Courmayeur Design Week-end, the event that conquers Mont Blanc with architecture and design, returns February 9-12, 2023
The countdown has begun for the third edition of Courmayeur Design Week-end, the event that will bring the best of Italian and international design to the foot and summit of Mont Blanc from February 9 to 12, 2023.
In Courmayeur, design like you’ve never seen before
The event will see the participation of distinguished representatives from the industry, Italian and international design brands, a series of installations, exhibitions, and a packed program of meetings and special events. For the third edition, Courmayeur’s Dolonne gondola will be transformed into a suspended design gallery. In fact, the event’s partner companies will customize each cabin with products and virtual content accessible via QR codes telling their story.
Design hunt
On the other hand, ski slopes will become the stage for a fun treasure hunt. Marker discs at the edge of the slope will open the door to augmented reality experiences, developed with technical advice from startup D.O.S. Design Open Spaces. Visitors will only need to scan the QR code to access Instagram and take photos of themselves next to products such as armchairs, chairs or lamps.
Courmayeur Design Week-end is an event organized by Studio Coronel in partnership with Courmayeur Mont Blanc, under the patronage of ADI – Associazione per il Disegno Industriale, Fondazione Altagamma, with the collaboration of Courmayeur Mont Blanc Funivie and Skyway Mont Blanc. This year’s theme is verso(la)meta: a playful breakdown of the word “metaverso”, “metaverse”, inviting us to investigate today’s virtual world without losing touch with reality.
Exhibitions and installations at high altitude
The four-day event will be enriched by exhibitions, debates and installations by renowned architectural firms. The windows of the boutiques in downtown Courmayeur will host a selection of design objects chosen by architect Giulio Cappellini, awarded the Compasso d’Oro for lifetime achievement in 2022, in collaboration with architect and designer Ilaria Marelli. On the other hand, the installations are curated by five leading architectural firms: 967arch, GBPA Architects, Giuseppe Tortato Architetti, Park Associati & Piuarch, and Progetto CMR.
There will also be a space dedicated to photography, thanks to the collaboration with Fondazione 3M, which, after Paris and Milan, will bring to Courmayeur the group exhibition “Il rigore dello sguardo”, featuring black and white and color works by artists from different periods, including Gabriele Basilico, Gianni Berengo Gardin, Piergiorgio Branzi, Franco Fontana.
Conferences, meetings and debates
The edition of Courmayeur Design Week-end will see architect Piero Lissoni as a speaker, who will hold, after Michele De Lucchi in 2020 and Carlo Ratti in 2022, the “on top” conference at the summit of Skyway Monte Bianco scheduled for Friday, February 10, at 6:30 pm. Design TED, the meeting dedicated to enthusiasts and insiders with Giorgio Tartaro, will be held on Thursday, February 9, from 5:30 pm. Finally, on Saturday 11, the talk “Architetti a confronto” will foster the dialogue between the designers of the installations of this edition of Courmayeur Design Week-end.
A ski competition for architects and designers
While the main feature of Courmayeur Design Week-end remains the ability to create and nurture relationships, there will be lighthearted and fun moments as well. One above all, the traditional skiCAD, a ski and snowboard competition for architects, designers, journalists and companies in the industry. It is scheduled for Friday at 10 a.m. at Plan Checrouit. The prizes are kindly provided by participating design companies, while this year’s (collectible) trophies have been designed by Progetto CMR.
Partner brands of Courmayeur Design Week-end 2023
The event’s partner companies include historic Italian and international design brands, as well as younger companies and startups: 3M, Alessi, ALPI, Boffi|De Padova, Cardex; Catelier, Deles Group, Delta Light, Dixpari; Dolomitisch, Eco Contract, Jannelli&Volpi, JANUS et Cie, Kartell. Kindof, Les Bois du Mont Blanc, Signature Kitchen Suite, Living Divani, Lualdi, MillerKnoll. But also Poltrona Frau, Slalom acoustic & partition systems, Steeles, Vetreria Re, WOOD—SKIN.
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