Architectural Cases

Milan Design Week 2026, scheduled for April 20-26, is poised to highlight an array of compelling installations, insightful exhibitions, and engaging events that collectively celebrate design as a dynamic and exploratory cultural endeavor. With the central theme, "Be the Project," this year’s program emphasizes the design process itself, highlighting the intuitive, responsible, and transformative nature of human creativity. Visitors will encounter numerous projects across the city that champion an open-ended approach to design, valuing experimentation, embracing imperfection, and demonstrating how temporary and evolving forms are integral to contemporary creative practices.

The Design Week spans across Milan's diverse urban fabric, turning the city into an expansive canvas for design innovation. Key institutional venues like Triennale Milano, Università degli Studi di Milano, and Politecnico di Milano, along with historic landmarks such as Torre Velasca, will host temporary exhibitions and interventions. The event also extends its reach to peripheral areas, with new venues like the former Baggio Military Hospital and Villa Pestarini, enriching the Design Week's geographical scope. Districts like Brera, Tortona, Isola, and Porta Venezia will showcase a wide range of exhibits within courtyards, showrooms, and industrial settings, fostering a comprehensive dialogue among various scales and disciplines.

This year’s event provides a curated selection of installations that highlight diverse design approaches, from Lina Ghotmeh's "Metamorphosis in Motion" at Palazzo Litta, which reinterprets historical spaces with dynamic, curved geometries, to JR's "Inside Out," transforming the façade of Piscina Cozzi with large-scale photographic portraits. Other notable installations include "Renaissance of the Real" by Annabelle Schneider and Snøhetta, a multisensory experience at Fondazione Luigi Rovati that explores perception in a digital age, and Sara Ricciardi’s "Serotonin – The Chemistry of Happiness," which translates emotional responses into an immersive spatial environment in the Loggia of the Pinacoteca di Brera. MAD Architects' "Kaleido" at Università degli Studi di Milano uses reflective cubic volumes to create a dynamic, AI-integrated perceptual field, while OMA/AMO’s "Il Sonno" transforms a supermarket typology into a geological landscape made from natural stone at SolidNature. MCA - Mario Cucinella Architects’ "Città delle Idee" at Solferino 28 showcases a city of 3D-printed modular elements, promoting sustainable approaches to urban structures, and Ricardo Orts Ulises’ "Ooooh, that's EpiQ!" at Palazzo del Senato features a fluid, interactive installation inspired by modeling dough, emphasizing flexibility and play.

The event also boasts a series of significant exhibitions, including "Continuous Present: The Philosophy of Andrea Branzi by Toyo Ito" at Triennale Milano, a comprehensive retrospective of Andrea Branzi's work designed as a fluid, non-linear journey. "When Apricots Blossom," curated by Kulapat Yantrasast at Palazzo Citterio, explores the crafts of Karakalpakstan through newly commissioned works by international designers. The Architecture & Design Commission of Saudi Arabia presents the "Jusoor Design Collections Exhibition" in Brera, showcasing emerging Saudi designers and their international collaborations. "The Eames Houses" at Triennale Milano offers the first extensive overview of Charles and Ray Eames’ residential architecture, featuring their new modular pavilion system. "Polish Modernism: A Struggle for Beauty," presented by Visteria Foundation at Torre Velasca, positions historical Polish works in dialogue with contemporary design. Additionally, "7+1 Acts of Survival" brings together seven designers to explore adaptation and transformation through works crafted from identical blocks of African black stone, and IKEA’s "Food for Thought" at Spazio Maiocchi explores the intersection of design, food, and community. Finally, DropCity 2026’s "Modes of Material Mediation" connects exhibition projects with permanent laboratories, making visible the tools and processes behind design production. Furthermore, PIU30 by Piuarch Studio celebrates its 30th anniversary with an exhibition reflecting on the evolution of its architectural practice and its contributions to the built environment.

