Next Place Hotel is not a hotel – at least, not yet. But it is the perfect place to understand where we’re headed. And during Milan Design Week that future is wide open and ready to be explored
April 7–13, 2025, via Savona 35. For the first time, the entire world of hospitality – a strategic sector of the Italian economy and a driving force of global innovation – takes center stage at Milan Design Week. And it does so with the boldness of those who don’t just exist but choose to radically transform. Next Place Hotel is the heart of this revolution: not just an installation, but a true experiential lab where the hospitality of the future is imagined – and lived.
Organized by Medelhan and The Playful Living, the project is a tribute to creative cross-pollination between design, technology, hospitality culture, and strategic vision. In a time when the boundaries between home, work, travel, and leisure are increasingly blurred, Next Place Hotel takes a stand and proposes a new paradigm – where space is no longer just something to inhabit, but something to interpret, share, and evolve.
Giulio Cappellini, undisputed master of contemporary design, leads the artistic direction, crafting a multisensory journey where aesthetics and functionality coexist in perfect harmony. Every room is a statement of intent; every detail tells the story of a possible future.
But Next Place Hotel is also a stage for ideas. The program is rich and international in scope: names like Pininfarina, Hilton, Marriott International, Minor Hotels, Arsenale Group, Stefano Boeri Architetti, OBMI, VDA Telkonet, Technogym, and more will lead exclusive talks on the most pressing topics in the industry – sustainability, digitalization, wellness, identity, and vision.
And then there are the experiences you don’t expect – like Enchanting Transitions, the installation by Los Angeles designer César Giraldo, which explores the ethereal dimension of wellness through materials, light, and storytelling. Or the Michelin-starred dinner by Enrico Bartolini, a celebration of Italian excellence that goes beyond taste to touch the heart of the art of hospitality.
In short, Next Place Hotel is much more than a location. It’s a new idea of hospitality, a challenge to the present, a window wide open onto what we could – and should – become.
An Immersive Hub, a Multisensory Experience
We’re in Milan, at Via Savona 35, inside the Officina Fiorentini, a 700-square-meter industrial space that evokes movement, creative energy, and transformation even in its name. It’s here that this new concept takes shape: a non-hotel that is at once showroom, installation, living room, laboratory, and meeting point for architects, interior designers, global brands, developers, investors, and enthusiasts. But take note: Next Place Hotel isn’t just for industry insiders. It’s a clear and powerful message that crosses disciplines, cultures, and perspectives, carrying a deeply inclusive value. Because talking about hospitality today means talking about how we want to live together tomorrow.
At the helm of the artistic direction is Giulio Cappellini, a true icon of contemporary design, bringing his trademark expertise. The result? A perfect balance between beauty and purpose, where every element tells a story and every space is designed to engage all the senses.
The experience begins with a 13-meter Urban Garden, designed by Centro Giardinaggio San Fruttuoso, welcoming visitors into a true city oasis—symbolic of the new role of greenery in hospitality. From here, guests enter the Lounge—refined and enveloping—where luxurious materials, bold colors, and design pieces by brands like Estel, Ton, Dieffebi, Olmar, Presotto, IconeLuce, Arte Linea, and Fromm create an aesthetic that is both sophisticated and warm.
At the center, the Courtyard becomes a dynamic open-air lounge, a gathering spot for informal chats, business meetings, and moments of relaxation. The bar, immersive lounges, green areas, and scenic lighting by IconeLuce and Canon give life to a welcoming and vibrant atmosphere.
A few steps further, beyond 18-meter curtains, lies the Wellness Area, designed as a rejuvenating retreat. Here, design meets function with innovations by Technogym, Ravak, Canon, Flaminia, Olmar, and more. Walls and floors by Stile immerse visitors in the experience, while Canon once again turns technology into art with luminous digital paintings integrated into the space.
Even the most “technical” elements, like fire extinguishers, become design objects thanks to Xfires. Nothing is left to chance: every element is part of a cohesive narrative about aesthetics, comfort, sustainability, and identity.
A Whimsical Journey by César Giraldo
Upstairs, the tone shifts. Los Angeles-based designer César Giraldo presents Enchanted Transitions, an installation blending scenography and interior design into a unique sensory experience. Textures, colors, surfaces, and lighting merge in a perfect balance between form and function. Innovative surfaces by Cosentino, refined details by Grohe SPA, ceramics by INAX, accessories by Hering Berlin, and ultra-comfortable seating by Vetsak create an environment where visitors naturally transition from work to relaxation, from shared spaces to intimacy.
Giraldo doesn’t just propose an installation – he invites visitors on a journey. A call to rethink the environments we live and stay in, where every detail is designed to foster physical and mental wellness, beauty, and genuine connection with others.
An International-Standard Program
On the schedule is a rich lineup of talks and events featuring leading voices from the global stage. Guests include Pininfarina, Hilton, Marriott International, Minor Hotels, Arsenale Group, Stefano Boeri Architetti, OBMI, VDA Telkonet, Technogym, and many more. A unique opportunity to explore the major challenges of contemporary hospitality—from business models to sustainability, from digitalization to the centrality of human experience.
Moments of inspiration, yes – but also of tangible impact. Because here, ideas are discussed, designed, and built – for 2026 and beyond.
Hospitality is Also the Art of Hosting
And what would hospitality be without gastronomy? Here too, Next Place Hotel does not disappoint. The culinary experience is curated by Enrico Bartolini, a multi-starred chef and one of the greatest interpreters of contemporary Italian cuisine. A signature dinner celebrating not just flavor, but also the deep value of hospitality as an artistic and cultural gesture.
For those looking for more informal moments, there’s the Next Place Café: a temporary bar nestled in greenery, perfect for a relaxing break, a meeting among colleagues, or simply enjoying a coffee surrounded by beauty.
Finally, Wednesday night becomes a party: DesigNight returns – the most anticipated event of Design Week – featuring cocktails, music, and unforgettable encounters.
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