All about Brera Design Week 2026

For Fuorisalone 2026, Brera Design District presents the 17th edition of Brera Design Week. The district confirms its established presence with 217 permanent showrooms, including 9 new openings, alongside more than 190 temporary exhibitors, for a program featuring over 300 initiatives. Among the new features of 2026 is the debut of Fuorisalone Passport, the digital platform developed by Studiolabo which, through a single registration and a personal QR Code, allows visitors to access a selection of Brera Design Week events more easily, making the visiting experience smoother and more interactive. The district’s visual identity is signed by Milan-based illustrator Chiara Ghigliazza, who portrays the city from the perspective of the tram—an iconic symbol of Milan and a privileged vantage point on urban life. This year, Brera Design Week revolves around the theme “Essere Progetto”, interpreted by showrooms, companies, designers and cultural institutions through installations, exhibitions and events, further reinforcing Brera’s role as one of the main hubs of Fuorisalone.

Among the projects, Stark presents Albori, an installation that interprets the theme “Essere Progetto” by staging the creative process as a journey: from listening to the stimuli that surround us, to the moment when the idea emerges, and finally to composition, when form becomes clear and turns into space. At Castello Sforzesco, visitors are guided through three phases of the design process—listening, intuition and composition—through sound, light and matter.

The Main Sponsor of Brera Design Week is Valcucine, a leading company for architects worldwide in the high-end kitchen sector. For over forty years Valcucine has distinguished itself by prioritizing wellbeing, innovation, sustainability and timeless durability.

Grand Seiko is the Official Timekeeper of the event: a partnership that began in 2023 and will continue until 2028 as part of a communication strategy aimed at conveying the brand’s values and its strong connection with the world of design to the international audience attending the event.

This year’s highlights include:

Valcucine presenta CRAFTING FORWARD, Rooted in craftsmanship, driven by experimentation, defined by innovation
A project exploring the meeting point between industrial innovation and contemporary craftsmanship, where customization, applied intelligence and design culture transform know-how into a system, shaping a new idea of the kitchen as an evolved ecosystem. The interior, curated by Zanellato/Bortotto, translates the concept into a spatial and material narrative through surfaces, craftsmanship and the relationship between matter and light.
Valcucine Milano Brera, Corso Giuseppe Garibaldi, 99

Grand Seiko + Atsushi Shindo, Shingo Abe, Takakuni Kawahara presentano “The Nature of Time”
At Milan Design Week 2026, Grand Seiko presents a series of installations inspired by its philosophy “The Nature of Time.” The exhibition explores the deep connection between time and nature in Japanese culture—reflected in the craftsmanship and design excellence of Grand Seiko watches—through a project created in collaboration with three Japanese artists.
Grand Seiko, ℅ Galleria Il Castello - Via Brera, 16


Courtesy of glo

glo™ presents glo for art 2026
glo returns to Palazzo Moscova with an installation by Numero Cromatico. At its center stands a large interactive portal—a bright orange circle symbolizing connection and belonging—inviting visitors to build a universe where space is not merely observed but inhabited. Light, color, sound, words, touch and scent create an evolving landscape where every gesture generates the artwork. With glo Hilo and Hilo Plus devices, technology becomes a poetic presence, bridging creativity and innovation.
glo for art, ℅ Palazzo Moscova, Via Moscova, 18


Courtesy of Casa Brera

Casa Brera, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Milan and Margherita Maccapani Missoni
The Luxury Collection and Margherita Maccapani Missoni present an exclusive partnership with a pop-up store in the Living dehors of Casa Brera, overlooking Piazzetta Bossi. This immersive showcase combines contemporary creativity and Italian heritage: handcrafted objects, iconic pieces signed by Maccapani and a limited edition of co-branded products narrate the timeless elegance of Casa Brera and the renowned Italian portfolio of The Luxury Collection. 
Casa Brera, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Milan - Piazzetta M. Bossi, n.2

