Milan Design Week is one of the premier design events in the entire world. 

As a composition of multiple international design events coinciding during the same week (centered on the international Salone del Mobile Furniture Fair), the breadth and reach of this event is unparalleled in the industry for its global scale and impact. 

For Swatchbox, Milan represents a key opportunity to meet with a truly global audience of top designers, architects, and building material manufacturers to discuss how Swatchbox is striving to push the industry forward.

The unveiling of the 2024 Swatchbox Milan Exhibition, located in the heart of the famous Brera Design District, showcased some of these key opportunities ahead. 

Now that Milan Design Week 2024 has concluded, here are six significant outcomes that are worth noting from the event.

1. The Swatchbox “True Cost” Exhibition Shared a Compelling Message to Thousands

A first exhibition of its kind, Swatchbox unveiled 'True Cost' – a multisensory installation communicating the wastefulness of the construction industry.

Upon entering the Exhibition, visitors were welcomed with an eerie sight: a container overflowing with construction waste, surrounded by a slight haze of fog and the sound of birds chirping behind melancholy music. Next to the container, projected footage of construction waste in landfills filled an entire wall, displaying statistics of the 'true cost' of construction waste in different regions.

The 'True Cost' Exhibition was executed in collaboration with eight different architectural firms in Milan: GBPA Architects, Genius Loci Architettura, Park Associati, Cino Zucchi Architetti, Il Prisma, Matteo Thun, BBA Studio, and Coima Image. In fact, all of the construction waste in the container on display was collected exclusively from these eight architectural firms – all in one day.

“When we first heard news of the Swatchbox exhibition that would draw attention to the unnecessary waste generated by construction, we knew we wanted to collaborate,” said Dora Renzulli of GBPA Architects. “The sheer volume of materials that firms like ours work with every month is difficult to grasp until you see it in person.”

2. Swatchbox Opened its 2024 Swatchbox Milan Sample Gallery, Featuring the 2024 Curator's Choice Winners

The 'True Cost' Exhibition broadcast to the design world that the time to change is now. But it also featured a lighter side: in the adjoining space to the 'True Cost' Exhibition, visitors encountered the 2024 Swatchbox Milan Sample Gallery, featuring sustainable alternatives to material waste in construction.

The Swatchbox Milan Sample Gallery featured a variety of materials selected to receive the 2024 Curator's Choice Distinction. The materials were selected by a team of designers led by Marco Castiglioni, Senior Project Architect at Il Prisma in Milan, and included products from the following brands: 2tec2, Archi.tile, COAT Paints, Elkuch Group, Inc., Envirobuild, Fiberon, Hanex Solid Surfaces, Koskisen, Lapitec, Novamix, Organoid, PaperStone, Shaw Contract, Sian Zeng, Trex, Wienerberger, Laminam, JAB Anstoetz, Interface, Orac Décor, Durasein, Durat, Graphenstone, Industville, Parkside, PPG Architectural Coatings, RAK Ceramics, and Roca.

Held in direct contrast to the sobering message of the 'True Cost' Exhibition, the Curator's Choice selection featured materials that are not only beautiful, but also are obtainable through sustainable methods.

"This exhibit is a testament to the power of design to spark meaningful conversations and drive positive change," said Castiglioni. "It's a reminder that we must rethink our approach to the entire construction process and prioritize sustainability in every aspect of our work."

3. The ‘True Cost’ Exhibition was Featured by Archdaily & Designboom

Located in the heart of the famous Brera Design District in Milan, thousands of designers and architects experienced the 'True Cost' Exhibition and 2024 Swatchbox Milan Sample Gallery. 

Notably, the exhibition was featured by Archdaily, the world's most-visited architecture website, and Designboom, another media leader in architecture and design.

Read the Archdaily article about Swatchbox's 'True Cost'.

View the Designboom coverage about Swatchbox's 'True Cost' here.

4. Swatchbox was Featured in Interni, the Prestigious International Design Publication

Interni, a prestigious international magazine about architecture and design founded in 1954, also took notice of the Swatchbox 'True Cost' Exhibition and featured it in its Milan Design Week coverage.

Distributed throughout Milan to tens of thousands via the Interni Guide, the leading design guide for Milan Design Week, Interni helped bring awareness of the 'True Cost' message to the entire city.

Swatchbox was also invited to take part in the official opening of Milan Design Week, an exclusive invitation-only event held by the Mayor of Milan.

According to its publisher, Interni aims to be "a guide to new ideas and the most innovative trends in living styles." This recognition by a publication of Interni's influence is an exciting win for the Swatchbox team.

5. Swatchbox was Highlighted in the “Who’s Who” of Milan Design Week Guides, Including Interni, Brera Design District, Dezeen, Designboom, and Fuorisalone

At an event the scale of Milan Design Week, which canvases an entire city for more than a week and this year saw more than 360,000 visitors, it's nearly impossible to identify key hot spots without a guide.

That's why key media publications like Interni, Dezeen, Designboom, and others create Milan Design Week Guides to point visitors toward the most important events and exhibitions to see.

Swatchbox received the honour of receiving featured status in each of the most significant design guides: Interni, Brera Design District, Dezeen, Designboom, and Fuorisalone.

Not only did this recognition reinforce the significance of the compelling message behind 'True Cost', but helped direct even more visitors to the Exhibition to experience it firsthand.

 

6. The Swatchbox VIP Cocktail Party Welcomed Key Architects, Designers, Manufacturers, and Partners for a Night of Milanese Cocktails, Cuisine, and Fun

With an event as large as Milan Design Week and a message as important as 'True Cost', it's always important to find some time to celebrate.

On Thursday of Milan Design Week, Swatchbox prepared to welcome more than a thousand designers, architects, partners, and other VIPs to its VIP Cocktail Party at the True Cost Exhibition.

Featuring signature Milanese cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, the evening was a fun opportunity to celebrate an incredible event, make new connections, and establish plans for further collaboration down the road.

See the recap of the Swatchbox VIP Cocktail Party in this video:

What Comes Next?

The next Swatchbox exhibition after Milan Design Week takes place in London on 21-23 May as part of Clerkenwell Design Week.

Let us know you'll be at Clerkenwell Design Week and book a meeting with our team here.

Collaborate with Swatchbox on the Next Phase of 'True Cost'

Swatchbox is currently working with key partners to expand the 'True Cost' message of reducing construction waste into a format for significant global impact.

If you represent an architecture firm, design practice, or building materials manufacturer and have an interest in collaborating with Swatchbox on this initiative, please get in touch with us to begin the conversation.

 

Swatchbox is the global platform for architects and designers to sample sustainably. Founded by architects in the US in 2018 and established in Europe in 2021, Swatchbox provides both fast and sustainable discovery and delivery of material samples to architects and designers. To explore the Swatchbox platform and request samples, visit www.swatchbox.com/pro or download the Swatchbox Mobile App at www.swatchbox.com/app.