Dezeen's top nine independent shows from Milan Design Week 2026
While Milan Design Week has become increasingly commercialized, independent exhibitions flourished on the sidelines. Editors at Dezeen highlighted nine remarkable grassroots events. Notable showcases included 'Ghost Kitchen' by Soft Baroque for Uppercut in a small Porta Venezia venue; 'Chopsticks' curated by Yoko Choy for S–3, featuring eleven designers from China, Japan, and South Korea; '7+1 Acts of Survival' by The Line, showcasing works from AAU Anastas, Bernard Khoury, and Kengo Kuma; 'A Bunch of Knobs' by Zaccaria Slater, a mobile door adorned with 50 doorknobs; and 'Over and Over and Over and Over' by 6AM in an old swimming pool. The event ran from 20 to 26 April 2026 in Milan.
Key facts
- Milan Design Week ran from 20 to 26 April 2026.
- Dezeen editors selected nine independent shows.
- Soft Baroque staged 'Ghost Kitchen' in a small space in Porta Venezia.
- S–3's 'Chopsticks' exhibition was curated by Yoko Choy.
- The Line's '7+1 Acts of Survival' included works by AAU Anastas, Bernard Khoury, and Kengo Kuma.
- Zaccaria Slater's 'A Bunch of Knobs' featured 50 designers on a mobile door.
- 6AM's 'Over and Over and Over and Over' was held in Piscina Guido Romano.
- Nieuwe Instituut's 'Civicity' showcased the Redesigning Design Weeks programme.
- Missing Objects' 'The Kitchen' involved 19 designers from various countries.
- Rick Tegelaar's 'Oasis' included a Tabby system and bent plywood lighting.
Entities
Artists
- Soft Baroque
- Yoko Choy
- We+
- +Niceworkshop
- Sae Honda
- Kuo Duo
- Jin Kuramoto
- AAU Anastas
- Bernard Khoury
- Kengo Kuma
- Zaccaria Slater
- Edoardo Pandolfo
- Francesco Palù
- Rick Tegelaar
- Nina Tolstrop
- Jack Mama
- Anoe Melliou
- Chris Fusaro
- Boris Peianov
- Klinta Locmele
Institutions
- Dezeen
- Salone del Mobile
- Uppercut
- S–3
- The Line
- Nieuwe Instituut
- Missing Objects
- Ragno Cose
- Studiomama
- Small Small Space
- Plants in Paradise
- En Doft
- Redesigning Design Weeks
Locations
- Milan
- Italy
- Porta Venezia
- Piscina Cozzi
- Piscina Guido Romano
- Rotterdam
- Netherlands
- London
- United Kingdom
- China
- Japan
- South Korea
- Côte d'Ivoire
- Kazakhstan
Sources
- Dezeen —