The 2025 edition of Milan Design Week took place from April 8 to April 13, 2025. During these five days, the city of Milan hosted special events, exhibitions, installations, and discussions centered on the creative disciplines, including the 63rd edition of the Salone del Mobile at Fiera Milano fairgrounds. Among the numerous activities, the event serves as an ideal opportunity to introduce the latest trends and showcase upcoming pieces from brands and designers worldwide. Among the new releases and product launches, the ArchDaily team identified a selection of products designed by architects, ranging from lighting and furniture systems to materials and small objects.
Lighting
As part of the 2025 edition of Euroluce, the lighting biennale at Milan Design Week, several architects and designers presented new lighting collections. These pieces explore materials, structure, and interaction, offering innovative approaches to how light is shaped and experienced. Below, we present four designs from BIG, Stephen Philips (Arup), Snøhetta, and Dordoni Studio, each offering a unique interpretation of light and form.
Arctic Lamp Collection / BIG for Artemide
Arctic is a modular lighting system designed by BIG that uses mirrored and transparent surfaces to create geometric volumes reminiscent of Archimedean solids. Built from interlocking pentagonal elements around a central light-diffusing sphere, the design plays with reflection, transparency, and user interaction. Available in ceiling, floor, suspension, and table lamp formats, the system supports dimmable lighting and invites customization through its modular structure.
Aura Suspended Lamps / Snøhetta for Viabizzuno
The Aura Collection, developed by Snøhetta in collaboration with Viabizzuno, focuses on manipulating light through precision-engineered prisms and diffusers. Prioritizing the light itself over the fixture form, the modular system offers flexibility in function and design. Available in pendant formats with multiple diameters and arrangements, Aura is adaptable to different architectural contexts and lighting needs.
Internode Table Lamp / ARUP for Artemide
Internode reinterprets a traditional adjustable lamp using bamboo arms for sustainability and structural stability. Designed by Stephen Philips from Arup, the lamp operates with a friction and counterweight mechanism, avoiding springs. Zamak weights and an aluminum head ensure precise motion, heat dissipation, and lightweight construction.
Étoile Chandelier / Dordoni Studio for Foscarini
Etoile is a chandelier series by Dordoni Studio for Foscarini, introduced in two versions: Grande Etoile and Etoile Ronde. Both designs use a central transparent Pyrex cylinder to support branching diffusers made of blown etched glass. The absence of visible structure and the staggered or radial arrangement of lighting elements create a sense of lightness and spatial rhythm. The lamp combines minimal hardware with sculptural composition.
Architect-designed Objects
Presented at Milan Design Week 2025, these architect-designed objects highlight the intersection of architecture, craftsmanship, and everyday use. From sculptural teapots and funerary urns to a modular bird feeder and a stool made of reclaimed materials, each piece blends function with thoughtful materiality and cultural meaning.
Ori Bird Feeder / Foster + Partners
Foster + Partners Industrial Design and Danese Milano present Ori, a sculptural bird feeder that can be hung, used on the ground, or as a water bath. Made from spun aluminum and stainless steel, its modular design allows for easy cleaning and adaptability to different bird species and food types. By prioritizing ease of dissassembly and sanitartion, the feeder also aims to diminish the spread of disease while serving as a graphic element in outdoor spaces.
The Last Pot / David Chipperfield, Daniel Libeskind, and Michele De Lucchi for Il Tornitore Matto by Alessi
At Milan Design Week 2025, Alessi presented The Last Pot, a collection of funerary urns designed by ten international architects and designers. Curated by Alberto Alessi and Giulio Iacchetti, the project reflects on the urn as the final container, an object rich in function and symbolism. Designers, including David Chipperfield, Daniel Libeskind, and Michele De Lucchi, contributed unique interpretations that explore memory, identity, and the emotional role of design at the end of life.
Loewe Teapots / Patricia Urquiola, David Chipperfield, Wang Shu, and Minsuk Cho
At Milan Design Week 2025, Loewe presented LOEWE TEAPOTS at Palazzo Citterio, featuring a collection of teapots designed by 25 artists and architects. The project explores the teapot as a sculptural and cultural object, interpreted through diverse global traditions of tea. Architects Patricia Urquiola, David Chipperfield, Wang Shu, and Minsuk Cho contributed designs that reflect their personal perspectives and cultural influences, blending craftsmanship with contemporary design.
