For centuries, the Italian city of Milan has been synonymous with rebirth and transformation. During Ancient Roman times, it was the birthplace of Emperor Constantine’s Edict of Milan, which granted tolerance to all religions within the Empire and paved the way for Christianity; in the Middle Ages, the city was overrun by the Visogoths, Ostrogoths, and Lombards in turn, prompting the eventual construction of fortified Spanish walls around its borders. Later centuries brought successive waves of renewal as the city adapted to shifting cultural and political contexts, eventually bringing Milan to its modern iteration as a global capital of art, fashion, and design. At no point in Milan’s history has it ever stood still: even today, the international city retains a seemingly insatiable appetite for innovation and reinvention.

As much is evident in Salone del Mobile, which returns to the city this April for the 57^th year running. Since its establishment in 1961, Salone has transformed Milan into the backdrop of the largest and most prestigious furniture trade show in the world. The event is inextricably entwined with Milan and its rich history, celebrating a unique blend of fresh talent, cultural heritage, collaboration, inclusion, and longevity that you would be hard pressed to find elsewhere. Each year brings a new iteration of Salone, which – like Milan itself – rolls gracefully with the changing tides of time and culture. Over the course of one week, over 300 000 attendees converge in Milan for an immersive, emotive experience that unites attendees from countless countries and professions on the basis of a wide strip of common ground: a love of design.

Every year, the Salone celebrates innovation that looks at once forward and back, responding to the needs of tomorrow while demonstrating awareness of the design canon that precedes it. Designers, architects, and creatives of all types rub shoulders with journalists, entrepreneurs, collectors, and critics to create a dynamic atmosphere unmatched by any similar event around the world. More than 2000 brands take part in the show each year, showcasing a diverse range of products and concepts that converge to make tickets to Salone the most coveted on the global design calendar.

In spite of its long history, Salone celebrates a future-oriented approach to design that is underpinned by a constant drive for innovation and improvement. The weeklong event celebrates boundary-pushing design that always prioritises ‘how we can do it better’ over ‘how we have always done it’. With all this in mind, international brand Corian® is the perfect fit for Salone and its prevailing ethos of forward-facing creativity. For over fifty years, Corian® has challenged pre-existing boundaries within design and taken on new challenges with gusto, testing the limits of status quo and encouraging dynamic and unexpected design practice.

Renowned around the world for its versatility and ease of installation and maintenance, Corian® brings fearless, pioneering design to life in all sectors spanning from residential and commercial to health and aged care, hospitality, and retail. For decades, Corian® solid surfaces have been a mainstay of transformative design that elevates objects and spaces to the realm of the extraordinary. The brand has earned a reputation for radical, future-proof design that responds sensitively to changing user needs and market forces. At once contemporary and classic, Corian® encourages architects and designers to explore divergent thinking, dextrous and unconventional material use, and impeccable craftsmanship, much like Salone itself.  

Against this backdrop, it is only fitting that Corian® has found its way into the displays of several design heavyweights exhibiting at the 2018 Salone. The innovative material has proven itself a particular favourite amongst the Eurocucina crowd, where it has been used for kitchen work surfaces in the stands of SMEG, Scavolini, Rational, and Aran Cucine. Corian® also features heavily in the stands of a number of major Eurobagno exhibitors including Acquapazza, Fir Italia, Blu Bleu, Ardeco, and DiMasi. The 2018 Salone also puts Corian® to a raft of creative uses that demonstrate its vast creative potential, including a modular furnishing concept featuring Lego® decorative elements by MOOW, a “foodgrammer plate” by MOOW, and a resilient vanity and bath set from Stilles.

As major proponents of cutting-edge design that is not afraid to step outside the norm, Corian® is proud to support exhibitors at this year’s Salone del Mobile Milano.