A shining Milan
Are you going to the Milan Design week 2014? Then, you must go out of the fair too because, the real happening, is out of the fair.
Where? Everywhere! When? All the week! Why? Because it's so much fun and interesting! How? On foot and metro only!
How did we get here?
Many years ago, while I was still attending university, the Design Week was not even yet called like that. Back then there was just the "Salone del Mobile" exposition at the Milan Fair. But that fair and its "echo" was already invading the city itself.
It was a week to go to parties, special openings, special presentations of new design, furniture, special products, etc. It was the reign of free aperitifs, free drink, free food for us, poor university people.
But it was also a way to get into the glimmering world of design, while we were still just studying to enter, in that world. And, also, a way to get new acquaintances, new insights, new shops, to exchange opinions, to get the newest trends, to know the designers, the craziness and the normality of this world.
Il Fuorisalone: a tornado of events
Back then, although it already looked like a big event, it was not yet anything, compared of what it has become today. With the developing of the phenomenon, year after year, it started to have a name on its own: "Fuorisalone" (out of the fair). That name has become the symbol and the proper name for all those (thousands) of events that get the city alive with people and design.
Milan will be literally sparkling with events, everywhere.
That is what Milan really becomes every year during the Milan Design week. All the design shops, all the architectural firms, all the designers, all the most famous design brands, all the shops, partecipate in the race to astonish the most, surprise the public, present their own visions and special designs made just for this week. you want to get the latest trends in furniture, materials amd lighting design? It is all out there.
It has almost become a competitor to the fair itself, as many brands realize that it is very rewarding organizing the presentation of their latest creation in a dedicated out-of-the-ordinary space, during this week, more than paying a booth into the fair. You will have more control, more echo on the media, you'll directly reach your public, you will remain in your client's heart much more that in the middle of the thousands of booths inside the fair.
When to go
All the main events and presentation, "historically", have to match the Milanese day of work, so usually the main events happen after 6/6:30 pm. If you have free time during the day you will have the possibility to see things with less crowd, more easily, not having to kill people to see that nice chair. But, after all, the spirit of this week is about crowd, people and chatting and sharing and meeting. So when you, tired, come out of the fair, don't even think to go back to the hotel! Chose an area and dive into the crowd. And share. Instagram will be down due the number of new pictures that people will add during those evenings...
Where to go
The first area that welcomed this tornado of event is the "Zona Tortona", an area behind the Porta Genova Station (Metro stop: Porta Genova on line 2). This area is the place to be, at first. There you will find that also the car repair had rented out his shop, for a week, to let them host a special design exhibition. But don't get fooled, it is the most trendy zone during that week. it is also the home to the "Spazio Armani" from Tadao Ando, a wonderful space that worth a visit by itself. Here you can find a guide to the Zona Tortona week of events: http://www.tortonaroundesign.com/eventi.
Then, another area that got into the great Fuorisalone rush of events, is the "Brera Design District", on a path that start from Via Fiori Chiari, goes through Via Solferino and Via San Marco and comes back from Corso Garibaldi. There you can also find some famous brand showrooms, like the Rimadesio and Moroso ones, and also the Brera Academy of Arts, whose central courtyard worth a little visit. Here the guide to Brera Design Distric events: http://fuorisalone2014.breradesigndistrict.it/eventi/data/08-04-2014.
Today, some other areas are emerging or trying to. One of the few that is beginning to stand out is the "Zona Lambrate", or, as it is called now, "Ventura Lambrate", "just behind the Lambrate Station, starting form Via Ventura 14. The are is not so central, but it has events from less known designers that can be more interesting than the usual big brands. It is near the Campus Leonardo of Politecnico di Milano, that is why there is more the possibility to see either new design that "break the rules"or absolute crap. Here is the guide to ventura Lambrate: http://organisationinde.m10.mailplus.nl/archief/mailing-31174419.html.
Last, but not least, there is the "all the city" area http://www.archiproducts.com/en/events/milano-design-week/79/fuorisalone), that means, all Milan itself. Just take a stroll around and it will be impossible not to get into some presentation, some special event, some new design from famous brands. Take a walk in Via Manzoni, move around Porta Venezia, go see La Triennale, reach out La Rotonda della Besana, have a look inside the courtyard of the Università Statale, go to la Fabbrica del Vapore. Wherever you want. And you won't be deluded. 
One last advice
I am one of the few Milanese that already love Milan as it is, everyday. But the Design Week is the period in which Milano is at its best: international, glimmering, wonderfully alive.
This leads me to one last advice, essential for surviving the Design Week: forget cars! Traffic will be jammed, always. If you want to enjoy (and survive) this week, you will only have two things you can use: feet and metro.
And eyes. To enjoy. Everthing. Everywhere.
Have fun.
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(images credit: all @Roberto Ercolani apart from the map that is from the archilovers website (map of events for the MDW 2014)
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Roberto Ercolani (http://cn.linkedin.com/in/robertoercolani/) is a 15-year experience Italian Architect who has worked in Italy, UK and China as Co-founder and Director of Milano 8 Italian Architects, with offices in Shanghai and Milan.
Project and Senior Architect in international architectural firms, he developed various projects of different scales: from masterplan to new buildings complex, from buildings refurbishment to interior design for offices, shops, hotels and residential.
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