L’ALTRO distretto (The OTHER district)
Made to be different made to be l’Altro

45°28’27.77’’N 9° 12’18.04’’E
The coordinates not only indicate the area that constitutes the Porta Venezia Design District, but they also indicate a new extension of thought and a different approach to a district project that sees in design its main, unique but non-exclusive expression.

Porta Venezia Design District, L’ALTRO distretto (“The OTHER” district), was created with the objective to trace and narrate a different urban fabric and communicate in a contemporary manner a other vision of design, in dialogue with the context and the values it represents, on the backdrop of highly representative landmarks of the city of Milan.

A historical area of Milan looking to the future, depositary of the city’s various socio-cultural stratifications recognizable in the different elements that characterize it, from the historical architectures to the most contemporary evolutions. A city system where change is a spontaneous reaction, meandering through its neighborhoods and streets networks.

Reflecting inclusivity and diversity, characteristics innate to the territory, the neo-district intends to englobe multiple fields different from one another into the concept of design, intended in its broader meaning of ideation and designing.

Expression of a city in continuous evolution and transformation, Porta Venezia’s neighborhood established itself, through the years, as a cosmopolitan, inclusive, rebel spirited district; peculiarities that L’ALTRO district intends to highlight, focalizing the attention on aspects of uniqueness and particularity. The roadway that historically crosses the heart of Porta Venezia and that urbanistically links the city center to the outskirts, alongside the unique architectures, stories and ethnicities present on the territory, enable the neighborhood to represent the different faces of Milan.

“Porta Venezia Design District stems from the desire to value and celebrate the diversity and uniqueness of an area of Milan through the contemporary language of design. We have studied Milan’s territory, identified some necessities and recognized in Porta Venezia a fertile territory, where to structure innovative projects. The presence of MEET Digital Culture Center – the first International Center for Digital Art and Culture created in Milan with the support of Fondazione Cariplo – and the two projects of urban requalification MAD, Museum of Digital Art and LOC, Loreto Open Community that see protagonist this area of the city, allow us to look forward embarking on a growth path projected to the future. Our goal, in this year zero, is to develop a projectuality that goes beyond the Fuorisalone”. Explains Marco Samorì, team Creative Direction Mktg&Comms Porta Venezia Design District.

“Porta Venezia is a heterogeneous area of Milan, characterized by a vibrant soul and by an undeniable nature of inclusion. The diversity of the cultures and people that animate the territory inspire this “other” character. Of major inspiration to us was the definition that writer and anthropologist Marco Aime gives to word “other”:” […] those that we define as ‘others’ are often the product of our construction and not an objective reality. But, why do we construct the other? Because it is essential in order to define the ‘self’. We are what the other is not and this is why often, too often, we frame the other as evil. We need villains in order to think ourselves good […]”*. This definition sparked a reflection highlighting the importance and the necessity, to this day, of charging the word other with positive connotations. The effort put in pursuing our vision finds its fulfillment in the concept of the other design, intended in its purest meaning of projectuality. The celebration of diversity, through the coexistence of different expressive codes and languages, will result in the concrete expression of inclusivity". Goes on Carlo Barbarossa, team Creative Direction Mktg&Comms of the district.

Concludes Tommaso Francavilla, team Location Scouting and Management of the Porta Venezia Design District. “Porta Venezia’s neighborhood is situated in a strategic position, as it connects the city center to the inner suburbs, linking the more noble areas as Palestro and the Quadrilatero del Silenzio, to Lima and to the first peripheries of the district. The neighborhoods position concedes to work around the concept of integration that is intrinsic to the territory. With a selection of original and unique locations, the new district intends to offer a different interpretation of the spaces and a fruition of design that will see the public protagonist”.

The district, at its first edition, desires to start important collaborations on the territory. Supporters of Porta Venezia Design District 2023 are:

• MEET Digital Culture Center, directed by Maria Grazia Mattei, Founder and President;
• RAFFLES MILANO – Istituto di Moda e Design directed by Carlo Forcolini, Lifetime Achievement Compasso D’oro;
• MNAD Museo Nazionale Arte Digitale, opening in 2026, directed by Ilaria Bonacossa, ex director of Artissima, Fiera internazionale d’arte contemporanea di Torino;
• Associazione Commercianti di Corso Buenos Aires Milano ASCOBAIRES and the Area Rete Associativa CONFCOMMERCIO headed by cav. Gabriel Meghnagi;
• Associazione Commercianti Porta Venezia Milano Rainbow District headed by Paolo Sassi.

