Igloos in Milan are a major example of architectural diversity of the capital of fashion and design. Their construction demonstrates how iconic and vibrant was the design scene just a few years after the second world conflict. Igloos in Milan. A brief history The igloo houses in Milan were built in 1946 on a project by architect and engineer Mario Cavallè, who also designed the mushroom houses which were demolished at the beginning of the sixties. These particular contructions own their origin to the need of those left homeless by the allied bombing which took place in Milan during the…
Posts published in “Design & Architecture”
Milan brings its Coliseum back to life As you probably know Milan has a long history! Founded back in the VII century before Christ. Its Roman era left an impressive heritage to the city which is about to come back to life. Roman ruins are visible throughout the city. Particularly worthy of note are the roman ruins in Via Brisa, just a few steps from the city centre and the ones at the metro station of Piazza Duomo. Milan used to be the capital of the Western Roman Empire (286 BC), and a city of this calibre needed to have…
The architectural frenzy of the city of Milan started back on the 11th of May 2011 when the MICO Milan Convention Centre was officially opened. Designed by architect Mario Bellini the MICO features an impressive art work made of iron which covers the entire rooftop of the convention centre. The Milanese people called it the comet. This stunning piece of architecture has now become a landmark of the city, an emblem that distinguish the urban soul of Milan. A few months after the big opening of the convention centre of Milan, another new development draw the attention of the architecture…
Versace‘s home is up for sale in the heart of Milan, the capital of fashion and design. Among the celebrities houses for sale, has certainly made news that of Santo Versace, the brother of the iconic fashion designer Gianni and the equally talented Donatella, who had to revise down the sale price of his house in the center of Milan. A mansion not exactly easy to place given the exorbitant price of 33 million euros, price revised after the vain attempt to sell it five years ago, when it was proposed at 49 million euros. A building of about 2,000…
Brera Design District is one of the most popular neighbourhood of Milan and particularly during Design Week it becomes a hotspot for creativity and innovation. The Brera Design District owes its name to the main street that crosses this area of the city (Via Brera) where the Accademia delle Belle Arti (School of Arts) and the Pinacoteca di Brera (National Museum) are. The co-existance of these two renowned institutions made of the Brera Design District, since the beginning of the XXth century, a popular destination for creative minds, artists and designers. It has been considered as the most bohemian and…
Milano Design Week 2018 is about to begin. If you happen to be in the city during this hyper-creative week do not forget to regularly check our blog and Instagram profile to see what’s happening in Milan. From the 17th to the 22nd of April 2018 Fiera Milano, one of the largest exhibition facilities of Europe, hosts the “Salone del Mobile” (furniture fair). Managed and organized by Federlegno, the industry association of Italian furniture manufacturers, the Salone del Mobile is the annual tradeshow where clients and suppliers meet. More than 2.000 exhibitors, 30% of which are not Italian, meet at the…
Vintage streetcars are a landmark of Milan and one of the main attractions of the city. The origin of the vintage streetcars or trams, as the Milanese people call them, dates back to the 18th century when a British engineer, Benjamin Outram, patented the very first urban tramway. However care must be taken not ot be deceived. The word “tram” derives” from the saxon word “traam” which means beam. Beams were used to lay down the rails, hence the name of the cars. The first tramway of Milan was inaugurated in 1876 and connected the north of the city to…
Flea markets in Milan Shopping in Milan is not just about the flagship stores in the Montenapoleone fashion district. A tour of the city must include the visit to some of the most iconic flea markets in Milan. The flea markest on the Navigli canals Among the flea markets in the city of Milan, the one that takes place in the Navigli district is for sure the most popular. It gathers more than 280 merchants who occupy with their booths almost two miles along the Navigli canals. Carefully selected by the Associazione Naviglio Grande the vendors offer to their potential…
The darsena is the heart of the navigli district in Milan. The word darsena literally translates into dock or shipyard and since the beginning of the 17th century this has been the role of this little harbour in the South West side of Milan. It constitutes the outlet of the navigli, the artficial canals that cross the entire city. The whole history of the navigli deals with the construction of the majestic Duomo cathedral. The flatboats carrying the white marbles employed for the cathedral’s construction, used to navigate these narrow canals from the north of the Lombardy region to the city centre. When the…
The design week is now on in Milan and the whole city is fully packed with people from the five continents. From the 4th to the 9th of April 2017 the Salone del Mobile ( the furniture tradeshow) takes place at the Fiera Milano facilities. More than 2000 exhibitors form 165 countries and an expected attendance of 300.000 people. These are the numbers of the 56th edition of the most prestigious design event. The official opening of the design week will see the participation of the President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella who will be speaking at the inauguration…