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Milan Design Week 2018: Wellness & Wonder at Wallpaper* Handmade

05.03.18 | By
Milan Design Week 2018: Wellness & Wonder at Wallpaper* Handmade

Embracing the trend for wellness that is sweeping the design industry, Wallpaper* Handmade’s theme for their annual Milan showcase of craft and making was Wellness & Wonder with designers briefed to create ‘restorative treats’ that were ‘dedicated to balancing the beauty without and within’ for exhausted visitors to Milan Design Week. The exhibition was housed within Mediateca Santa Teresa on via della Moscova in the city’s Brera district.

Australian designer David Caon created Ceremony, a reinterpretation of the traditional Japanese tea ritual accoutrements, comprising two woven recycled PET plastic rugs (with aluminum support) by Christopher Farr and a mirrored table with an interior compartment to hold ice, drinks or snacks.

British design studio Pinch created a tranquil space at the back of the exhibition showcasing a wide range of products and furniture.

The Sunrise Mirror by Istanbul-based design studio 15 West and Dutch furniture makers Ghyczy creates a fractured reflection to encourage the user to consider their inner beauty rather than their outer form. Made in the Netherlands, it includes a hidden compartment for jewelry and toiletries.

Jonathan Cross created his collection of incense burners, called Architecture for Smoke, drawing inspiration from ‘ancient architectural structures, post-apocalyptic science fiction imagery, and rock formations.’

The Vibes Pillow Rug was created by Italian design duo Zaven by giving three-dimensional form to a rug, working closely with French textile manufacturer Cogolin who brought their concept to life using a Jacquard loom and hand-knotting techniques.

Discover the Joy of Discipline Healing Set comprises a lava stone tray and five crystal glasses designed to encourage a ‘meditative start to the day’ involving dried fruit, vitamin tablets and water, and was the result of a collaboration between Paris-based Le Gramme and sixth-generation Austrian glass producers Lobmeyer.

Bozarthfornell Architects worked with Allaert Aluminium to create a case for a bar of Romance Chocolate – a must-have in the survival kit of any Milan veteran.

The StayFit bench by South Korean-born Malmo-based Kunsik Choi and Finnish cabinet-makers Nikari is designed to encourage at-home workouts by fitting in with the domestic furniture. It is made of ash, cork and leather and comes complete with a shelf for storing mats and dumbbells.

Katie Treggiden is a purpose-driven journalist, author and, podcaster championing a circular approach to design – because Planet Earth needs better stories. She is also the founder and director of Making Design Circular, a program and membership community for designer-makers who want to join the circular economy. With 20 years' experience in the creative industries, she regularly contributes to publications such as The Guardian, Crafts Magazine and Monocle24 – as well as being Editor at Large for Design Milk. She is currently exploring the question ‘can craft save the world?’ through an emerging body of work that includes her fifth book, Wasted: When Trash Becomes Treasure (Ludion, 2020), and a podcast, Circular with Katie Treggiden.