Design in 2021: Fairs Return, Metaverse Arrives, Sustainability Gains

The 2021 design year saw the return of major fairs like Salone del Mobile in Milan, which experimented with QR codes and podcasts. New spaces opened, including the ADI Design Museum Compasso d'Oro by Migliore + Servetto Architects with Italo Lupi, and Superstudio Maxi. The metaverse entered design via NFT-certified virtual furniture, such as Andrés Reisinger's 'The Shipping' collection sold for about $500,000, with physical copies later produced. Sustainability gained legal traction when a court in Gorizia ruled against greenwashing. Heritage preservation efforts included the reconstruction of Ettore Sottsass's Casa Lana at Triennale Milano and the acquisition of Carlo Mollino's Casa Albonico furnishings by the Italian Ministry of Culture. Memphis celebrated 40 years with exhibitions at Vitra Design Museum and Macro, plus a millennial-led project at ADI Design Museum. Lina Bo Bardi received a special Golden Lion at the Venice Architecture Biennale, and her first Italian biography 'La dea stanca' by Zeuler R. Lima was published. Craftsmanship revival continued with Patricia Urquiola's 'Hybrida' collection for MADE IN EDIT, collaborating with Istituto Caselli Real Fabbrica di Capodimonte.