Milan, Italy
Beyond the Surface is a temporary exhibition part of Milan Design Week 2023 designed by Ellen van Loon and Giulio Margheri from OMA for SolidNature to be a journey through the process of transforming stone into a stunning design material.
For its second participation at the Milan Design Week, SolidNature commissioned OMA to design an installation that explores the journey of natural stone from its geological formation to the finished product.
Located in the 19th-century Casa Maveri in the Brera District, the exhibition is divided in two sections.
An underground sequence of rooms showcases the processes through which stone is formed, extracted and processed.
The second part is an open-air collection of stone furniture in the palazzo’s garden, designed by invited artists.
In the basement, stone is present as large, rough slabs that clad the rooms completely, as if in a journey underneath the Earth’s crust.
In the garden, meanwhile, stone becomes a backdrop for the different activities hosted during the week.
The two spaces are connected via a sky-blue onyx volume that contains a staircase made of multicoloured marble.
The temporary exhibition in Milan includes bespoke works by Sabine Marcelis, Bita Fayyazi, Studio Ossidiana, and Ward Strootman.
SolidNature’s collection includes an immense variety of the finest marble, onyx, travertine, quartzite, graniteand semi-precious stones, curated from every corner of the world.
It partners with the best international designers and architects to deliver awe-inspiring projects on a global scale.
From public spaces to retail, high-end residential to objets d’art, technology and service are at the heart of their constant search, fearless focus and endless curiosity to deliver an experience beyond expectation.
Project: Beyond the Surface
Architects: The Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA)
Lead Architect: Ellen van Loon
Associate Architect: Giulio Margheri
Design Team: Assem El Cheikh, Alex Tintea, Federico Taiariol, and Ron Zaum
Client: SolidNature
Photographers: Marco Cappelletti and Arthur Wong
