WHEN IN MILANO

After an involuntary break, the world’s largest and most influential furniture fair Salone del Mobile is back on track, inviting design enthusiasts, creatives, brands and designers to the fair grounds and various exhibition spaces throughout the city.

One of the less well known exhibition areas up until now is Assab One, a non profit organization founded by Elena Quarestani and providing exhibition and event spaces as well as research facilities to artists, designers, institutions and curators. Located in north-east Milan, the cultural complex is set in an industrial building, formerly housing the well-known Milanese printing business Grafiche Editorial Ambrosiane. Assab One covers an area of 2500 square meters and spans over two floors. Dominated by high walls, exposed beams, window facades and featuring an inner courtyard, the exhibition complex never lost its industrial charm and is now being used as an exhibition and research facility, housing permanent installations and site-specific art pieces as well as a library and offering guided tours to its international visitors. A number of designers and artists have already settled down in this area, amongst others the Italian design studio FormaFantasma. Back in 2020, French-Milanese artist and designer Nathalie Du Pasquier completed a linear wall mural for the outer walls of Assab One.

For this year’s Milan Design Week, Japanese brands Karimoku New Standard and Tajimi Custom Tiles will showcase their collections and novelties at Assab One. In two exhibitions, both curated by Swiss designer and creative director of both brands, David Glaettli, visitors are invited to learn about the craftsmanship behind the designs and the exciting new collaborations on display. Additionally, the exhibition 1+1+1 curated by Elena Quarestani will be on view that showcases site-specific installations by Studio Ossidiana and designers and artists Pedro Daniel Pantaleone, Konstantin Beck and Ebru Guner.