Veuve Clicquot + Yinka Ilori presentano Chasing the Sun
Veuve Clicquot presents Chasing the Sun, a celebration of joy and optimism through an immersive installation by artist Yinka Ilori, known as the “Architect of Joy”: a journey toward the sun.The experience continues at the Clicquot Café, where visitors can enjoy the Maison’s art de vivre and iconic cuvées paired with an all-day menu, as well as the Clicquot Boutique, offering the exclusive Yinka Ilori collection and unique accessories.
Veuve Clicquot, ℅ Mediateca Santa Teresa - Via della Moscova, 28

Arpa® + FENIX®,  Formica®,  Getacore®,  Homapal® presentano ArchiThoughts-ArchiTouchs
Arpa®, together with Broadview Materials brands FENIX®, Formica®, Homapal® and Getacore®, presents the preview of ArchiThoughts – ArchiTouchs, the third chapter of the exhibition project curated by Federica Sala, hosted at FENIX Scenario during Milan Design Week 2026. The exhibition involves six international architecture studios—Marion Mailander, Parasite 2.0, RedDuo Studio, STORAGEMILANO, Studio GGSV and ZIMMER—in a setup designed by architecture studio (AB)NORMAL.
Arpa, ℅ FENIX® Scenario, Via Quintino Sella 1, angolo Foro Buonaparte

Nardi + Celeste Italia,  STUDIO PISK present Textile architectures in dialogue with light
Lumière: textile architectures that capture light and redesign the modular sofa MAXIMO. At Fuorisalone 2026, Nardi presents Lumière, a capsule collection of upholstered pieces that wraps MAXIMO in a new sensory experience. Brise Soleil and Modulaire, fabrics designed by Studio Pisk and developed by Celeste Italia, interact as living surfaces balancing emotion, matter, light and comfort.
Nardi Showroom Milano, Via Pontaccio, 19

Materia 2.0 celebrates 10 years of moodboard, Moodboard as a Design act
Materia 2.0 celebrates ten years of moodboards: not simple inspirational compositions but tools that transform visions into projects. Within Italy’s most comprehensive materials encyclopedia, a new installation enriched with additional product categories expands possibilities for professionals. A selection of tactile moodboards recounts a decade of research among materials, textures and colors, culminating in a photographic book dedicated to the culture of materials.
Materia 2.0, Via Marco Polo, 9

SKS + LG Electronics Italia presents Feeding the Future 
High-end built-in appliance brands SKS and LG Built-in reflect on the role of innovation within the food value chain, in the year LG celebrates the 30th anniversary of its arrival in Italy. The interactive path unfolds inside the scenic showroom, where visitors discover how domestic technologies and AI can support more conscious food consumption and contribute to building a more sustainable future.
SKS showroom, Via Manzoni, 47

American Express + Sara Ricciardi Studio present Serotonin – the chemistry of happiness
In the evocative Loggiato of the Pinacoteca di Brera, American Express presents Serotonin – the chemistry of happiness, the immersive installation by Sara Ricciardi.
Open to the public, the work explores the universal link between beauty and happiness, translating the scientific concept of the “happiness hormone” into a visual and sensory experience where inflatable forms gently expand and contract around visitors.
American Express Living, ℅ Palazzo Brera - Via Brera, 28

SieMatic presenta Colourful Tomorrow. The Architecture of Perception
Inside the house-museum of artist Renzo Bongiovanni Radice, in the heart of Brera, SieMatic celebrates the kitchen as a space of identity, creativity and inspiration.
Visitors experience scenographic environments where the four SieMatic styles—Pure, Urban, Classic and Mondial—interact and merge, opening new design possibilities and countless customizations.
Siematic, ℅ Fondazione Adolfo Pini – Corso Garibaldi, 2

Solferino28 e Mario Cucinella Architects present “La città delle Idee”
To celebrate the 150th anniversary of Corriere della Sera, Solferino 28 and Mario Cucinella Architects present La città delle Idee. An architectural volume made from modular 3D-printed blocks dematerializes by reversing solids and voids, creating a collective space. The simple, modular units allow assembly and reuse, opening corridors of social interaction within urban density. The installation also transforms the internal courtyard into an open arena for dialogue and sharing.
Solferino 28 – Corriere della Sera, Living, Abitare, Via Solferino, 26

