Prada and Formafantasma announce Milan Design Week symposium

Curated by Formafantasma and at Milan’s National Braidense Library from 6 – 8 June 2022, Prada Frames is a free event exploring the relationship between the natural environment and design

Woodland scene constructed from tiny purple lights
(Image credit: Formafantasma)

For Milan Design Week 2022, Prada has joined forces with Andrea Trimarchi and Simone Farresin of Formafantasma to stage a symposium at Milan’s National Braidense Library, exploring the complex relationship between design and the natural environment. The initiative introduces ‘a moment of collective reflection’ and aims to debate, share and present innovative thoughts through an educational and informative format. 

Prada Frames: a Milan Design Week symposium

Purple forest. Formafantasma imagery promoting Prada Frames symposium at Fuorisalone

(Image credit: Formafantasma)

The symposium’s theme focuses on the ecosystem of the forest, the logic that governs the timber industry, and the role design can play in this ecosystem. It stems from Formafantasma’s ongoing research that formed the basis for ‘Cambio’, an exhibition originally shown at London’s Serpentine Gallery in 2020 and further developed by the designers and their teams in Milan and Rotterdam. ‘The symposium, in fact, is also a way to expand our knowledge on the subject,’ the pair explain. ‘In the last year, we have been extensively looking at Finnish forestry in relation to Artek, the furniture company founded by the Aaltos. We will address this as part of one of the sessions.’

The aim of this collaboration with Prada, they add, is to create a platform that ‘can actually produce meaning and ideas instead of only products’, not as a criticism of product-making, but as an opportunity to develop a new design culture that can look beyond that.

‘Education and culture are essential instruments that help us not only comprehend ourselves and the world we live in, but also urge us to explore the unknown,’ says Miuccia Prada. ‘Conversations have always been at the core of Prada’s approach and investigation of the world, so Prada Frames with Formafantasma was a very natural step in this direction.’ 

Education and culture are essential instruments that help us not only comprehend ourselves and the world we live in, but also urge us to explore the unknown

Miuccia Prada

Over the course of three days, the symposium will host speakers that include scientists, anthropologists, activists and practitioners from the fields of design, architecture and curation whose work looks beyond product design. The line-up includes Paola Antonelli and Alice Rawsthorn, Forensic Architecture’s Eyal Weizman and Paulo Tavares, writer Amitav Ghosh, Anna Tsing and scientific platform Feral Atlas, Andrés Jaque of the Office for Political Innovation and dendroclimatologist Valerie Trouet. ‘We wanted it to be multidisciplinary; we strongly believe the only way to actually address ecology is to stop fragmenting knowledge and to look at subjects from a multitude of perspectives,’ say the designers.

Purple forest

(Image credit: Formafantasma)

Two daily sessions will present a variety of formats such as readings, debates, conversations, and video projections.

‘For a very long time, design has been solely focusing on the needs and desires of users, and so less preoccupied with material sourcing and its development,’ conclude the designers. ‘Considering the ecological crisis, it is more relevant than ever to be much more aware, critical and creatively engaged with the chain of custody of materials. The main opportunity is the development of a much more sophisticated idea of design that goes beyond styling and actually engages more systematically with the challenges of sustainability.’

INFORMATION

Prada Frames, 6 – 8 June 2022
Free event, subject to availability, upon registration at prada.com starting from 28 May 2022

ADDRESS

Biblioteca Nazionale Braidense
Via Brera, 28
20121 Milano

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Rosa Bertoli was born in Udine, Italy, and now lives in London. Since 2014, she has been the Design Editor of Wallpaper*, where she oversees design content for the print and online editions, as well as special editorial projects. Through her role at Wallpaper*, she has written extensively about all areas of design. Rosa has been speaker and moderator for various design talks and conferences including London Craft Week, Maison & Objet, The Italian Cultural Institute (London), Clippings, Zaha Hadid Design, Kartell and Frieze Art Fair. Rosa has been on judging panels for the Chart Architecture Award, the Dutch Design Awards and the DesignGuild Marks. She has written for numerous English and Italian language publications, and worked as a content and communication consultant for fashion and design brands.