Brera Design District 2014: "Design Lessons"

Foreigners like it for its “old-time” atmosphere, with its pedestrianized streets, fine historic houses and romantic haunts. But the Milanese love it too. Because Brera is not the usual tourist district but also a place rich in art and culture: a living and lived-in corner of Milan, with its own character, where you can find famous restaurants and historic bars, refined shops and craft studios displaying quite “unglobal” objects.

Here, in this tranquil area bounded by the Bastioni di Porta Nuova, via Monte di Pietà, via dell’Orso and via Legnano, one of the liveliest Fuorisalone events of the city comes to life during the six days of the design week. We are talking of the Brera Design District, in its fifth year, with the patronage of Milan City Council, hosting some of the most important international brands with a full agenda.

Brera Design District, from 8 to 13 April, has a calendar of 110 exhibitions, parties and site-specific installations. So that visitors don’t get lost there are signposting banners marking the events forming part of the initiative, a paper magazine with dedicated map, hung flags, the internet site with a detailed guide and an augmented reality App. This year’s novelty is the headquarters, info and press point at the Mediateca Santa Teresa in via Moscova 28, equipped with Asus technology and furniture designed by Appartamento Lago.

In continuity with last year’s edition, whose theme was a critical reflection on the Forms and values of quality between “Craft Making and Industrial Thinking”, Brera District presents “Design Lessons” and proposes the theme “Be District: creating connections, communicating innovation”. The aim is to promote design culture, where the history of design and experiences on the ground become the key to understanding the contemporary scene.

Supporting the project is the introduction of the "Design Lessons" Prize, a symbolic award dedicated for this edition to Ambra Medda, co-founder of Design Miami and co-founder and Creative Director of L’Arcobaleno.

The “Design Lessons” theme will consist of a wide programme including cooperation with AIS/Design, the Italian Association of Design Historians. This collaboration gives the cue to two different initiatives: guided tours in the historical archives and the foundations of Milanese design and a series of talks to be given in Mediateca Santa Teresa. The starting-point for these will be the showings of the video-documentaries produced by RAI Educational, initiating a debate with the public and those professionally involved.

Not to be missed are the fascinating locations of Brera, including Palazzo Clerici, the Circolo Filologico – location chosen by the main sponsor BDD Lexus to present Lexus Design Amazing 2014 Milan -, the cloisters of San Sempliciano, Palazzo Cusani, the Brera Academy and, of course, the Mediateca Santa Teresa, where we find the Ducati event, the Unofficial Report project, the aperitifs of Martini Racing Lounge, the colourful fitting-out of MT Scotch, the “Robot Therapy – Adopt a Robot” show and Alma’s show cooking.

Among the most interesting events planned: Valcucine, together with dotdotdot, presents Kitchen Becomes Open!, a workshop on the topic “open source kitchen”; PRESOTTO Art, Design and Sensoriality, with an exclusive location in via Fiori Chiari; by Aldo Cibic, objects and art at the Galleria Antonia Jannone in corso Garibaldi; Giulio Iacchetti with the project Internoitaliano at ASAP; Cristalplant Design Contest.

And again Lago with "Interior Life", in via Brera, Swedish Design Goes Milan 2014: IN REAL LIFE at the Posteria, Trentino Wood&Design, Miyazaki Chair Factory - A Tree of Chairs, DCOMEDESIGN with the event exhibition WOMEN’S HANDS by Patrizia Scarzella and Manoteca with "Present Perfect".

There will also be a significant presence of delegations representing certain countries; we have the pleasure of hosting the Swedish Dox, The SCANDINATIVE Workspace By KINNARPS and Luca Nichetto, the Danish HAY and Fritz Hansen and many others.

And now, comfortable shoes on and map at the ready!

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