Event Details

The 9th edition of Isola Design Festival organized by the digital and physical design platform Isola, will welcome visitors during Milan Design Week, from 7 to 13 April 2025. 
 
Over the years, and more recently with the launch of its Dubai outpost, Isola has evolved into a global platform by staying true to its origins while embracing fresh perspectives in contemporary design. The 2025 edition pays tribute to these roots with the theme Design is Human, a powerful reflection on the role of people in the design process. Design should start at a human scale, ultimately enhancing the well-being of both people and the planet. Design is Human highlights the fusion of traditional mastery and digital innovation, reaffirming that human creativity remains at the core of meaningful design. 
 
Bringing together international designers, studios, creators, and manufacturers, Isola Design Festival 2025 champions a humanity-driven approach to design, exploring themes like social impact, environmental responsibility, functional design, locally sourced materials, and the fusion of digital and artisanal crafts - shaping a new, people-centered design movement. 
 
AT BASICVILLAGE
BasicVillage (Via dell'Aprica 12, Milan) has been added to the circuit, infusing the area with fresh creative energy. BasicVillage will be the centerpiece of the festival with three carefully curated collective exhibitions - 
Conscious Objects - an exhibition that engages visitors through multiple senses—hearing, playing, touching, tasting, and interacting—sometimes even becoming part of the experience. Imagine a chair that works only when sitting together, objects that adapt to the user's needs, or a table game with playing cards to taste.
Isola Design Gallery - The 6th edition celebrates unique and handcrafted products, collectible design that tells a story, customizable pieces that grant an experience.
Openspace - A dynamic hub for bespoke companies, brands, and startups across industries such as circular design, material research, and manufacturing with a focus on craft, in-house production, and digital hybridation. Exhibitors present cutting-edge products and services, each reflecting a unique, forward-thinking approach. 
 
SuperForma’s additive manufacturing customizes the bar counter with 3D-printed elements made from recycled PLA. Collected since 2020 through a network of partners, the material will be reclaimed at the end of the event and reintegrated into the production cycle. This modular installation showcases how design can truly achieve zero impact.  
 
Starting from Via Farini, Isola Studio presents Rasa - The Indian Collective at VIAFARINI (Via Carlo Farini 35), curated by Nidhi Chandak and Varun E S, part of Isola Studio’s team based in India. Rasa (रस), a Sanskrit word, refers to the emotional experience evoked by creative expression. True to its name, the exhibition is an invitation to discover how design goes beyond mere aesthetics, becoming an emotional journey through artisans' narratives, cultural continuity, and innovation. The exhibition presents pieces by more than 15 Indian designers and design studios that bridge tradition and modernity, celebrating the artistry and skill of Indian makers.
 
Strolling through Isola’s neighborhood, from Via Luigi Porro Lambertenghi to Via Confalonieri and Via Cola Montano, visitors will encounter guest exhibitions and interactive venues throughout its main streets:
Blurry Memories by Oculta Studio and Roman Vases by Federico Fiermonte
CONNECTED BY DESIGN, INSPIRED BY BEAUTY - La Vie En Gloss
Cross pollination by Pforzheim University
Design Thinking in the Ethereum Age
Deus Ex Machina: an ode to MDF by Arno Hoogland
Fibre Fever! by Jack Brandsma and Rollo Stars by Lambert Kamps
NEW NORMAL 5 - Japanese Maison
 
Moreover several studios, workshops and galleries located in the district will open their doors to visitors: [1+2=8], Algranti Lab, Angelo della Pergola1, artetica, Boiserie Riva - RivaViva, Brussels House and more.