USM and Snøhetta create inflatable breathing space at Milan Design Week 2026

At Milan Design Week 2026, Swiss furniture brand USM presents 'Renaissance of the Real,' an installation created with architecture firm Snøhetta and experience designer Annabelle Schneider. Located in the courtyard of Fondazione Luigi Rovati at Corso Venezia 52 in Milan, the project runs from Tuesday 21 April to Sunday 26 April 2026, open daily from 10am to 7pm. The structure uses USM's Haller modular system as an exoskeleton, with parachute-grade polyurethane fabric inflating outward to form a soft interior environment. Schneider's neuroaesthetic approach activates all senses: guests receive hot towels, encounter calibrated scents and sounds, and experience pale pink tones designed to alter perception. Spaces within the installation progressively shrink in size, creating dramatic contrasts that aim to hold attention and reduce phone usage. Schneider notes the work addresses an over-stimulated world, helping visitors reconnect with themselves through physical design. Similar installations have appeared at New York Design Week with the same intent of providing pause. The experience concludes in the courtyard center, offering quiet contemplation. Adrian Madlener, a Brussels-born, New York-based writer with editorial experience at The Architect's Newspaper and Frame magazine, authored the coverage.