Milan 2016: Italian firm SET Architects has wrapped fabric around a steel framework to create an installation and temporary exhibition space for ceramic tile manufacturer Florim (+ slideshow).
The free-standing structure is divided into five separate spaces, which have been covered in black juta – a biodegradable material made from vegetable fibre. The top portion of the installation features a zigzag "roof", made by wrapping the material around alternate horizontal bars.
The steel framework is made from separate rods, designed to be easily assembled using a bolt-less system. According to the firm, this also means the installation can be "infinitely reproduced".
"The wings created by the steel free-standing structure and the juta cloth generate diverse paths and ways to interact with the space," said SET Architects.
The floor of the Album Bff016 installation is covered in a grid of Florim's black ceramic tiles, and the fabric walls are hung with photographs of the Azerbaijan Pavilion of Expo 2015 – which was also constructed using the company's products.
"The black cloth gives rise to a chequered pattern, which consists of a modular grid of one-square-metre spaces," said SET Architects, which recently completed a steel Holocaust memorial in Bologna Square.
"Thus, the cloth serves not just as a discreet background for the photographs but also as a tool to highlight the value of the images," it added.
Dutch designer Hella Jongerius also created a temporary installation for Milan design week, arranging pieces of Vitra furniture by colour to create a rainbow-hued collection of hanging chairs. New products debuted as part of the fair include Hay's range of experimental office furniture, and a collection of seating designed by Jasper Morrison for Vitra.
The installation was housed inside Florim's flagship store in Brera during Milan design week, from 12 to 17 April 2016.
Photography is by Simone Bossi.
