The Habitarematerials exhibition attracted tremendous interest during Milan Design Week: more than 90,000 trade professionals visited the Alcova showcase

The Habitarematerials exhibition was seen in Milan from 17 to 23 April 2023. The Exhibition was part of the Alcova showcase, which is curated by Joseph Grima and Valentina Ciuffi. Alcova has been one of the most fascinating and followed events of Milan Design Week in recent years.

The Habitarematerials exhibition, which debuted at Milan Design Week, and the 14 Finnish material manufacturers featured at the exhibition, received a wonderful reception at the Alcova showcase. A staggering 90,000 professionals visited Alcova during the week.

Alcova, held every year concurrently with the Salone del Mobile fair, is a platform for designers and companies investigating the future of living and making, and is part of the programme of the Fuorisalone event. The Salone del Mobile fair and the concurrent Fuorisalone event, which spreads around the city, together form Milan Design Week. The Alcova showcase, staged in various locations, was, this year, activate for the first time never-before-seen spaces in the historical quarter of Ex Macello, near Porta Vittoria.

Designed by NEMO architects, the experiential and inspiring material library is based on the concept of democratising design. The experiential material library consists of materials manufactured by Finnish companies, inviting the international design audience to learn more about them.

“Habitarematerials is a material library that is available to everyone, letting people touch the samples, experiment, and create something new. The exhibition offers visitors space and freedom to browse through materials and explore their own tastes by experimenting with different combinations of surfaces and colours. The materials are attractively presented, and there is product information on each sample that visitors can photograph and take with them for making purchases,” say Jussi Laine and Maria Klemetti Laine of NEMO architects.

Photo: Unto Rautio

Habitarematerials to feature 14 Finnish materials manufacturers

Habitarematerials Milan incorporates a spatial exhibition design, samples from Finnish material suppliers, and unique furniture made from materials from participating companies. The exhibition features 14 Finnish companies: Cover Story, CWP, Durat, Johanna Gullichsen, Karava, Nordic Copper, Novo Wood, Pihlgren & Ritola, Sera Helsinki, Stala, Luonnonbetoni, Laatupaneeli, Tulikivi and VMCarpet.

The exhibition, which is unique even internationally, provides a unique platform for Finnish companies to become recognised within the international design community and to profile themselves internationally, as Milan Design Week and the concurrent Salone del Mobile furniture fair constitute the most important event in the industry, inviting pioneers from all over the world to come together.

“We are very happy that it is specifically Habitarematerials that will be showcased in Milan. The topicality and novelty of the exhibition make it a perfect fit with the Alcova content. We are especially happy to be presenting responsible Finnish materials companies and organisations,” says the creative director of Habitare, Laura Sarvilinna.

The media partner of Habitarematerials Milan is Asun magazine.