MILAN — Salone del Mobile.Milano’s organizers have been on a focused trajectory since the easing of the COVID-19 pandemic, opening new avenues of growth for the fair and its exhibitors. This year’s event will be no different.
At a press conference in Milan on Thursday, its president unveiled two new key initiatives dedicated to contract and hospitality. The 64th edition of the fair will open its doors at FieraMilano Rho trade grounds on April 21 and run until April 26 and will include two biennials — kitchen expo Euro Cucina and the International Bathroom Exhibition — as well as breakout designer debuts at the annual Salone Satellite curation.
The first new initiative is a narrative installation in the form of an imaginary hotel that is intended to showcase new possibilities for luxury hospitality decor. The project has been conceived by Maison Numéro 20, the Parisian agency founded by Oscar Lucien Ono, a designer known for embracing Art Deco style who is considered a master of haute couture decoration.
Dubbed “Aurea, an Architectural Fiction,” the installation will unfold in Pavilions 13-15 at the head of the fair.
The name Aurea recalls the Latin term “aureus” which means golden, brilliant and also refers to the golden ratio, the mathematical concept and symbol of harmony and visual completeness.
“Inside, the visitor becomes a traveler in this dreamlike hotel,” Ono explained at the conference at Milan’s Triennale museum, showcasing renderings of the different realms that include palatial suites and a smoking lounge.
“Aurea, an Architectural Fiction” by Maison Numéro 20.
Maison Numéro 20
Salone del Mobile.Milano’s president Maria Porro underscored the importance of integrated architecture of content and exhibition itineraries, announcing the debut of Salone Contract in 2027. The master plan of the project has been entrusted to Rem Koolhaas and David Gianotten of international architecture and urbanism firm OMA.
“This is a public experiment that touches hospitality and urban development,” Porro said in a conversation with Gianotten, who explained that Salone Contract is a way to intertwine a variety of voices and creatives for projects worldwide.
Starting in September 2026, the project will continue with an international tour of key markets, gradually building an international audience. In 2027, Salone Contract will be present as a structured, non-generalist exhibition, with companies selected for their design quality, industrial capacity and operational reliability.
Contract business has become a main driver of the interiors sector in recent times.
According to a report published by Market Reports World, a research firm that provides industry reports, trends and forecasts, the surge in global urbanization has resulted in 94 million new housing units delivered across developing nations from 2022 to 2024, spiking the need for interior design services tied to new builds. In major cities, new residential developments accounted for 65 percent of professional interior design service use, the report said.
Salone del Mobile.Milano said that revenues generated by its exhibitors amounted to 69.85 billion euros, of which 20.34 billion euros is generated by exhibitors from outside of Italy.
A rendering of Salone Raritas designed by Milan and Rotterdam, Netherlands-based design studio Formafantasma.
Courtesy of Formafantasma
In November, Salone del Mobile.Milano also revealed another initiative that will facilitate interaction between the worlds of collectible design and hospitality.
A new exhibition space called Salone Raritas will be dedicated to rare objects of design and will take center stage.
The space will be curated by the fair’s cultural events adviser Annalisa Rosso and designed by Milan and Rotterdam, Netherlands-based design studio Formafantasma and will include limited editions of design antiques and fine craftsmanship.
“It’s a place for galleries of excellence and the international design supply chain — architects, interior designers, developers, hospitality and contract professionals,” the organization said in a statement, underscoring its efforts to bridge the gap between Italian producers and the B2B contemporary design market, as well as the residential and hospitality sectors in need of hallmark pieces. Dutch-New Zealander designer Sabine Marcelis will devise a special project that condenses light, matter and perception into a precise gesture, envisaged to leave a lasting impression.
Sabine Marcelis
Courtesy of The Lake Como Edition