Design as an act. This concept is at the heart of the new edition of the Porta Venezia Design District, which, through installations and exhibitions, promotes a reimagining of design not merely as a formal exercise, but as a cultural act, an act of responsibility, and a statement. With the theme “Design is Act,” the event invites visitors to consider design as a process that doesn’t just produce objects, but rather generates relationships, visions, and new possibilities for inhabiting the world. This philosophy is brought to life through 56 projects and installations that will dot the district, running from April 20th to 26th, featuring the participation of over 350 designers and curators from around the globe.
Among the most anticipated new additions is Città Studi Design Hub, a new pole that extends the district’s reach towards the city’s university area, thereby creating a direct connection with the academic and experimental world. It is here that the grand site-specific installation, “OVER and OVER and OVER and OVER” by the design brand 6:AM – GLASSWORKS, will be realized within the historic Piscina Romano.
There is also INSIEME, an exhibition curated by Sabato De Sarno at the Piscine Cozzi as part of the Archivio Italia cultural and editorial project, presented by Vanity Fair. The exhibition shifts the focus from objects to people, celebrating the hands, gestures and traditional knowledge that form the foundation of beauty. The project will also extend to the Cozzi Pool’s façade in Milan, where INSIEME’s signature work will take shape in the form of a site-specific installation from JR‘s Inside Out project.
But the experiences continue with big brands like IKEA, which at Spazio Maiocchi presents “Food for Thought“, an installation that, together with international designers and chefs, explores how design can transform the daily rituals of cooking and sharing, integrating sustainability, accessibility, and food culture. Škoda Auto is bringing ‘Ooooh, that’s EpiQ!’ to the Porta Venezia Design District, specifically to Palazzo Senato, offering a first glimpse of the playful vision behind the new Epiq — the latest addition to Škoda’s electric line-up.
Furthermore, Molteni&C presents “Responsive Nature,” a site-specific project conceived by Elisa Ossino Studio in the spaces of Garden Senato, offering a rediscovery of the brand’s new outdoor collection through a journey of interconnected gardens. Meanwhile, Sara Ricciardi creates “The Sensory Lab” for Eccentrico: ceramic surfaces, color, and daily rituals transform the space into a sensory laboratory dedicated to well-being. In addition, USM Modular Furniture has collaborated with the architectural firm Snøhetta on ‘Renaissance of the Real‘, a multisensory installation by Swiss artist and experience designer Annabelle Schneider at the prestigious Fondazione Luigi Rovati.
At the Istituto dei Ciechi, Dotdotdot studio, for GEELY, presents “Anima Mundi, A Visionary Impulse“, a large immersive exhibition where sound, light, and interaction transform the space into a dynamic organism reflecting on the relationship between technological innovation and the human dimension. The more pop experience is also present with Park and Le Cannibale, who introduce “The Meanwhile Club“, a project investigating the temporary reuse of urban spaces by transforming the Park Hub into an ephemeral club and listening room dedicated to cultural and musical experimentation.
