The 9th edition of Isola Design Festival www.isola.design/milan-design-week-2025 organized by the digital and physical design platform Isola, will welcome visitors during Milan Design Week, from 7 to 13 April 2025.
Over the years, and more recently with the launch of its Dubai outpost, Isola has evolved into a global platform by staying true to its origins while embracing fresh perspectives in contemporary design. The 2025 edition pays tribute to these roots with the theme Design is Human, a powerful reflection on the role of people in the design process. Design should start at a human scale, ultimately enhancing the well-being of both people and the planet. Design is Human highlights the fusion of traditional mastery and digital innovation, reaffirming that human creativity remains at the core of meaningful design.
At Basicvillage
Bringing together international designers, studios, creators, and manufacturers, Isola Design Festival 2025 champions a humanity-driven approach to design, exploring themes like social impact, environmental responsibility, functiAs the district has expanded and evolved in recent years, alongside the heart of the neighborhood, a new venue, BasicVillage (Via dell’Aprica 12, Milan) has been added to the circuit, infusing the area with fresh creative energy. Originally built as a rubber factory, this early 20th-century complex is located in the Eastern industrial heart of Isola, near the former Farini railway depot.
onal design, locally sourced materials, and the fusion of digital and artisanal crafts – shaping a new, people-centered design movement.
Within its various spaces, Isola will cultivate an atmosphere of creativity and exchange. BasicVillage will be the centerpiece of the festival with three carefully curated collective exhibitions. Isola Studio’s team (consultancy lab of Isola Design Group) led by creative director Elif Resitoglu presents Conscious Objects, Isola Design Gallery, and Openspace, each highlighting innovative approaches to contemporary design. Conscious Objects is an exhibition that engages visitors through multiple senses—hearing, playing, touching, tasting, and interacting—sometimes even becoming part of the experience. Imagine a chair that works only when sitting together, objects that adapt to the user’s needs, or a table game with playing cards to taste. Showcasing visionary designers and innovators, the exhibition merges sustainability, functionality, and playfulness with digital, robotic, and human craftsmanship. Designed with a human-centric approach, each piece balances flexibility, experience, and technology while addressing environmental impact through innovative materials and ethical production. Visitors can also explore the creative and technical processes through screens displaying product insights, production footage, and interactive elements. Part of the exhibition set up will be realised with glass ceramics by Carro srl.
Isola Design Gallery
The 6th edition of Isola Design Gallery celebrates unique and handcrafted products, collectible design that tells a story, customizable pieces that grant an experience. Isola will transform the space into an immersive showcase of diverse lifestyles, bringing together designers from different backgrounds. The exhibition will feature a variety of setups, from futuristic living concepts to contemporary interiors, where each collectible piece interacts thoughtfully with the others. This dynamic display will highlight how diverse interiors can be designed to reflect different ways of living.
Openspace will be a dynamic hub dedicated to bespoke companies, brands, and startups across industries such as technology, eco-tech, material research, and digital manufacturing. Exhibitors will present cutting-edge products and services, offering visitors a glimpse into the future of design. The space will also serve as a platform for visitors, design enthusiasts, and participating talents to connect with industry leaders, explore potential collaborations, and gain valuable insights into new materials and processes that can shape their design journey. A talk and workshop area will be part of the show with designer seating by HeFlies srl.
- Participating designers and design studios include the following: Forge Mobili, Lux Temporis, Mosh x CabinetOseo, Murals Wallcoverings, Studio Shablool, Thayra Correia, Youssef El Hadi Studios.
Within BasicVillage’s exhibitions, Isola will introduce a unique olfactory identity with three exclusive fragrances by Narici, an Italian perfume startup by Alessandro Commisso. Each scent, crafted with Italian farms and distilleries, revolves around a rare natural ingredient.
Adding to the richness of the event, returning and new partners will come together at the BasicVillage, combining their diverse expertise:
- The second edition of ENHANCE curated by Juan Torres for DesignWanted presents design as a catalyst for change and aligns with the seven Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) identified by World Design Organization members as particularly relevant to the industrial design community. The exhibition challenges the conventional boundaries of design, offering an experience that highlights design’s potential to reshape society. The showcase invites visitors into a curated exploration of projects that transform deep research into tangible, meaningful solutions.
- Participants are: Bundle Studio, Debonademeo x CHROMA COMPOSITES, Emeline Ong, Home by Zeo, Monostudio Associati, Shellf Life, Studio Basse Stittgen, Studio Joshua Klappe, Wah.