Florim presenta PIAZZA CASTELLO Milano gentile
For Milan Design Week 2026, Florim presents a project celebrating its presence in the historic center of Milan. The “gentleness” of the city—understood as balance, measure and urban continuity—becomes a design language where surfaces act as expressive tools. To bring this narrative to life, Florim collaborated with internationally renowned designers Nicola Gallizia and Matteo Thun.
Florim Flagship Store, Foro Buonaparte, 14

Arts & Crafts & Design
Arts & Crafts & Design is a new collaborative showcase bringing together four leading players from Milan’s craft and design scene: Fondazione Cologni dei Mestieri d’Arte with Living Corriere della Sera, the Michelangelo Foundation for Creativity & Craftsmanship with Homo Faber Fellowship, Serapian with The Secrets of Mestieri D’Arte, and Creative Academy with Treasure Island. Hosted at Casa degli Artisti, this collective initiative contributes to the broader reflection and dialogue of Milan Design Week.
Doppia Firma, Homo Faber Fellowship, Serapian, Creative Academy, ℅ Casa degli Artisti, Via Tommaso da Cazzaniga, angolo, Corso Garibaldi, 89/A


Courtesy of GROHE

GROHE presenta GROHE SPA Aqua Sanctuary
For the first time, GROHE takes over Piccolo Teatro Studio Melato with GROHE SPA Aqua Sanctuary—a place where time slows down, the senses awaken and body and mind find perfect harmony. A sensory journey inspired by GROHE SPA’s philosophy: “Wellbeing through Water.”
Grohe, ℅ Piccolo Teatro Studio Melato – Via Rivoli, 6


Courtesy of Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation

Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation presents When Apricots Blossom
The Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation (ACDF) presents an immersive exhibition at the historic Palazzo Citterio in Brera, a journey that explores Uzbek craftsmanship alongside the culture and ecology of the Aral Sea region. Conceived and promoted by Gayane Umerova, President of ACDF, and curated by architect Kulapat Yantrasast, the exhibition showcases new works by 12 designers, including Bethan Laura Wood (UK), Bobir Klichev (Uzbekistan), Didi NG Wing Yin (Finland, Hong Kong), Fernando Laposse (Mexico), Glithero (Netherlands, UK), Kulapat Yantrasast (Thailand, USA), Marcin Rusak (Poland), Nifemi Marcus-Bello (Nigeria), Sanne Visser (Netherlands, USA), Sevara Haydarova Donazzan (Uzbekistan, Italy), Studio CoPain (Belgium), and Raw-Edges (UK).
Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation, ℅ Palazzo Citterio, Via Brera, 12

Confirming the district’s international vocation, numerous brands and institutions have chosen the Brera Design District to present projects, installations and events during the week. Among the most significant participants are American Express, Grohe, De’Longhi, Moncler, Veuve Clicquot, Yamaha and Grand Seiko, alongside furniture and materials brands such as Molteni&C, Margraf, Walter Knoll, Siematic, Provasi, Rosenthal and Schönbuch. They are joined by important international cultural and institutional platforms including DesignSingapore Council, Barcelona Creativity & Design Foundation, Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia and the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation, highlighting an increasingly global dialogue between design, art and culture.

Brera Design Week 2026 also features the involvement of some of the most influential figures on the contemporary design scene. Among the protagonists are Patricia Urquiola, Piero Lissoni, Konstantin Grcic, Jaime Hayon, Vincent Van Duysen and David Chipperfield, alongside designers and studios such as Yinka Ilori, Draga & Aurel, Sara Ricciardi Studio, Zanellato/Bortotto, Parasite 2.0, STORAGEMILANO and Studio GGSV, helping shape a program that weaves together design research, experimentation and interdisciplinary exchange.

Further reinforcing the district’s vitality, nine new furniture design brands have chosen Brera to inaugurate their showrooms, including Alea, Casamance, CPRN, Dalfilo and Annabel Karim Kassar, confirming the neighborhood’s appeal as a stable platform for international design.

Finally, more than one hundred permanent showrooms are taking part in the event with projects, installations and special initiatives. These include leading brands such as Agape, Arpa®, Molteni&C, Flexform, Lualdi, Valcucine, Florim, Kerakoll, Marsotto, Porcelanosa and Visionnaire, once again transforming the Brera Design District into one of the most dynamic and widely distributed hubs of Milan Design Week.