CLOSE AD ×

An inside look at Villa Borsani for Milan Design Week

Curated by Ambra Medda

An inside look at Villa Borsani for Milan Design Week

On May 15, Milan’s Triennale Design Museum will open a retrospective of Italian designer-architect Osvaldo Borsani curated by Norman Foster and Tommaso Fantoni (the grandson of Borsani). In advance of the exhibition, designer and curator Ambra Medda created Villa Borsani: Casa Libera! to offer a rare glimpse into Villa Borsani, the house Osvaldo built for his twin brother Fulgenzio in 1953. The two brothers founded the Italian furniture company Tecno, which is famous for its designs such as the D70 Sofa (1954), P40 Chaise Longue (1955), and its office systems. Located outside Milan, Villa Borsani houses the Borsani archives, which date back to the 1930s and include drawings, paintings, and photographs of Tecno furniture and other projects. Villa Borsani: Casa Libera! opened in tandem with Milan Design Week.

Although it has been unoccupied as a residence for over a decade, Medda brought the villa to life with floral arrangements, archival furniture, and a signature scent in collaboration with artist Harry Were, florist Sophie Wolanski, and stylist Katie Lockhart. The exhibition also includes a music selection by Alexander Francis, making it a total sensory experience. Visitors are encouraged to explore the gardens and archives as well (which AN definitely endorses). Villa Borsani: Casa Libera! will be on view until September 15.


CLOSE AD ×