Achille Castiglioni and Bruno Munari's Playful Design Universe
Milan exhibition unveils the fun-loving philosophies of two design legends.
1The Playful Side of Design
Achille Castiglioni's historic Milan studio reveals his passion for toys and mundane objects. The exhibition juxtaposes his collections with Bruno Munari's didactic games, questioning the role of 'fun' in design. Objects Castiglioni played with his children later inspired his serious works, showing design's cyclical nature.
2A Cabinet of Curiosities
Fondazione Achille Castiglioni offers an exploratory space filled with yellowing vitrines. Instead of fine china, they display googly eyes, 3D movie glasses, and odd collectibles. Visitors feel the designer's presence decades after his passing. This chaotic arrangement fuels the exhibition's interactive spirit.
3Munari's Theory of Play
Bruno Munari's iconic 1944 Domus photo—perched upside-down on a chair—hangs at the exhibition's heart. It invites visitors to sit on a replica chair and seek comfort in 'wrong' positions. This becomes a metaphor for how design breaks conventions while creating new paradigms of functionality.
4Playing with Light
In a dark corner, projectors designed by the Castiglioni brothers in 1960 recreate Munari's 'Direct Projections.' Visitors compose light art using colored films, wires, and paper scraps. Nearby, a photocopier demonstrates Munari's 'Xerografie' experiments—showcasing predigital creativity at its finest.
5The Philosophy of Masks
Castiglioni's lifetime collection of absurd eyewear fills a backlit case, suspended below Munari's line-drawn portraits. As curator Marzini notes: 'Masks transform rather than conceal.' This section highlights the symbiotic relationship designers forge with everyday objects.
6Rediscovering a Legacy
Each year, Fondazione mines Castiglioni's archive anew. In 2018, 100 designers created miniature tributes. The 2026 exhibition demonstrates how toys shaped his iconic works. It proves design thrives on the delicate balance between seriousness and play—a lesson still relevant today.