- Following the Dubai ceremony in November 2024, Isola Design Awards Winners’ Showcase brings to Milan its 10 outstanding 2024 winners. Isola is also gearing up to launch the open call for the 5th edition with an official kickoff event during Isola Design Festival. The digital contest continues to inspire and encourage designers to push the boundaries of their craft. 10 are the categories: Furniture, Seating, Lighting, Tableware, Textile, Product, Material, Sustainability, Outdoor, and Innovation.
- Participants are: Alonso Hernández, Deft Studios, House Of Piranesi, Jehnna Yang, Luca Maibach, Manuela Bucci / Missbucci, Moritz Scheffer / Luis Somasundaram, Nella Figueroa, Parali By Aarushi, Rosana Sousa.
- IAAD., Accademia Italiana, and SAE Institute present Bravery Bar, an in-depth cultural and educational event designed through a joint project by 21 design schools. This new chapter BE AWARE is an initiative in inclusive design that pushes the boundaries of creativity. Sponsored by the Italian Paralympic Committee and curated by Danilo Ragona, the event features workshops set against the backdrop of the “Truly Design” exhibition, bringing together emerging designers and companies to develop innovative solutions in design and sports.
- Within its showroom inside BasicVillage, Very Simple: Kitchen presents the collaboration with Studio Proba: an unprecedented reinterpretation of the iconic modular steel kitchens signed by designer and artist Alex Proba. An explosion of creativity and a symphony of colours come together to create sculptural elements that complement and envelop the brand’s distinctive lines.
- SuperForma’s additive manufacturing customizes the BasicVillage bar counter with 3D-printed elements made from recycled PLA. Collected since 2020 through a network of partners, the material will be reclaimed at the end of the event and reintegrated into the production cycle. This modular installation showcases how design can truly achieve zero impact.
The district venues on foot
Showcasing how design is deeply rooted in human stories, heritage, and hands-on creativity, Isola Design Festival will transform the entire Isola neighborhood during Milan Design Week 2025 into the epicenter of exhibitions, installations, lively events, workshops, live demonstrations, and design talks. The focus shifts back to the humans, including those of the neighborhood whose identity and craftsmanship not only shaped the festival’s early editions but also keeps the district’s creative spirit alive throughout the year.
Starting from Via Farini, Isola Studio presents Rasa – The Indian Collective at VIAFARINI (Via Carlo Farini 35), curated by Nidhi Chandak and Varun E S, part of Isola Studio’s team based in India. The exhibition celebrates India’s rich craftsmanship, reinterpreted through the lens of contemporary design. Rasa (रस), a Sanskrit word, refers to the emotional experience evoked by creative expression. True to its name, the exhibition is an invitation to discover how design goes beyond mere aesthetics, becoming an emotional journey through artisans’ narratives, cultural continuity, and innovation. Featuring hand-blown glass, marble, textiles, terrazzo made from construction waste, sandstone, woven bamboo, and woodwork, the exhibition presents pieces by more than 15 Indian designers and design studios that bridge tradition and modernity, celebrating the artistry and skill of Indian makers. Nouz3D, a large-format 3D printing company from India, will manufacture the plinths and pedestals.
Strolling through Isola’s neighborhood, from Via Luigi Porro Lambertenghi to Via Confalonieri and Via Cola Montano, visitors will encounter guest exhibitions and interactive venues throughout its main streets:
- CONNECTED BY DESIGN, INSPIRED BY BEAUTY – La Vie En Gloss at BAM – Biblioteca degli Alberi (Via Gaetano de Castilla 28). Kérastase, with Gloss Absolu, presents an iconic installation that combines beauty, innovation, and sustainability. A contemporary greenhouse will serve as the backdrop for events, talks, and performances. Created by the agency LiveZone, the installation “La Vie en Gloss” will come to life through augmented reality: a digital filter will transform the floral setting into an immersive experience of lights and colors, blending the physical and virtual worlds.
- Cross pollination by Pforzheim University: BA and MA Jewellery, MA Design & Future Making (via Cola Montano 1). An exhibition exploring diversity as a catalyst for evolution in nature. It examines the interplay of memories and materiality, cultures and form, glass and other materials, as well as the fusion of technologies. A dialogue between past and future, tradition and innovation, shaping a new perspective on design and transformation.