ALL THE (INTER)FACES OF DESIGN and the COMPANIES

THE OTHER District focuses the attention on design in its various developments.

Technological and digital innovation fundamental characteristic of MEET - focal point and headquarter of Porta Venezia Design District - that, during the design week, presents, alongside MNAD, the immersive experience EVERYTHING (2021) by NOHLAB; and FUTURE IMPACT, the project curated by Tony Chambers and Maria Cristina Didero, that involves six among the most renowned designers of Singapore, who illustrate how the interaction between design and technology can positively influence the future, generating innovative and revolutionary solutions. Moooi with the project A Life Extraordinary explores digital and physical realities creating new experiences through advanced technologies.

Design as an inclusive and formative process and the promotion of emerging talents are well represented by RAFFLES MILANO with the exhibition Dove va il Design?. By LEROY MERLIN that presents the installation Leroy Merlin Open House, a new and open way of living result of the collaboration with Politecnico di Milano that promotes inclusive design for diversity, energy efficiency and social sustainability. REMIGIO ARCHITECTS with Living Choices - essere e abitare il cambiamento explores the themes of inclusivity, social sustainability and of green design, in collaboration with the student of NABA, whose ideas will in part shape the set-up.

Sustainability and circular solutions. ALCANTARA that through three portals realized with leftover scaffolding and fabrics, wants to show how it is possible to give new life to waste materials through recycling. BIRO‘ ITALIA oriented towards sustainable mobility (shared, electric and micro) creating an itinerant installation. Birò - l'Altro Elettrico “moving” design tra le via di Milano, a series of vehicles, decorated with the graphics realized by the students of the fashion and design Institute RAFFLES Milano, that will invade the city. BROMPTON JUNCTION MILANO with its famous folding bicycle, Made in England, that moves enthusiasts all over the world and will be a partner of the area’s mobility.

Promotion of Made in Italy and attention to manufacturing and materials with WonderGlass that celebrates the magic of glass, Italian craftsmanship and the Venetian tradition, narrating the artisans’ authentic actions and the designers’ intuitions through the three crafting techniques of the Mastri vetrai - blowing, fusion and casting. MC+ a new brand with Italian DNA, but located in the United States, that puts together a collection of limited edition pieces “between art and design”, only using Italian craftsmanship. The attention to details and the use of waste materials are at the heart of the project Estetiche Sommerse, developed by the multidisciplinary design studio CARA \ DAVIDE on invite and with the production supervision of PARK ASSOCIATI. DELCOURT COLLECTION and COLLECTION PARTICULIERE (Fondazione Mudima) that present some furnishing accessories that revolve around the use of materials, the manufacturing and the crafting skills.

DESIGNERS and CURATORS

Coming from Italy, Australia, Dubai, France, Mexico, Netherlands, Spain, Turkey, UK, US, Singapore, are more than 60 the protagonists that, this year in the district, will make of design an excellence: Nina Zupanc and Andrés Reisinger (Moooi), Snarkitecture for Gufram, Armature Globale for On Running, Formafantasma for Tacchini, Panter & Tourron for XL Extralight, Willo Perron, Devon Turnbull and Snowcrash, Alessio Ascari, Paul Cournet (Capsule | Capsule Plaza). Maria Cristina Didero and Tony Chambers (FUTURE IMPACT), Ilaria Bonacossa (MNAD), Maria Grazia Mattei (MEET) Jean Blanchaert, Paul Cocksedge, Tom Dixon, Elisa Ossino, John Pawson, Elena Salmistraro, studiopluz, Bethan Laura Wood and Dan Yeffet (WonderGlass). CARA \ DAVIDE (PARK ASSOCIATI), Cardenio Petrucci and Mattia Biagi (MC+), NOHLAB (EVERYTHING 2021), Remigio Architects, Christophe Delcourt e Mathieu Delacroix (FONDAZIONE MUDIMA), Studiopepe (ALCANTARA), Marianna Kennedy, Giulio Iacchetti (Art Pavilion - FONDAZIONE LUIGI ROVATI), Morris Spagnol (La “GRANDE MELA” di EVA), Futuresigns (MOVIMENTO ‘MERGING and EMERGING’).

MORE INFO ABOUT THE LOGO:
The logo represents some of the iconic locations of the neighborhood: two squares, the Bastioni of Porta Venezia, a circle the Civico Planetario Ulrico Hoepli, a rectangle the Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Milano. Different forms create a common vision, a strong identity that sees in diversity and heterogeneity an added value.

*reference: Definizioni d’autore Zanichelli https://dizionaripiu.zanichelli.it/cultura-e-attualita/definizionidautore/altro/