Bruno Murani’s idiosyncratic ideologies inspire Porro’s showroom in Durini

An immersive three-colour installation inspired by Bruno Munari's exploration of colour and history, constructs the foundation for Italian brand Porro’s new Milan showroom construction site—a multi-level innard full of design possibilities. With a vision to alter established habits and change the idea of ‘home’—the Milan showroom at Via Durini 15 comes to an end, after two decades, as the brand moves to a new space with double visibility on the central Via Visconti di Modrone and the pedestrian Via Ronchetti—a brick, glass and metal structure covered in ivy, with a hidden view of old Milan. In this project for Porro by architect Piero Lissoni , the architecture follows a dialogue with nature—intertwining the past with contemporaneity. The interior design , articulated on several levels as full of design possibilities to be explored, presented new challenges for Porro's sartorial capability to furnish tailor-made spaces with craftsmanship perfection, translating into an architectural soul that is expressed through unprecedented installations.

Porro unveils the new address in a graphic and creative manner, inspired by Munari's famous book Nella nebbia di Milano, which emphasises the special bond that Munari created with the company's logo, in the 1960s. Drawing inspiration from Munari’s playful inventiveness, exploration of colour, and fascination with children’s books, the special exhibition celebrates the opening of the space in the Durini Design District. Although the building is still a work in progress, Lissoni’s set up of the pieces that punctuate the brand’s contemporary history interacts with an immersive installation created by Sfelab.

The interactive installation showcases a ‘cyclorama’ that surrounds the visitor with its geography of juxtaposed colours, revealing its hidden contents only to those who know how to ‘play’ by wearing a magical pair of paper glasses with coloured jellies, which allows for a different story to be read each time, by choosing a colour. The story of the company is shared through an overlapping of layers, travelling freely in time and space.

Also, showcasing is a small exhibition dedicated to Munari, created in collaboration with Corraini Edizioni, that his experiments from the light shade glasses to the book Guardiamoci negli occhi, to the game Proiezioni Dirette to works like Polariscopio and Rotori, where experiments on light, colour, and movement are converted into engaging interactive games. Evocative designs await discovery one step at a time, along with visionary design installations through which Porro has fascinated the world of design over the years, becoming an essential stop along the Milan Design Week route.

Proiezioni dirette by Bruno Munari

Displayed for the first time on October 13, 1953, at Studio B 24 in Milan, Proiezioni dirette was conceived as an experiment in deconstructing the principles of painting on canvas. Showcased twice at MoMA in New York in May 1954 and October 1955 alongside illegible books and design works, it incontinently presented an innovative character. The conception of a painting transpositioned to a cinematic scale. It was in late 1959, when Munari displayed the Proiezioni dirette at the Galleria Danese in Piazza San Fedele 2 in Milan. "Spectators are also allowed," was put up, ironically remarking on the participatory intent of Munari's design: an art by everyone and not just an art for everyone. A collective performance, nearly a decade before art invaded the public scene in Italy.

Rotore by Bruno Munari

Rotore in painted aluminium was a part of the kinetic art experiments that Munari invented. Art for the first time was in function to an external intervention—a revolutionary act against traditional art generally to be enjoyed in its immobility. The plasticised collage was part of the hunt for works of art in movement, with useless machines, and hanging objects, where all the rudiments are in harmonious relationship with each other, by size, shape, weight and colour.

Polariscopio by Bruno Munari

The effect of Polaroid film becomes visible by placing colourless material between layers of filters; specifically with the rotating movement of the one closest to the bystander, a virtual movement of the composition is created. Munari designs protrusions with the rotation of the polarizing filter in front of the projector lens and lightboxes, with and without a motor, named Polariscope. "Then I did some research with polarized light—with an object that I call a polariscope—two Polaroid strips oriented one at 90 degrees to the other so the colours that you see are always complimentary. This is an object of dynamic art, kinetic art, that I made in the 1950s,” shares Munari.

Guardiamoci negli occhi by Bruno Munari

The theme of ‘faces’ so dear to Munari, here becomes a game related to the eyes and the different possibilities of seeing. "Mix the drawings, change the colours of the eyes, let us get used to looking at the world with the eyes of others," shares Munari, giving an indication of the use of the 25 coloured cards, all with holes for the eyes.

Occhiali paraluce by Bruno Munari

A perfect illustration of Munari's inventiveness and simplicity, in 1954, Munari patented the ‘Occhiali paraluce’—a pair of sunglasses made from a single sheet of folded and cut cardboard. He said he was inspired by the way people cover their eyes from the sun with their hands.

STIR’s coverage of Milan Design Week 2023 showcases the best exhibitions, studios, designers, installations, brands, and special projects to look out for. Explore Euroluce 2023 and all the design districts—5Vie Art and Design, Brera Design District, Fuorisalone, Isola Design District, Tortona District, and Milano Design District—with us.

Text by Ria Jha.