Complementing the exhibitions, several must-attend events are planned. Ma Yansong, founder of MAD Architects, will deliver a public conversation titled "Architecture is Not Architecture" at Politecnico di Milano, discussing architecture as an emotional and cultural language deeply integrated with nature. Pritzker Prize laureate Francis Kéré will present his book, "Building Stories," at Politecnico di Milano, sharing insights into his sustainable and participatory design philosophy. Prada Frames, an annual symposium curated by Formafantasma, will host its fifth edition, "In Sight," at Santa Maria delle Grazie, focusing on image-making in cultural and political contexts. "The Meanwhile Club" by Park Associati at Park Hub offers a temporary club and listening room created from reused materials, highlighting the temporal nature of architecture. Finally, the launch of "BIG Atlas," the new monograph by Bjarke Ingels Group, will be celebrated at Alcova, transforming an industrial hangar into a club-like setting for its release, merging a book event with a temporary spatial installation.

Milan Design Week 2026 is more than an exhibition; it's a vibrant exploration of design's role in shaping our world. By foregrounding process, embracing collaboration, and challenging conventional boundaries, the event inspires us to view design not merely as an outcome, but as a continuous, evolving journey of creativity and innovation that positively impacts human experience and the environment.

The Sayuwon Park Visiting Center Gate, crafted by liveraniandrea, is a distinctive architectural element within the vast landscape of Sayuwon Park in Daegu, South Korea. Initiated in 2013 by Chairman Yoo Jaesung, this expansive park, which became accessible to the public in 2020, functions as a collaborative space where renowned architects, artists, and landscape designers are invited to integrate their creations seamlessly into the natural surroundings. Covering an impressive 330,000 square meters, the park promises an enriching three-hour exploration, featuring significant contributions from esteemed designers such as Alvaro Siza, Seung H-Sang, Wook Choi, Matsunobu Kawagishi, and landscape architect Jung Young-Sun.

Architectural Integration with Nature

The Sayuwon Park Visiting Center Gate exemplifies a thoughtful dialogue between contemporary architecture and the inherent beauty of the natural environment. Designed by liveraniandrea, the structure serves not merely as an entrance but as a symbolic threshold that prepares visitors for the immersive experience within the park. This architectural approach aligns with Chairman Yoo Jaesung's vision for Sayuwon Park, which from its inception in 2013, aimed to create a harmonious blend of human creativity and the unspoiled landscape. The gate's design reflects a deep respect for the surrounding topography and vegetation, using materials and forms that complement rather than overpower the natural setting.

Completed in 2025, the Sayuwon Park Visiting Center Gate is an integral part of a larger initiative to foster a unique cultural and natural sanctuary. The park, spanning an impressive 330,000 square meters, is a testament to the collaborative efforts of various acclaimed designers. The gate, while a singular structure, embodies the park's overarching philosophy of integrating artistic and architectural interventions with minimal disruption to the natural ecosystem. Its aesthetic and functional design guide visitors into a landscape where the works of luminaries like Alvaro Siza and Seung H-Sang merge with the serene environment, offering a profound appreciation for both natural and built forms.

A Curated Landscape of Design Excellence

Sayuwon Park distinguishes itself as a premier destination where architectural innovation meets meticulous landscape design, initiated by Chairman Yoo Jaesung in 2013. The park, which fully opened to the public in 2020, is a living canvas showcasing the collective genius of architects, artists, and landscapers who have contributed to its unique character. Beyond the liveraniandrea-designed gate, the park encompasses diverse structures and installations that reflect a global perspective on harmonizing built environments with nature. This curation of design excellence ensures that every corner of the park offers a distinct encounter with creativity, making it a significant cultural and recreational hub in Daegu.

Within its vast 330,000 square meters, Sayuwon Park offers an extensive and enriching journey through a landscape punctuated by significant architectural landmarks. Visitors can explore works by internationally recognized figures such as Alvaro Siza, known for his minimalist yet powerful forms, and Seung H-Sang (IROJE), whose designs often draw inspiration from traditional Korean aesthetics. Other notable contributions include projects by Wook Choi and Matsunobu Kawagishi, as well as the thoughtful landscape interventions by Jung Young-Sun. This diverse collection of designs, thoughtfully integrated throughout the park, creates a dynamic interplay between nature and human artistry, providing a comprehensive and inspiring experience that typically spans about three hours to fully appreciate.