Annabel Karim Kassar's Punk Witch Reimagines Domestic Space Around a Library at Milan Design Week 2026

At Milan Design Week 2026, architect Annabel Karim Kassar introduces her installation called Punk Witch, located in a modernist showroom in Brera, originally designed by Armando Ronca. This project reimagines home spaces by placing a library with more than 10,000 books, sourced from Scottish journalist George Kerevan's collection, at its heart. A striking 30-meter brushed metal bookshelf serves as the centerpiece, influencing the layout around it. The design features textiles from Lebanese markets, artisanal items from Tripoli, and hand-painted wallpapers in the French 'domino' style by Saint-Pandelon, along with works by Swiss ceramist Bérengère Lux. The installation also hosts The Milan Conversations, curated by Francesca Grassi, where thinkers like Nigel Coates discuss creativity in Europe during communal breakfasts. Instead of conventional carpets, grass is used, linking this project to Kassar's Garden of Hesperides at the Orto Botanico di Brera and building on her past work, like the Lebanese House at the Victoria and Albert Museum in 2022.