Buoy Stool / Felicia Neuhof - Shellf Life
Buoy is a curvilinear stool composed of three distinct layers, each made from materials sourced from different parts of the world. Designed by Felicia Neuhof, the piece is part of her venture, Shellf Life, which transforms discarded seashells from the seafood industry into furniture, lighting, and architectural materials. Her work addresses waste reduction while creating economic opportunities for coastal communities. Buoy was presented as part of the Isola Design Festival 2025 in Milano.
Furniture Systems and Materials
During Milan Design Week 2025, several architects and studios presented new furniture and material collections that merge architectural thinking with product design. From recycled textiles and AI-generated ceramics to modular furniture systems and glasswork, the following six designs reflect a focus on sustainability, material innovation, and spatial functionality.
Spring System Office Furniture / Antonio Citterio for UniFor
Antonio Citterio's Spring System workspace for UniFor features a manually operated, height-adjustable desk that emphasizes intuitive movement without electromechanical parts. The system includes plywood worktops and die-cast aluminum legs, with reduced floor supports for visual clarity. Acoustic partition panels made from recycled materials add functional and aesthetic value, while fixed-height desks incorporate a sliding worktop for easy cable access.
ONDA Collection Glass Furniture Doors / Zaha Hadid Architects for Febal Casa
Zaha Hadid Architects collaborated with Febal Casa on the ONDA collection, designing glass doors with wave-like contours. Produced through an artisanal glassmaking process, each panel is unique, while collectively reflecting Hadid's characteristic fluid design language.
HOS Hammock and Stool / Kengo Kuma for Gandia Blasco Group
Japanese architect Kengo Kuma designed the HOS collection using hand-loomed textiles made from recycled PET fibers. The pieces, a hammock and a multi-functional stool, combine rug-like fabrics with wooden frames to create furniture that explores architectural form and materiality. Limited to 100 indoor/outdoor editions, the collection is inspired by natural elements and available in three fabric variations.
A New AI Generation Marble / ACPV ARCHITECTS
ACPV ARCHITECTS, Reply, and Marazzi collaborated on a ceramic surface project integrating AI-generated patterns inspired by biomimicry. Designed for Reply's new headquarters in Turin, the large-format stoneware slabs simulate natural marble with visual clarity and scale accuracy, avoiding distortion. The project represents a step toward sustainable industrial design using artificial intelligence.
KENDA and DEDIM Chairs / Michael Graves Design for YAAZ
Michael Graves Design created two seating pieces for Turkish brand YAAZ: the KENDA stacking chair and DEDIM folding chair. Both integrate wood, aluminum, and rope in their construction. KENDA features a curved backrest and stackable design for flexible indoor/outdoor use. DEDIM draws on historical folding furniture forms, with quilted seating and woven technical fabric. Optional accessories include a canopy, side table, and lamp.
Monochrome Affinity Furniture Collection / Migliore+Servetto for NEUTRA
Under the creative direction of Migliore+Servetto, NEUTRA launched a contemporary furniture collection at Palazzo Visconti during Milan Design Week 2025. The modular pieces, including seating, tables, lighting, and storage units, emphasize essential forms, natural materials, and customizable configurations.
Milan, a global hub of fashion and finance, is increasingly asserting itself as a leading center for architecture and design. Following Milan Design Week and the Salone del Mobile, the city is now preparing to host the 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. The official torch design, by Carlo Ratti Associati, in collaboration with Eni and its subsidiary Versalis, was unveiled in parallel events at the Triennale di Milano and Expo 2025 in Osaka. The city is also gearing up to welcome athletes and visitors with new infrastructure, including the Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena by David Chipperfield Architects and Arup, a new Olympic Village by SOM, and a regeneration project by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, PLP Architecture, Carlo Ratti Associati, Arup, and OUTCOMIST, which will transform the Porta Romana Railway Area industrial site into a diverse, green neighborhood.
