Sound dominates Milan Design Week 2026 as aural experiences reshape interior design

At Milan Design Week 2026, sound emerged as a central theme in interior design, with brands and designers creating immersive listening spaces rather than focusing on noise cancellation. Visionnaire presented 'Déjà-Vu', a listening room curated by Marco Morandini featuring 1970s armchairs and speakers by Giorgio Di Salvo. Art director Eleonore Cavalli emphasized sound's therapeutic value and predicted its integration into homes. Vintage Audio Institute Italia founder Pontus Berghe showcased 1960s and 1970s synthesizers at Alcova with Slalom Acoustics, arguing audiences are tired of silent rooms. Asics collaborated with Nuova Studio on a listening room for the Gel-KineticM2.0 sneaker, with music by Mateo Garcia. Stone Island and NM3 created a sound installation in a disused swimming pool with Friendly Pressure Studio. At Deoron, Yont's Brutalist DJ Booth with New Fidelity and Varia Instruments served as a spatial anchor, hosting DJ sessions. Other sound-focused projects included Supaform's 'Transit Encounters' at Alcova, Mycoaudio and Lesorr's Aluma audio room, Baxter's Syd console, and Bang & Olufsen's Beosound Haven outdoor speaker. The trend reflects a shift toward sound as a design material rather than something to be absorbed.