Salone del Mobile.Milano 2023: towards a new taxonomy of the trade fair
The Milan trade fair, the international point of reference for the furnishing and design sector, has reclaimed its traditional spot in the calendar, boasting a totally new format and multidisciplinary cultural content for Euroluce, and a decision to plan the 2023 edition on one single level at the fairgrounds, thus acting as a shockwave and paving the way for the new design of the trade fair event.Ā
TheĀ 61stĀ edition of the Salone del Mobile.MilanoĀ is being held at Fiera Milano RhoĀ from 18thĀ to 23rdĀ April, bringing its āgood lookingā and āwell madeā products back onto what is an internationally important stage. Its return is, in itself,Ā somewhat exceptional, not just in terms of the quality of the proposals and the companies taking part, but also because of theĀ acceleration of the process of transformationĀ andĀ evolution of the trade fairĀ that the event will be seen to have made. The Salone has always been testament to an extraordinary curiosity, willingness and openness to comparison and a huge desire and ability to improve, innovating consolidated formulas. Over the last few difficult years, there has been much reflection, research and questioning around the future of trade fairs, leading to aĀ concrete revision of the exhibition formatĀ in a bid to be able to continue to generate value for the entire design community.
This positive and constructive energy has fuelledĀ three major new departures at this edition: theĀ single exhibition level, with the exhibitors from the upper pavilions (8-12, 16-20) moving into the lower ones, thus simplifying, improving and enhancing accessibility and the visitor experience; theĀ new Euroluce layout, which rather than being stand-centric is now focused on people and their fruition of the event, with a smart, hyper-accessible and better connected loop-shaped path; and theĀ cultural component will be integrated into the spacesĀ of the lighting biennial, with interdisciplinary and experiential content ranging from architecture to art, with exhibitions, talks, workshops and site-specific installations.
Maria Porro, President of the Salone del Mobile.Milano, had this to say: āOne of the characteristics of the Salone del Mobile is its ability to evolve in order to respond to the most urgent challenges of contemporary life. We did so in 2021, when we invented Supersalone, the first global event after the really tough years of the pandemic, and with last Juneās edition, when we went back to the traditional format, getting to grips with sustainability, and this we have continued to do for the 2023 edition. The idea of simply reverting to April, our traditional spot in the calendar, after three years, as if nothing had happened, was unthinkable. We worked on giving shape to the suggestions and visions that have emerged over the last few years, based on a couple of simple questions: what is the new role of the Salone? How and where to start redesigning its evolution?Ā We listened to the needs of those who make and experience the Salone, exhibitors and visitors alike, holding more than 2,300 interviews and themed work groups. This fostered the idea for an exhibition on one single level to facilitate the flows and we took an almost āurbanisticā approach to the internal design of the pavilions. Taking our cue from Euroluce, the biennial devoted to the lighting world ā which has changed so markedly over the last few years ā we redesigned the path, integrating the spaces for companies with interdisciplinary cultural content connected with the relationship between light, architecture, art and science. A metamorphosis likely to interest the Salone as a whole, geared to helping redesign the trade fair model.ā
Date and times
18/23 April 2023
Opening hours: 9.30 am – 6.30 pm – Trade only.
Open to the general public on 22 and 23 April
Open to students on 21, 22 and 23 April
Place
Milan Fairgrounds, Rho (Milan)
Entrance gates: Porta Est, Porta Sud, Porta Ovest
Exhibitors 2023
