Alcova 2024 will take place within two iconic local gems, as the organisers of the itinerant design event announced that the next edition, to be held during Fuorisalone, will take over Villa Borsani and Villa Bagatti Valsecchi. This year marks the seventh edition of Alcova, which also recently made its international debut, taking over 1950s Selena Gold Dust Motel during Design Miami 2023.
Alcova 2024: locations announced
Villa Bagatti Valsecchi
Locations have always been key to Alcova's history, with the fair founded by curators Valentina Ciuffi and Joseph Grima having taken over a former abattoir (in 2023), a panettone factory and a convent in the outskirts of Milan.
This year, the fair pushes further and into more traditional locations, with two historical villas that have contributed to the history of Metropolitan Milan. A Modernist masterpiece located in Varedo, Villa Borsani was completed in 1945 and was designed by architect Osvaldo Borsani for his family. Now preserved by the second generation, the house features stunning elements such as a fireplace by Lucio Fontana, lighting fixtures by Guglielmo Ulrich and a mosaic by Adriano Spilimbergo, as well as several pieces of furniture by Borsani himself (the house also being the HQ for the architect's archives).
Villa Borsani
Within walking distance is Villa Bagatti Valsecchi, a 19-century mansion that was originally built as a summer retreat for the Milanese family of the same name. The villa's architecture is defined by a central structure and two side wings with terraced roofs, as well as a portico featuring 15th-century columns that were originally part of Milan's Lazzaretto, the city's hospital built to face the plague. Preserved by Fondazione La Versiera, the villa is surrounded by greenery, including English gardens on each side and a formal Italian garden at the back.
Both locations expand Alcova's ongoing mission to offer access to rarely seen spaces in and near Milan, creating a dialogue with unique locations by activating them through design displays that include emerging and independent designers and brands. A snapshot of where contemporary design is headed, Alcova promises once again to be an unmissable opportunity to discover what's going on in the creative industries right now.
Alcova 2024 will take place from 15 – 21 April 2024
Villa Borsani
Via Umberto I, 148
20814 Varedo MB
Villa Bagatti Valsecchi
Via Vittorio Emanuele II, 48
20814 Varedo MB
-
The Richard Mille x Brough Superior RMB01 is a motorcycle with an exceptional aesthetic pedigreeThe RMB01 is what happens when horological obsession meets two-wheeled excellence: a Franco-Swiss racing motorcycle that brings out the best in both brands
-
Six modern bathroom ideas for spaces big and smallHere are our best bathroom designs for 2026: colours, curves and a calming ambience are making a splash this season, with tactile and textured surfaces to elevate your shower room
-
The inimitable Norman Foster: our guide to the visionary architect, shaping the futureNorman Foster has shaped today's London and global architecture like no other in his field; explore his work through our ultimate guide to this most impactful contemporary architect
-
Dine within a rationalist design gem at the newly opened Cucina TriennaleCucina Triennale is the latest space to open at Triennale Milano, a restaurant and a café by Luca Cipelletti and Unifor, inspired by the building's 1930s design
-
20 emerging designers shine in our ‘Material Alchemists’ filmWallpaper’s ‘Material Alchemists’ exhibition during Milan Design Week 2025 spotlighted 20 emerging designers with a passion for transforming matter – see it now in our short film
-
FMG’s technical ceramics, an astronaut, and a brave new world: watch the campaignWith its Live New Worlds campaign, FMG Fabbrica Marmi e Graniti, Italy’s premium porcelain stoneware specialist, explores new strata of creativity
-
Tokyo design studio We+ transforms microalgae into coloursCould microalgae be the sustainable pigment of the future? A Japanese research project investigates
-
Delvis (Un)Limited turns a Brera shopfront into a live-in design installationWhat happens when collectible design becomes part of a live performance? The Theatre of Things, curated by Joseph Grima and Valentina Ciuffi, invited designers to live with their work – and let the public look in
-
Naoto Fukasawa sparks children’s imaginations with play sculpturesThe Japanese designer creates an intuitive series of bold play sculptures, designed to spark children’s desire to play without thinking
-
Inside the Shakti Design Residency, taking Indian craftsmanship to Alcova 2025The new initiative pairs emerging talents with some of India’s most prestigious ateliers, resulting in intricately crafted designs, as seen at Alcova 2025 in Milan
-
Faye Toogood comes up roses at Milan Design Week 2025Japanese ceramics specialist Noritake’s design collection blossoms with a bold floral series by Faye Toogood
