Rossana Orlandi

A woven rug underneath a three legged table with an intricate design on the table top. The Roosje chair, a normal wooden chair with a blue cushion seat.
Rug, Tea Table and Roosje chair - all part of the 'Oak Inside' collection by Christien Meindertsma for Thomas Eyck.
(Image credit: TBC)
By
last updated
in News

In just ten years, Rossana Orlandi has turned her two-storey gallery space in an old factory into a lively creative hive whose influence extends far beyond its Milanese neighbourhood. Anchored by a leafy open-aired courtyard, its collection of contemporary and vintage furniture is outdone only but its heavy reputation as a launching pad for young designers from around the world.

For this year's edition of the Salone del Mobile, she has cast a stellar roll call of designers.

Headlining the works are Jasper Morrison,

Naoto Fukasawa and Jaime Hayón. Commissioned collaborations are the order of the day. And so, Omer Arbel explores new ground with sand casting metal coffee tables for Bocci, Morrison is working with PUNKT, Hayon with a Japanese producer of vases, and

BCXSY's collection of carpets has been woven by communities of women in Israel.

Elsewhere, there are thoughtful meditations on space, not least of which is Daniel Rybakken's 'Daylight', in which the young Norwegian designer continues with his eerie penchant for recreating daylight in dark areas. Here, a basement room is tricked out to feel as if the exterior is flooded with sunlight in a very effective study of its subconscious effects. Also making best of show, in our books, is Studio Formafantasma's 'Botanica', a set of furniture made of vegetables, stone and sand that's presented in a room styled like a retro natural science museum room.

A dark wood cupboard standing on four stilts at each corner. The cupboard has an intricate floral carving.

More from 'Oak inside' by Christian Meindertsma for Thomas Eyck

(Image credit: TBC)

A wall display featuring 63 glazed porcelain vase beetles of varying colours and design.

Also from Thomas Eyck is was 'Schwarm', an installation of 63 glazed porcelain vase beetles by RaR.

(Image credit: TBC)

A selection of kitchenware and cookware displayed on a table top, including white plates and bowls, spatulas, knives, a toaster and kettle, two plate holders, a sink drying rack and a fruit bowl.

A laid-out selection of new products by Plus Minus Zero...

(Image credit: TBC)

A selection of kitchenware displayed on a table including stainless steel cutlery, white plates, white bowls, white cups, and a red and blue chopstick and food dish bowl.

... The collection consists mainly of kitchen-related items including cutlery, plates, bowls and chopsticks.

(Image credit: TBC)

An aluminium steel medium size saucepan and an aluminium steel medium size pot. Both with lids.

Aluminium Sauce Pan and Aluminium Soup Pan by Plus Minus Zero

(Image credit: TBC)

Left to right: An orange round top side table with five legs; a brown chair with four legs and a small back with a brown cushion; a beige table of the same style and a black chair of the same style.

’Clay - The Plain Collection’ by Maarten Baas

(Image credit: TBC)

A narrow rectangular side table in red with a small drawer underneath.

Also from Maarten Baas - a clay 'Console With Drawer'

(Image credit: TBC)

Five hanging rugs on display in black, grey, light grey and beige. Each rug has a stripe in a contrasting colour, i.e. blue, pink, light green.

Rugs by Scholten & Baijings for HAY

(Image credit: TBC)

A wood cupboard series with clear lamps on top.

A view of the 'Elisabetta' series designed by Christophe de la Fontaine for Formagenda

(Image credit: TBC)

A suspension light with with a full circular fan-like lampshade and a black rim.

'Elisabetta' suspension light for Formagenda

(Image credit: TBC)

A table lamp designed with a narrow illuminated stem and a circular fan-like lampshade with a black rim.

'Elisabetta' table for Formagenda

(Image credit: TBC)

A selection of pieces displayed on white display tables.

A selection of pieces from 'Loaded', a presentation of new objects designed by 15 students of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC).

(Image credit: TBC)

Two pieces on display. Both are black cast iron serving dishes.

'Division' cast iron serving dishes by student Charlie McArthur

(Image credit: TBC)

Four circular ornaments are the focal point of the photo. Left to right: A multi-coloured bowl; a black rim bowl with an orange centre; two circular bowls with holes in.

