In Piazza Cordusio, the new installation by the Veronese architect transforms the game of Shanghai into a meditation on inner stability.
The Milan Fuorisalone is not just a product showcase, but a thermometer of collective moods. In this scenario, the architect Michele Perlini returns to preside over Piazza Cordusio with “Equilibria” , a work created in collaboration with EuroDesign and the new brand KIHOM . If the previous editions had explored dynamism and multisensoriality, this year Perlini chooses the path of subtraction and symbol.
The Concept: Shanghai as a Metaphor
The installation draws inspiration from the classic game of shanghai . Large sticks made of certified fir wood intertwine in an apparent controlled chaos, but a single element dictates the visual rhythm of the entire structure: a red stick .
Resting on a mirrored cylinder , this element becomes the fulcrum of the work. It is not just a physical medium, but a conceptual device. The mirror reflects the vibrant red of the wood and, simultaneously, the image of the viewer. In this game of references, the observer stops being a passive subject and becomes an integral part of the balance itself.
” Balance is not a static condition, but a dynamic relationship between matter and reflection, between action and consciousness , ” suggests the work.
The boundary between stability and suspension becomes thin, inviting the public to reflect on their own internal center of gravity, often fragile and precious in the tumult of Design Week. The fir wood, chosen for its sustainability, once again testifies to Perlini’s commitment to an architecture that respects the cycles of nature.
The Journey of Michele Perlini: An Anthology at the Fuorisalone
The presence of Michele Perlini at the Milan Design Week is now a constant that traces a coherent design evolution. Below, the fundamental chapters of his architectural research presented in previous editions:
NO.MADE Luxury Mobile Home
A manifesto of nomadic living. This prefabricated module (3 x 9 metres) was designed to meet the most stringent sustainability requirements. Defined by a corten steel frame and an “all glass” panoramic facade, NO.MADE was created to immerse the inhabitant in the landscape, creating a continuous dialogue between inside and outside.
My Senses: The K35 Tram
In 2021, Perlini has reinterpreted a Milanese icon: the historic K35 tram from the 1920s. Transformed into a traveling sensorial room through the streets of Brera, the tram housed a kitchen in sintered stone and retro finishes, such as herringbone parquet and boiserie in eco-sustainable fabricsbili, becoming a hub for show cooking and social interaction.
My Secret
Winner of prestigious international awards, this project proposes a Japanese-inspired floating SPA. A raft suspended on the water with sliding walls shoji , where the visual void and natural materials encourage contemplation and the return to primordial silence.
My Fun
In Piazza Cordusio in 2023, Perlini brought the game back to the center of the architectural debate with a 37 meter long marble run. The installation invited the public to bend down and touch the materials, forcing a slowdown of urban rhythms to appreciate the construction details from an unusual perspective.
Infinite Pavilion
Presented in 2025, this handcrafted fir pavilion worked on natural light as a construction material. Through calibrated openings, the work acted as a visual telescope towards the Duomo, isolating it from city traffic to give it back a metaphysical and spiritual dimension.
EDEN Luxury Portable Suite
Michele Perlini redefines emotional tourism with Eden, a self-sufficient plug&play micro-suite powered by solar energy. Designed to inhabit extreme scenarios, from cliffs to two thousand meters of altitude, this 6×3 meter modular unit is transported ready for use, even by helicopter. With a panoramic window and an integrated terrace, Eden offers an eco-sustainable luxury experience that anticipates the housing solutions of the future, immersing the guest in a total symbiosis with the landscape.
My Garden
With My Garden, biophilic architecture becomes small-scale to heal the city. This modular micro-greenhouse in natural larch and recycled plexiglass is a tactical urban planning device that brings medicinal herbs and sprouts to anthropic neighborhoods. Through an automated system and interactive laboratories, the project transforms common spaces into collective healing gardens, inviting citizens to rediscover the psychophysical well-being deriving from taking care of plant life.
Visit “Equilibria” by Michele Perlini in Piazza Cordusio in Milan from 20 to 26 April 2026
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