alberto meda's ongoing pursuit of lightness celebrated at triennale milano exhibition

alberto meda. tension and lightness at triennale milano

From October 6, 2023, to January 7, 2024, Triennale Milano showcases Alberto Meda: Tension and Lightness, an exhibition dedicated to the renowned Italian engineer and designer with a career spanning over five decades. Spread across the gallery, grand staircase, and mezzanine of Triennale, this show delves into Meda’s ongoing pursuit of both visual and structural lightness, his commitment to seamless function integration, and his perspective on technology as a wellspring of stylistic choices and solutions. Curated by Marco Sammicheli and brought to life by Riccardo Blumer, the exhibition offers an exclusive glimpse into Alberto Meda’s extensive oeuvre and features a curated selection of projects, photographs, prototypes, drawings, and unpublished materials. Alberto Meda: Tension and Lightness is also supported by Italian design brand Alias.

view of the exhibition installation of Alberto Meda: Tension and Lightness | photo by Giacomo Di Ioia courtesy of Triennale Milano

Exploring Alberto Meda’s Design Legacy

As mentioned above, the exhibition at Triennale Milano delves into key aspects of Meda’s work, exploring his unwavering quest for both visual and structural lightness. Additionally, the exhibition analyses his utilization of light as an intangible element in design projects and examines the multifaceted concept of comfort from various angles.

‘The exhibition dedicated to Alberto Meda is a fitting recognition of a designer with a peculiar profile, both designer and engineer, who masterfully combined the elegance of his stroke with the sophisticated precision of details and
technical solutions, thus generating over time a series of objects of great lightness, care, and wonder,’ says Stefano Boeri, President of Triennale Milano (find more here).

‘Studying and explaining the features of the interior design culture is essential if we are to understand thevalue of the physical product itself. In this sense, the figure of Alberto Meda fits perfectly into the dialogue between idea and design, conveying to the observer both the beauty of the objects and the complexity of the research that has generated them,’ adds Marco Sammicheli, Director of the Triennale Milano Museum of Italian Design.

view of the exhibition installation of Alberto Meda: Tension and Lightness | photo by Giacomo Di Ioia courtesy of Triennale Milano

Alberto Meda’s Designs Reimagined at the Design Platform

One section of the exhibition is devoted to reimagining the designer’s creations, offering an unconventional perspective on his work. Meda ingeniously repurposes some of his designs, transforming them into interactive ‘games’ for visitors. For instance, the tension straps found in the Longframe chaise longues (Alias, 1994) are employed as musical instruments, generating vibrations that give rise to the Harpframe or Banjoframe. Meanwhile, a system of pulleys and cables breathes life into the Fortebraccio lamp (Luceplan, 1998), turning it into a character in a puppet show.

This exhibition is an initiative of the Design Platform, an exhibition space closely linked to the Museum of Italian Design, dedicated to the exploration of contemporary design themes and influential figures. The Design Platform occupies a spacious project room at the conclusion of the Museum of Italian Design’s itinerary. Following the After Text exhibition (April 15 – September 17, 2023), which explored the interplay between literature and design, and the fusion of the textile and textual worlds, this Alberto Meda monograph becomes a unique showcase where the Museum’s collection engages in a meaningful conversation with the renowned designer’s creations.

view of the exhibition installation of Alberto Meda: Tension and Lightness | photo by Giacomo Di Ioia courtesy of Triennale Milano