From 17–23 April, Capsule Plaza opens its doors at Spazio Maiocchi—a hybrid between a fair and a collective exhibition, bringing together designers and companies from various creative fields.

The inaugural edition of Capsule Plaza will be held in Milan—celebrating the city’s enduring status as a design capital, Salone del Mobile as a landmark on the global calendar, and Spazio Maiocchi as a bonafide design week destination.

The exhibition's diverse lineup includes installations by Byredo Bal d’Afrique, Snarkitecture for Gufram, Sabine Marcelis for La Prairie, Armature Globale for On, Formafantasma for Tacchini, and Panter & Tourron for XL Extralight.

The installations will be accompanied by a robust program of talks, presentations, and workshops tapping into a wide range of creators—including Willo Perron, Devon Turnbull, Harry Nuriev, Snowcrash, Sucuk&Bratwurst, and Ali Shah Gallefoss—and realized with the collaboration of partners such as Poltrona Frau, Mutina, USM Haller, Flos, Kvadrat, ALPI Wood, Paulin Paulin Paulin, New Tendency, Grau, Syng, Offecct, Numeroventi, and Slam Jam.

Capsule Plaza is an initiative curated by Capsule’s creative director Alessio Ascari with Paul Cournet, founder of Rotterdam-based research and design studio CLOUD, who is also responsible for the design of the public areas. The visual identity is created by Swiss art direction studio Kasper-Florio.

TACCHINI
FLOCK
by Formafantasma

Tacchini teams up once again with Milan- and Rotterdam-based duo Formafantasma on a journey of sustainability. The project introduces a new, nature-based manufacturing process focusing on the circularity of materials. The upholstered seating of four iconic Tacchini designs—Le Mura, Costela, Five to Nine, and Lina—is reworked from the inside out, through a technique inspired by antique mattress production which replaces industrial foam with surplus sheep wool. The exhibition reveals the research conducted by Tacchini and Formfantasma to ensure comfort and respect of the original designs, while spearheading a new mode of fabrication that reflects contemporary environmental concerns.

18–23 April 10am-8pm
Via Achille Maiocchi 7

SNOWCRASH
1997–2003

“Snowcrash” started as an exhibition organized by a group of young Finnish designers—Teppo Asikainen, Timo Salli, Ilkka Suppanen, and Ilkka Terho—during Salone del Mobile, Milan, in 1997. Breaking with the conventional image of Scandinavian design, the group employed lightweight materials such as nylon fabric and integrated their furniture with high-tech features, creating revolutionary products for a new breed of nomadic cybersurfers. Shortly after the breakout exhibition, the collective went corporate and Snowcrash was officially announced as a company. However, it was a short-lived experience. Day-to-day operations were shut down in 2003, and Snowcrash gradually turned into a folk tale within the international design community.

Design partner: Offecct

18–23 April 10am-8pm
Via Achille Maiocchi 7

ON
RES: MIND INSIDE THE MACHINE
by Armature Globale

Over a decade ago, Swiss sportswear brand On launched its first shoe­—one that combined performance and comfort, creating the sensation of “running on clouds.” Now, the engineers at On Labs have further developed this technology while paying homage to the shoe that revolutionized the industry. In harnessing the power of computer-optimized technology—Finite Element Analysis (FEA)—they have investigated the impact of structures and materials on the human body while running, successfully minimizing stress. To celebrate the new Cloudsurfer as a catalyst of changing times, the minimalist glass box designed by Armature Globale serves as a a retainer of the digital world, and an ephemeral yet material holder for the translation of highly-engineered images outside of the design monitor.

18–23 April 10am-8pm
Via Achille Maiocchi 7

XL EXTRALIGHT
SOFTSCOPE
by Panter & Tourron

XL EXTRALIGHT® invited Lausanne-based design studio Panter & Tourron to creatively interpret their innovative material Organix 3.0. In response, the duo has conceived “Softscope,” an architectural urban installation presented in the courtyard of Spazio Maiocchi. Typically used by footwear manufacturers as a lightweight outsole for clogs or shoes, the soft and spongey material is produced using bio and circular feedstock from recycled organic waste. Known for their work at the intersection of technology and society, the duo have completely re-contextualized its use, conceiving a pyramid-shaped outdoor monolith—part conversation pit, part public stage.

