Three large cages as metaphors for attitudes in life and design: being free from convention is a matter of choice

COURTYARD OF THE BATHS, UNIVERSITY OF MILAN - The project as a metaphor for time and the attitudes we can adopt before life, even the life of design. Those who know Simone Micheli understand his ability to invariably act as a strong promoter of his ideas and to involve companies in his design process, which experiment through his work with a new potential for interpretation.

“In the Cortile dei Bagni,” explains Micheli, “three large structures (4 x 4 x 4 m h) simulate improbable cages with large meshes. Two of them are home to a stylized bird (some 2 m). The third is empty: beside it the bird that has flown outside.

The significance, in short, of this work is that only those who want and really take the decision to leave the stereotyped paths, systemic crises, content deadlocks, banality and conservatism can do so!

The project is also recounted through 27 display cases (170 x 96 cm x 2.5 m h), placed on the perimeter of the cloister to host elements that I created for a series of upmarket production companies.

I conceived the products with the desire to celebrate technological innovation, formal and content evolution, renewed reciprocity between people and space, anti-canonical osmotic relationships with the natural known, experimentation and innovation in production processes.”

Contributing to the project as main partners were: Bac di Biasetto Cesare & c., Rennova Consorzio, Saviola, Tomasella 1948, Zurich; and the following partners: Allegrini, Arteco Preformati, Artis, Ave, Avola StoneDesign, Axia Contract & Bath, Biodry®, Blueside Emotional Design, Cerdomus, Concepts by Braida, Cordivari Design, CPRN, DMP, Elementi Design Funzionale, ELEKTA - Gruppo Gani, Evopost, G*GRASS Movement Systems, Hytek, iGuzzini illuminazione, Novellini, Petrozzi Design, Piccardi Living, SAGEVAN®, Simas.

Technical partners: Cluster FM, Digitali Creativi, Evoluendo, Giara Image, Iovem Spirits Group

Educational partners:  Accademia del Lusso, Ajman University, Italian Design Institute - IDI, Università IULM, NID - Nuovo Istituto Design, POLI.design, SPD Scuola Politecnica di Design

Cover photo: Saverio Lombardi Vallauri