In 2016, after twenty years, the Triennale di Milano International Exhibition makes a comeback. The event was born in Triennale di Milano will be accompanied by International Par-Monza in 1923 and moved to Milan in 1933 to examine the most pressing issues of society.
Its historic venue, Palazzo dell’Arte, is now a benchmark in the cultural life of Milan: it houses the Triennale Design Museum, temporary international exhibitions, a specialised library, a theatre and entertainment spaces for visitors of all ages.
The XXI Triennale di Milano International Exhibition is an event acknowledged by the BIE (Bureau International des Expositions) and is subject to the restrictions and privileges of its Convention.
The International Exhibition
“21st Century. Design After Design”
With this theme, the Triennale di Milano launches a challenge to the apparent collapse of the contemporary world, its contradictions, inconsistencies and uncertainties.
It aims to propose new “cardinal points” and explore the foundations of culture in the future. To do this, it focuses on projects and on designers to analyse and identify all possible signs of real innovation.
The Venue
The XXI Triennale di Milano International Exhibition will be held
at Palazzo dell’Arte and at other prestigious venues in Milan as follows:
— Fabbrica del Vapore
— HangarBicocca
— MUDEC - Museum of Cultures
— Diocesan Museum
— Leonardo da Vinci National Museum of Science and Technology
— Palazzo della Permanente
— Politecnico di Milano – Leonardo and Bovisa Campus
— Ex Stecca delle Acciaierie Ansaldo
— IULM University
— Villa Reale, Monza (Triennale’s former historic headquarters)
All these venues are already cultural institutions and host activities that are very popular with the public. They can all be easily reached via public transport.
At each venue, institutional exhibitions and productions by the Triennale di Milano will be accompanied by International Participation, thus creating a coherent path of continuous interest
and attraction.
The spaces will be allocated by the Triennale di Milano to participants according to the themes addressed and the surface areas required and available. Each participant will be allocated a “pre-fitted” space, provided with perimeter walls and connections to the electric mains and Wi-Fi.
How to participate
3 types of participation are foreseen:
1. Official Participation
The participation of Governments (or bodies appointed by governments), from countries receiving an official invitation from the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Paolo Gentiloni, and sent through diplomatic channels.
2. Non-Official Participation
The participation of local Institutions and bodies – such as universities and architecture and design centres, as well as cities and regions – that consider it useful for scientific and promotional/cultural purposes to make their contribution to an internationally prestigious platform such as the Triennale di Milano.
3. “Under 35” Participation
The participation of young people (born after 1st November 1980), who are professionals active in the various fields of the project, as well as schools and groups of students.
Why participate
The theme 21st Century. Design After Design, will be a challenge for the design world to focus on new themes and offer solutions to major critical issues that go hand-in-hand with globalisation, technological culture, migration, shifting markets and financial power, and the creation of new scenarios of coexistence.
The Institution
Since its foundation, the Triennale di Milano has been home to intersection and contamination between art and techniques, creativity and technology, tradition and innovation, industry and markets, as well as production and consumption. It has been all this without ever losing sight of aesthetic appeal, the decisive factor for product quality and the production process. The Triennale di Milano has always had a strong inter-disciplinary character. Basing its activities on projects, it has brought together seemingly separate subjects (architecture, design, decorative arts, planning, fashion, videos, industrial production, functional systems and processes) in a single conceptual flow and real representation.
The context
The XXI Triennale di Milano International Exhibition will be held at a time when Milan and Italy will host a full programme of international events:
— Jubilee, 8 December 2015 – 20 November 2016
— Miart (art fair), 8 – 10 April
— Salone del Mobile (furniture fair), 12 – 17 April
— Venice Biennial of Architecture, 28 May – 27 November
— Champions League, final match, 28 May
— Milano Moda Uomo (men’s fashion show), 18 – 21 June
— ICOM (International Council of Museums), 24th world conference, 3 – 9 July
— Gran Prix, Monza, 4 September
The entire duration of the XXI Triennale di Milano International Exhibition will be enlivened by daily events – conferences, conventions, performances, workshops, musical and theatrical entertainment – including the following already programmed events:
— ICOM (International Council of Museums), a special day will be held at the Triennale
— World Design Week Summit, 14 April
— IBA’s (International Biennial Association) 3rd General Assembly, 30 May – 2 June, with the participation of Arjun Appadurai, Bruce Mau and John Thackara
— Theatrum Mundi, September 2016, 2-3 days will be dedicated to Art-Performance and the City, with a public conference and the participation of Brian Eno and Richard Sennett
“Under 35” participation
On occasion of the XXI Triennale di Milano International Exhibition, the Triennale di Milano has decided to collect, map and select the most original and innovative Italian and internation-
al projects in the fields of applied arts (architecture, design, crafts), visual and performing arts (film, music and fashion).
We are looking for professionals aged under 35 (individuals, groups, “collectives”, and schools).
Projects must be produced independently and come under the theme: 21st Century. Design After Design.
All types of projects are accepted, theoretical and concrete, produced in any medium. The selected projects will be organised in an exhibition, according to the type of project, and will be alternated throughout the period of the XXI Triennale di Milano International Exhibition. In addition, a catalogue of the selected projects will be published.
The panel of judges who will select the projects comprises:
Stefano Micelli, Ca’ Foscari University, Venice
Richard Sennett, London School of Economics
Silvana Annicchiarico, Triennale Design Museum
Alberto Cavalli, Fondazione Cologni, Milan
Francesco Bombardi, Fab Lab, Reggio Emilia
Fabio D’Agnano, IUAV, Venice
Stefano Maffei, Politecnico di Milano, Milano
Carlo Martino, ADI (Industrial Design Association), Rome
Laura Traldi, journalist and blogger
Financial Details
Triennale assumes all of the costs in terms of organization, pre-setup, consumption and general management of the exhibition space (electricity, wi-fi, routine surveillance, fire protection and cleaning), as well as general promotion and printing the official catalog. Participants are asked to pay a fixed amount of € 600.00 per square meter of space used for the entire duration of the exhibition.
For areas equal to or greater than 200 square meters, the first 100 will be offered free of charge.
Official Participants will benefit from a 35% reduction on the amount due. Under 35 Participants will be assigned small areas for short periods of time, free of charge.