18–23 April 10am-8pm
Via Achille Maiocchi 7

LA PRAIRIE
THE COBALT ROOM
by Sabine Marcelis

In this exclusive collaboration between Swiss luxury house La Prairie and awarded designer Sabine Marcelis, the brand’s iconic cobalt blue, gifted by feminist artist Niki de Saint Phalle in 1982, takes central stage. The result is a dining space featuring Bauhaus-inspired pieces, characterized by clean lines and purity of forms, which will host a series of intimate dinners organized in collaboration with the gastronomic collective We Are Ona. Here, Marcelis’ signature forms, shapes, and materials merge with the skincare house’s savoir-faire, cementing La Prairie’s intrinsic connection to art and its continued commitment in supporting and empowering women artists.

18–23 April 10am-8pm
Via Achille Maiocchi 7

GUFRAM
THE SCULPTED SERIES
by Snarkitecture

Gufram and long-standing collaborator Snarkitecture, the New York-based design practice founded by Daniel Arsham and Alex Mustonen, present a monumental family of five domestic sculptures available only in black and white. Each piece is made by hand by Gufram’s artisans, starting from a block of polyurethane foam to achieve the concrete-looking texture. The sculpted pieces are then coated with Guflac® Ultra—the contemporary evolution of the special paint invented by Gufram over fifty years ago, which makes each object incredibly durable and weather-resistant. Characterised by forms and shapes that are both familiar and strange, “The Sculpted Series” is an architectural fragment that reflects the shared sensibilities of Gufram and Snarkitecture.

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18–23 April 10am-8pm
Via Achille Maiocchi 7

LISTENING ROOM
by Devon Turnbull and Willo Perron

New York-based “speaker sculptor” Devon Turnbull, founder of highend audio company OJAS, presents an all-new, handmade sound system and a purpose-built acoustically-considered space. A largescale “Sausage Sofa” by Los Angeles-based designer Willo Perron, custom made in Kvadrat textile; a group of iconic “Groovy” chairs by Paulin Paulin Paulin; and a configuration of Soundwave® Swell acoustic panels by O#ecct, complete the room and enable the public to fully immerse in the listening experience. The space will be activated with a series of listening sessions throughout the week.

18–23 April 10am-8pm
Via Achille Maiocchi 10

BYREDO BAL D'AFRIQUE
by Dozie Kanu

18–23 April 10am-8pm
Via Achille Maiocchi 10

AUTOMOBILI AMOS
Futurista

A hyper-popular “super car“ from the 80s, Lancia Delta Integrale was a rally and road voracious winner. With its uncompromising attitude, Automobili Amos endeavored to rework its “body and brains,” giving it more muscles and resolving quality control issues. Each component of the silhouette was carefully reimagined through digital rendering and clay modelling; the bodywork was untouched but appears “pumped up.” While the introduction of composite materials, such as carbon fiber, reduces the vehicle’s weight down to about 1,250 kilograms, the characteristic all-in-one hood and the elimination of the back doors in favor of a 3-door design give way to an exciting new sense of geometry.

18–23 April 10am-8pm
Via Achille Maiocchi 7

ZENOMORPH
by Sucuk&Bratwurst

The Zenomorph chair is the first furniture design by the Berlin-based interdisciplinary creative studio Sucuk&Bratwurst, continuing their multifaceted product line called Sucux—a versatile collection of extraterrestrial objects. The distinctive silhouette of the chair pays homage to the iconic alien head shape, as it has been referenced and loved in pop culture for decades, while also hinting to the abstract futuristic forms of Space Age design from the 1960s.

18–23 April 10am-8pm
Via Achille Maiocchi 10

MATERIAL MYTHS
by Ali Shah Gallefoss

The result of a two-month residency in Florence of the Oslo-based artist Ali Gallefoss, “Material Myths” consists of a series of sculptural furniture, extruded interiors, and ceramic vases. The pieces, sitting on the threshold between art and design, emerge from Gallefoss’ research on the traditional manufacturing techniques that characterise the Tuscan region. Investigating vernacular practices through a contemporary lens, Gallefoss’ practice approaches the material—in this case aluminium and ceramic—as a living entity, infusing the creative process with chance and intuitive contaminations.

18–23 April 10am-8pm
Via Achille Maiocchi 10

PLAZA LOUNGE
by New Tendency and Grau

In this installation designed by architect Paul Cournet, New Tendency’s archetypal Standard Sofa, their minimalist Float Shelves, as well as innovative lighting by Grau, are combined into striking geometric clusters. With its firm comfort, clean form, and balanced proportions, the Standard Sofa lends itself equally well to both private and public space, providing an ideal lounge area; with integrated Color Tune technology, the Team Cowork lamps promote wellbeing and focus.

18–23 April 10am-8pm
Via Achille Maiocchi 7