At Fuorisalone 2026, a project by the Master of Arts School, sponsored by the Fondazione Francesco Morelli. Opening on April 19th, featuring the three projects on display, followed by a talk (6:00 p.m.) with Councilors Bertolé and Ronchi, Miriam Pasqui of the Severe Marginalization Unit, Davide Colaci, and Gianni Biondillo, moderated by Federica Zambeletti. A VJ set begins at 7:00 p.m.
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Fare Posto: IED Reimagines First Reception Spaces at Milan Sammartini Center
Date
01 April 2026
What does it mean to design for first support and reception services? And to do so in a city in constant transformation like Milan, where homelessness and social marginalization represent one of the most urgent and complex challenges for urban and social fabric?
This is the question posed by seven IED Milan students in the two-year specialization program in INTERIOR DESIGN. Spatial Practices for Gathering Cultures, in collaboration with the Sammartini Center of the City of Milan—a gateway to municipal services for adults in situations of severe social marginalization.
Starting from cross-disciplinary research on the topic, the young IED designers developed three projects that reimagine initial reception spaces, on display from April 20 to 24, along with their prototypes, at the Sammartini Center of the City of Milan, adjacent to Dropcity, in the evocative tunnels beneath the tracks of Central Station. They are the result of a dialogue between creativity and social responsibility, conducted with the City of Milan and the staff of the Sammartini Center, with the support of the Francesco Morelli Foundation: through low-impact design interventions, specific furnishings for the center’s activities, and flexible, mobile devices intended for both citizens and staff, the design proposals restore visibility and a sense of belonging to those living on the margins, creating recognizable “places” characterized by functionality and beauty.
FARE POSTO: THE THREE PROPOSALS FROM IED AND ITS PARTNERS
The proposals are enhanced by a system of translucent drapes that serve as both a backdrop and wings, connecting people and prototypes while bringing order and clarity to the space.
This light, non-invasive intervention makes the Sammartini Center more welcoming and accessible, fostering a new connection between the center’s staff and the people it serves.
Specifically, the GENTLE FRAME project, by Alessia Martinez and Ekaterina Sharova, proposes a modular and reconfigurable system made of aluminum and recycled cork that organizes the reception area into small spaces with flexible uses. KALEIDOSCOPE, by Federica Avon, Damla Dinckan, and Olga Matsiuk, focuses on a mobile device that combines visual and acoustic screening to ensure privacy and intimacy in listening spaces. SYNESTESIA, by Jahnavi Desai and Stefania Straziuso, proposes a mobile and modular system of seating and work surfaces that fosters collaboration and interaction between staff and users. The creation of the prototypes and the installation were made possible thanks to collaboration with leading companies such as Broadview Materials, which supplied the innovative FENIX® materials; Greencork, for its recycled natural cork products and integrated prototyping service; Nolostand S.p.A. for the installation; and Slalom S.r.l. for the sound-absorbing panels designed to enhance the acoustic comfort of the spaces.
FARE POSTO: THE OPENING ON APRIL 19TH
The exhibition will open on Sunday, April 19, from 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM, with a discussion (at 6:00 PM) on the theme of hospitality as infrastructure and fragility as a meeting place—a space capable of envisioning coexistence and practicing kindness. Following the opening remarks by Lamberto Bertolè, Councilor for Welfare and Health of the City of Milan, and Donatella Ronchi, Councilor for Social Policies, Health, and Relations with the C.A.M. and C.S.R.C. - Disability and C.D.D. - Volunteering – Mobility of City Hall District 2, the discussion will feature writer and architect Gianni Biondillo, architect and IED coordinator Davide Fabio Colaci, and Miriam Pasqui, Head of the Severe Marginalization Unit of the Department of Welfare and Health of the City of Milan, moderated by Federica Zambeletti – Founder and Artistic Director of KoozArch. Following this (7:00 p.m.) and continuing until closing, a VJ Set curated by students from the IED Milan School of Visual Arts: a shared, contemporary sensory experience that expands on the themes of hospitality, fragility, and coexistence.
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