- Deus Ex Machina: an ode to MDF by Arno Hoogland (via Luigi Porro Lambertenghi 3). MDF is often dismissed as one of the least sustainable and least attractive materials in interior design. Arno discovered a unique software that allows his CNC milling machine to “dance” with the material, creating unpredictable, organic forms through an interactive dialogue between designer and machine. Moreover the immersive installation “Temple of the Future”, built on-site from CNC-milled components, blurs the boundaries between craftsmanship, technology, and speculative design.
- NEW NORMAL 5 – Japanese Maison at Zetalab (Via Cola Montano 2). NEW NORMAL is a Japanese design project focused on “Designs for the new normal in family businesses.” By collaborating with company managers who are taking over family businesses and working alongside designers, they are developing products that will inspire new initiatives.
- SEKISUI: Beyond Smart Life & Mobility (Via Luigi Porro Lambertenghi 6 – Galleria Bonelli & Candy Snake Gallery). Manufacturing brand SEKISUI introduces a vision where intelligent design seamlessly integrates into everyday life, creating adaptive spaces that respond intuitively to human needs. At the core of this experience is the fusion of living and mobility spaces, a concept inspired by innovations in the automotive sector. By transferring advanced mobility technologies into architectural and interior design, SEKISUI crafts dynamic spaces that transform fluidly, enhancing both productivity and relaxation.
- THE PINK CLOUD: Coffee, Cookies & Debate by Social Label (Via Confalonieri 11). Pink walls and an installation designed by Studio Boot in collaboration with Isola Studio will serve as a space for informal gatherings to discuss collaborations with companies, governments, and designers in the field of applied arts across Europe.
- WORTH at ZonaK (Via Spalato 11) will showcase projects developed within its incubator programme dedicated to promoting transnational collaborations between designers, creatives, manufacturing companies (SMEs) and technology companies.
Studios, workshops and galleries
Moreover several studios, workshops and galleries located in the district will open their doors to visitors:
RivaViva (Via Luigi Porro Lambertenghi 18). All the Lives of Wood showcases the results of a design contest in collaboration with Legambiente, featuring works by second-year students from IED Rome. The exhibition reaffirms a commitment to nurturing young talent and fostering a responsible approach to contemporary design.
[1+2=8] (Via Thaon de Revel 10). Designer Andrea Barra presents Basi, a refined collection of materials and colors for a wireless QI charging base. Made from ceramic, marble, quartz, cement, wood, and Corian, each piece blends functionality with a rich tactile and visual experience.
Algranti Lab (Via Pastrengo 23). Craftsman Pietro Algranti invites visitors to explore material reuse with “Piantar Chiodini – Crafting Show” between wood, iron, salvaged copper, tools and handswork.
Angelo della Pergola1 (Via Angelo della Pergola 1). The exhibition Hommage marks the 8th participation in Isola Design Festival. Artist Myriam Kuehne Rauner showcases sculptural pieces at the intersection of art and design.
artetica (Via Guglielmo Pepe 20). A creative space promoting sustainable and artistic approaches to design.
Brussels House (Via Gaetano de Castillia 23). MAD Brussels and hub.brussels present (UN)WRAPPED, an exhibition exploring the act of unveiling. Draped fabric creates an atmospheric backdrop that enhances the structure and craftsmanship of contemporary design pieces.
Ceramica Ostile (Via Borsieri 41). The space will showcase works by ceramic artists such as Caterina Maria Amato and Carlotta Nebuloni, offering visitors the chance to witness live craftsmanship throughout the day. On select evenings, themed workshops will invite participants to create their own pieces.
ErnestoShop (Via Antonio Pollaiuolo 3). Tucked inside Frida bar’s courtyard, this concept store, founded in 2017, offers a curated selection of contemporary craftsmanship, blending Italian quality with European innovation and sustainability-driven design.
Fondazione TOG (Via Livigno 1). TOG Foundation transforms its Center into a hub for inclusive design, hosting exhibitions, workshops, and discussions that highlight co-design as a driver of innovation and beauty, with a focus on improving life for children and young people with disabilities.
Moon Rabbit Lab (Piazza Tito Minniti 1). In collaboration with Framas and Balena, FootLoop explores the future of sustainable, circular footwear. Two immersive pathways illustrate a shoe’s lifecycle, culminating in a modular, evolving installation.
Quadruslight (Via Angelo della Pergola 11). Queenlight presents backlit artworks where painting, photography, and digital art merge with interior spaces, transforming walls and ceilings into dynamic, atmospheric installations.