'More Than It's Worth' by Nathan D. Paoletta, where consumer goods and coins amounting to the total sum of $20 have been re-worked through a drip-casting process. 

(Image credit: TBC)

A selection of 11 white tubes of differing sizes that have holes in the top designed to place something inside.

Zhe Zhang's 'Visible Sweetness', a selection of objects designed to contain sugar.

(Image credit: TBC)

Suspended above a table are three large light bulb shades which are brown in colour. Their design is like an upside down vase.

'Self Discipline' - the new collection from Nika Zupanc

(Image credit: TBC)

Four jewellery pieces displayed on a table. The left two are unrecognisable. The two on the right includes a neckless with brass hinge style connectors and emerald-like stones. The second right piece is a brass-like wrist item.

Mia Larsson's 'Functional Glass' jewellery collection

(Image credit: TBC)

A heart-shaped table top featuring 13 mirrored triangles inside.

Imaginative Table by Supawan Sihapoompichit and Emilia Öster

(Image credit: TBC)

A small and large glass dish with pieces of mould and infestation designed to appear alongside and attached to them.

Sara Lundkvist's 'Infested Glass' collection

(Image credit: TBC)

15 white pendant light shades suspended from the ceiling.

A-B-C 010 pendant lamps by Simon Klenell and Kristoffer Sundin

(Image credit: TBC)

Eight small candle holders which looks like small hills and are in orange, light blue, green and pink.

Hills by Jakob Solgren

(Image credit: TBC)

A table display of a range of items including eight vials inside glass bottles, six botanical leafs plants, ceramic pieces, and two substances in chemical vases.

Making best of show, in our books, is Studio Formafantasma's 'Botanica'...

(Image credit: TBC)

Nine ceramic vases on display. They vary in colour between brown, black and white.

... a set of furniture made of vegetables, stone and sand that's presented in a room styled like a retro natural science museum room.

(Image credit: TBC)

A table featuring twelve glass candle covers covering lightbulbs that are switched on.

Daniel Rybakken's 'Daylight' installation, in homage to the 50th anniversary of the Salone del Mobile.

(Image credit: TBC)

Three trays on a table with glass candle holders each covering a light bulb.

Light Tray by Daniel Rybakken and Andreas Engesvik

(Image credit: TBC)

Three wooden screen-space dividers. Two in tall rectangular shape and one in a circular shape.

BCXSY's 'Part I : Join' is a series of three Japanese Cypress Hinoki wood screen space-dividers...

(Image credit: TBC)

A close up of the wooden space dividers which highlights the varying angles and shapes that are cut into the space.

.. In each piece two frames are merged to create a silhouette that deviates from the traditional Japanese Tategu aesthetic, and introduces angles and shapes that are not commonly found in the craft.

(Image credit: TBC)

A close-up of a brown woven carpet.

'Origin part II: Balance' is BCXSY's collection of carpets, which has been woven by communities of women in Israel.

(Image credit: TBC)

A collection of brown carpets displayed on the floor and the wall.

View of the collection of carpets by BCXSY

(Image credit: TBC)

A collection of c.30 porcelain plates of varying shapes, but predominantly circular, featuring unique floral paintings.

The new collection from Limoges-based porcelain speciliasts Bernardaud.

(Image credit: TBC)

An exhibition area featuring a cabinet made up of multi-coloured brief cases, a shelving unit containing individual boxes, and two lamps.

James Plumb's exhibition was set out in the courtyard space of the gallery

(Image credit: TBC)

A close-up of the exhibition space, featuring a cabinet made up of multi-coloured brief cases, a shelving unit with individual boxes, and a four-seat wooden chair.

The result of a two month residency at Spazio Rossana Orlandi, the James Plumb collection was made using Orlandi's own archive of furniture and materials as a starting point.

(Image credit: TBC)

The Spazio Rossana Orlandi courtyard with people socialising.

View of the Spazio Rossana Orlandi courtyard in full Salone swing. 

(Image credit: TBC)
Daven Wu

Daven Wu is the Singapore Editor at Wallpaper*. A former corporate lawyer, he has been covering Singapore and the neighbouring South-East Asian region since 1999, writing extensively about architecture, design, and travel for both the magazine and website. He is also the City Editor for the Phaidon Wallpaper* City Guide to Singapore.

Latest