel Room with an Airplane Inside of It They had a run for it over years, even living in São Paulo and made a furnace that could melt down cans on the street using waste vegetable oil. Then, they moved to Shanghai, explored human hair, and made Hair Highway, reimagining human hair with bio resin, all the while inspired by the notion of the ancient Silk Road. 'When we started doing more immersive installations that didn't have such a clear question-and-answer structure, they were more about creating a feeling, an immersive world,' the British artist says in light of A.A. Murakami being shaped naturally after their New Spring installation in 2017, showcased in Milan. the display showcases giant, amorphous bubbles emerging from hanging automata and transforming into clouds The art collective started working for and with art museums, even having robotic installations and permanent collections in MOMA in New York, the Centre Pompidou in Paris, and M+ in Hong Kong. On May 4th, 2025, they host their first solo presentation in a U.S. museum and their largest to date anywhere. It's in the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, an exhibition named 'Floating World,' running until September 21st, 2025. Four of A.A. Murakami's biggest robotics and nature-inspired installations are present, including Beyond the Horizon which was showcased at Milan Design Week 2025 as well as Under a Flowing Field (2023). The latter features glass tubes filled with krypton gas, arranged as a field of lightning-like white lines above the visitors head, piercing through the color-tinted space in sequences. 'This is a major moment for us because we started A.A. Murakami in 2020,' says Alex Groves. 'We've got many shows this year in different art museums. I think some people might know A.A. Murakami and not know Studio Swine, and vice versa. We're grateful they're reaching different audiences.' And the viewers, perhaps unknown to them, are gifted a transient yet transcendental piece of A.A. Murakami's profound connection with art, nature, and tech, articulated through a series of robotics installations. The Cave at Museo della Permanente in Milan
TimesLIVE
22-04-2025
- Lifestyle
- TimesLIVE
Lexus explores the human-machine connection at Milan Design Week
As I wandered the marvellous neoclassical streets of Milan, making my way from one design exhibit to the next during the recent Milan Design Week 2025, I caught tantalising glimpses of the hidden lives and majestic gardens that flourish behind the high walls and gated enclaves of the urbane metropolis. Nothing could have prepared me, however, for the sighting of a flock of pink flamingos taking their morning constitutional in a glorious pond in a private garden as I turned a corner and found myself transported to a tropical daydream. It transpires the exotic creatures live at the Palazza Invernizzi in the Quadliratero del Silenzio, a silent district of glorious Palladian villas not far from the hustle of the main shopping district. Later that day, as I found myself immersed in a dark womb-like room that appeared to be breathing and beating in synchrony with my heartbeat at the Lexus 'Black Butterfly' immersive experience, I suddenly remembered the flamingos and felt the serendipitous sighting had been a visual foretaste of the themes Lexus was exploring in its design ethos and bringing to life in the installation. 'Black Butterfly' refers to Lexus' next-generation cockpit interface for electric vehicles. How to integrate nature into sustainable design for our collective future is the vital question that should be exercising all of us. The answers Lexus provided felt as unexpectedly delightful as the pink flamingos in the silent quarter and served as a thoughtful and humane entry point to the challenge.
