Looking Back on Ventura Lambrate 2017

All the praise we received from the press, from architects, buyers, designers, stylists and other visitors demonstrated to us once again that there is a consistent wish for a curated event that shows an overview of what's happening in contemporary design. We are delighted to have brought this again to the Milan Design Week!

Over 115.000 visitors found their way to the Lambrate area and the opening event has never before been so well visited. Those who came to the area saw the varied designs of 126 exhibitors, showing experimental material research, social projects, thrilling movements in lighting and other thought-provoking design trends.

Ventura Lambrate 2017 Highlights

One notable visitor was the mayor of Milan, Beppe Sala. The former commissioner of the Expo Milan 2015 World Fair was more than happy to see every single exhibition. Both from the perspective of the cultural development of the city, as well as from the perspective of someone who knows the design industry, he applauded what we achieved with this and previous editions.

Three of our participating academies – Central Saint Martins, Design School Kolding and Umprum - Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design Prague – were nominated for the prestigious Milano Design Awards. For these students it has been an incredible boost to have their work acknowledged on such a stage and for Ventura Lambrate it underlined the importance of continuing to show the work of young talent and academies.

We were proud of the long-standing collaboration with Dezeen, who this year had a big showcase together with IKEA in Ventura Lambrate. This demonstrated the transformation that Lambrate has undergone and the attraction that the area has nowadays to a new young public. Ventura Lambrate has been at the forefront of this change and over the last eight years it has put this decaying area back on the map.

From young to established, from solo designers to big academies, from innovative researchers to artisan craftsmen - we would like to thank each and every one that put in their heart and soul in bringing a truly amazing showcase of design to Lambrate. And we would like to thank our partners Ikea and Sappi.

The Ventura Centrale 2017 Review – Magical Installations Beneath Rough Vaults

Eight abandoned warehouses, six exhibitors, one Sea Food Mobile, over 35.000 visitors, a Milano Design Award, and one very proud team - that's what sums up the first edition of Ventura Centrale.

We knew before that this could be something truly amazing, but seeing everything come together as it did was incredible. Over the course of one week, eight installations rose up on the Via Ferrante Aporti, giving the visitor a visually evocative experience. Each individual exhibitor followed their own skills and passions and found an authentic way to reach out to their market and to the press, all under the rough tracks and characteristic vaults of the Milan's Stazione Centrale.

Ventura Centrale 2017 Highlights

MAARTEN BAAS by Lensvelt took home one of the precious Milan Design Awards for the exhibition 'May I have your attention, please?'. Both are familiar with winning the prize. Last year Lensvelt won with their exhibition at Ventura Lambrate and the year prior to that, Maarten's special Ventura X show scooped up the prize as well. Ventura did it again!

It was an honour to provide the stage where Salviati, a 150-year-old glassmaking heavyweight from Murano, showed their craftsmanship for the first time during the Milan Design Week. Together with designers Luca Nichetto and Ben Gorham they opened the doors to an - over 700m 2 exhibition- entrancing catalogue of glassmaking techniques – glass in its finest form.

For each event Ventura Projects creates, the location is carefully picked and the impact it has on the city is given careful consideration. The streets around the central station had been in decay for some years due to the abandonment of these warehouses. We received numerous grateful reactions from neighbours who are delighted about the boost Ventura Centrale brought to the area. We now opened the doors for the development of this overlooked strip of raw beauty and we look forward to using this canvas for new projects in the future.

We would like to show our gratitude to the courageous exhibitors Matteo Zorzenoni, Lee Broom, MAARTEN BAAS by Lensvelt, Sea Food Mobile, Salviati in collaboration with Luca Nichetto and Ben Gorham, Passages by Panter & Tourron, Baars & Bloemhoff, and our partners BeArt, FaberExposize and Ecopixel, who were willing to take up this new adventure with us! We have been blessed to be the stage for your beautiful installations.

What's on next?

The Milan Design Week has only finished recently, but Ventura Projects is about to cross the ocean for the second edition of Ventura New York – the Dutch edition, during the NYCxDESIGN Week. Want to stay updated? Keep an eye out for our press releases or hop over to our website for more information.