An iconic image guided visitors through the streets of one of the most vibrant districts of Milan Design Week 2025, the Porta Venezia Design District: purple signage decorated with surrealist snakes by Toiletpaper, an artistic intervention by the duo Maurizio Cattelan and Pierpaolo Ferrari that embodied the “skin change” of the district that, more than others this year, conveyed a strong, recognizable, and coherent identity.
With 80 projects and installations scattered among historic buildings, showrooms, and unexpected spaces – almost double compared to 2024 – the Milanese Liberty district par excellence has captured the attention of the public, attracting over 80,000 visitors, with an increase of over 30% compared to the previous year
TOILETPAPER LIVING Apartment
Among the protagonists, Google impressed with Making the Invisible Visible, an immersive installation that made the invisible dynamics of data tangible, offering a powerful reflection on the way we perceive (and often ignore) what surrounds us. The project received mentions for its relevance in both the Technology category and as Best Installation in the Fuorisalone Awards.
Making the Invisible Visible by Google
Also of great impact was Two-Fold Silence, the first “solo show” by 6:AM Glassworks, one of the most interesting emerging realities in the Milanese scene: they had the most scenic location of the year, inside the former bathrooms of the historic Piscina Cozzi, where handcrafted blown glass confronted the decadent beauty of Liberty mosaics and disused changing rooms.
Two-Fold Silence by 6AM Glassworks – Photo © Tommaso Mariniello
Two-Fold Silence by 6AM Glassworks – Photo © Tommaso Mariniello
Also evocative was Poetica by WonderGlass and Calico Wallpaper which, as always hosted by the Istituto dei Ciechi, was able to envelop the space with matter, light and dreamlike features. Also not unnoticed was Mission Aldebaran by Marc-Antoine Barrois, an adventure between fashion, perfumes and visionary spirit that won the coveted Fuorisalone Award.
Mission Aldebaran by Marc-Antoine Barrois
The predictable success was L’Appartamento by Artemest, which on the occasion of its tenth anniversary exceeded expectations: framed by the refined elegance of Palazzo Donizetti, an architectural masterpiece of the nineteenth century that combines the grace of the Renaissance, the Baroque splendor and the delicate elegance of Liberty, the mastery of high Italian craftsmanship was expressed through the lenses of contemporary design. Also conquering the public was the result of the new collaboration between MCM and Pet Therapy by Atelier Biagetti, which gave life to sculptural and pet-friendly poufs in the shape of cats and dogs, which populated a surreal, but certainly playful environment
MCM x Pet-Therapy
Also highly appreciated was Lakapoliesis by Matteo Cibic, at the Luigi Rovati Foundation: the plant world translated into a poetic and visionary language gave life to sculptures in wood, recycled aluminum, marble and wool able to form a new botanical taxonomy. Finally, it is no coincidence that among the most interesting collective capsules of the week were Plaza (this year more than ever, a creative hybrid between a fair and an exhibition) and Convey (the independently curated format by Simple Flair), which explored the concept of home as a narrative space in continuous evolution.
Convey Garden by Simple Flair
In short, the 2025 edition of the Porta Venezia Design District marked a turning point – not only for the growing numbers and the quality of the projects, but for the ability to build a unitary, engaging and deeply linked story to the neighborhood. The purple snake by Toiletpaper acted as a guide, but it was the soul of the district that made the difference.
