Architects and designers from top firms along with influencers and experts will examine strengths and weaknesses of current design thinking and practices, exploring issues like research, technology, and wellness.

Register Now
natural habitat cold spring home exterior

Metropolis Editors, Natural Habitat, sustainability, sustainable architecture

METROPOLIS Introduces Natural Habitat, a Sustainable Homes Video Series

The series debuts with a tour of a tranquil upstate New York retreat designed with Passive House principles.

Read more
Courtesy Mario Cucinella Architects

March 24, 2022

Salone del Mobile Doubles Down on its Commitment to Sustainability 

For its 60th edition, the world’s largest design fair hopes to set an example by using carefully sourced materials and establishing strict exhibitor guidelines.  

By: Adrian Madlener

With over 2,000 confirmed participants, industry-leading furniture fair Salone del Mobile is set to return to its full pre-pandemic scale this late Spring. The massive event—held from June 7th to the 12th—will yet again occupy the majority of Milan’s 1 million-square-foot Fiera Milano convention complex and play host to a robust offering of supplementary showcases like EuroCucina, The International Bathroom Exhibition, Workplace3.0, S.Projects, and the widely celebrated SaloneSatellite. This dynamic program will ostensibly survey the latest innovations in everything from kitchen and bathroom design to interior solutions and the globe’s most promising young talents, not to mention residential and contract furniture.  

At the core of this year’s event is a renewed and broadened commitment to sustainability. Considering the alarming IPCC Sixth Assessment climate report that the United Nations recently released, the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and the Ukrainian war on supply chains, the organizers of the international fair have established a new criterion. Exhibitors are now strongly encouraged to follow a strict set of guidelines when building their booths. Using reusable or upcycled composites and relying on local suppliers not only helps reduce carbon emissions but also safeguards manufacturers from the instability of global markets and shipping lanes. These instructions also suggest the stands should be engineered for easy disassembly and reuse. 

“If the Salone del Mobile can make good use of newly developed or rediscovered low impact materials, entrepreneurs, designers, and brands should also be able to make the shift.”

Maria Porro, President, Salone del Mobile
rendering of salone del mobile
Courtesy Mario Cucinella Architects

“It’s not just about the material but also the use of lighting, catering, and logistics,” says Salone del Mobile president Maria Porro. “Everything needs to be considered when dealing with such a large event. However, we can’t just automatically enact a revolution. Even if the ramifications of the ecological crises are immediate, changes need to be taken step by step. We aim to set an example and demonstrate how certain materials can be efficiently sourced and implemented without further impacting the environment.” 

The president explains that it’s still difficult for many manufacturers to find sustainable alternatives. Some even end up exhausting their resources to develop in-house processes. Making the transition is challenging but necessary. Porro and her team hope to gradually increase the scope of these directives every year and, within just a few, make them requirements. “If the Salone del Mobile can make good use of newly developed or rediscovered low impact materials—some of which are already available—entrepreneurs, designers, and brands should also be able to make the shift,” she adds. Companies like Italian recycled wood furniture brand Fantoni are already heeding this advice. 

rendering of salone del mobile
Courtesy Mario Cucinella Architects

Setting the stage for this re-invigorated mandate will be a central installation developed by renowned Italian architect Mario Cucinella. Comprised of a larger organically-formed wooden platform that undulates in different directions to serve various purposes, The Design with Nature build-out will operate as an amphitheater, bar, classroom, and display plinth. Resembling an expansive topographic landscape, the centrally-positioned installation will be constructed using readily-available,  FSC-certified wood from a natural supply chain. Cucinella developed the spatial design based on three main themes: ecological transition, the home as the prime urban element, and the city as a mine. He believes that we should no longer extract raw matter from the earth but rather from the detritus of urban surroundings. The 60th Salone del Mobile promises to be as thought-provoking and timely as it’ll be comprehensive. 

  • Rendering of a coffee table
    One aspect of our renewed understanding of sustainability is the revival of craft and a return to controlled small-scale production. As evident in the new modular Martinelli Venezia-designed Alpha coffee table collection-achieved in textured copper—the company champions circular artisanal production. (image courtesy of De Castelli)
  • Veneto-region-based manufacturer Fantoni is a global leader in upcycled chipboard wood products. Implementing 100% post-consumer wood, Meet Up table is a height-adjustable table for the low-intensity workspace that will debut at the the Salone del Mobile in June. Courtesy of Fantoni
  • rendering of an oven and microwave on a green wall
    With a strong reliance on production plants in Northern and Central Italy, Reggio Emilia-based kitchen appliance brand Smeg—made famous by its colorful period-specific re-editions—celebrates integrated technology and efficiency with the new Galileo Multicooking system applied to its full steam oven and microwave product range, debuted at EuroCucina. Courtesy Sme

Would you like to comment on this article? Send your thoughts to: [email protected]

Related