From 7 to 13 April 2025, Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design Halle will be represented at the Milan Furniture Fair with the exhibition ‘T.o.y.s.’. Interior design students will be presenting upholstered objects created in a workshop in the run-up to the fair.
Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design Halle will be represented at the Milan Furniture Fair (Salone del Mobile) this year from 7 to 13 April 2025. The T.o.y.s. exhibition will be on show in the factory building of the former SNIA factory as part of the ninth edition of the Alcova design platform. This makes the BURG part of the Milan Design Week's Fourisalone, the cultural supporting programme for the furniture fair that runs through the entire city of Milan.
In the T.o.y.s workshop, led by Philipp Witte, artistic assistant to the Dean of Design at the university, several large upholstered objects and beanbags made of cotton fabric and recycled fibres will be created together with the interior design students. These will be transported directly to Milan and exhibited on site, where visitors are invited to sit, lie down and relax.
The students only have three days to design an upholstered object for four or more people in teams of two. Fibres from recycled mattress covers made of wool, cotton and polyester are used for the filling. A firm cotton fabric, which is normally used for underlay in upholstery, serves as the cover fabric. The materials are sponsored by BAUR Vliesstoffe.
Participants are also allowed to use rope to shape the objects. Each team can also choose an individual material to complement the design. The focus is on a brief but intensive examination of the upholstery, fillers and covers as well as the statics and material requirements. After the trade fair, the temporary seating furniture will be transported back to Halle and dismantled by the students so that the materials can be reused in the following semester project Soft Seating - Upholstery without Foam.
Lucie Berthold, Jim Brose, Caroline Fischer, Katharina Gruber, Charlotte Hartung, Karla Konermann, Luna Orellano, Miko Samuel, Cora Schmidt, Johannes-Elias Schönherr, Paul vom Stein
Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design Halle has a distinctive profile in the German university landscape. Featuring two departments, Art and Design, BURG has offered excellent conditions for education and study since 1915. With over 1,000 students, it is one of the largest universities of art and design in Germany. Visionary ideas and design are the focus of its 20-plus disciplines of study, alongside the development of practical professional skills. The university’s studio and workshop facilities are thoroughly equipped for learning and BURG is part of an active network of research institutes, institutions, and companies. Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design Halle confers bachelor’s, master’s, and teaching degrees, as well as the traditional Diplom. Students can also complete a “Meisterschüler” (Master Class) course at BURG. BURG also has the right to award doctorates in both faculties.
Established in 1961, the Salone del Mobile furniture fair is being held for the 62nd time this year. Today, it is the world's largest trade fair for furniture and product design. Numerous exhibitors attract around 270,000 visitors from more than 150 countries every year.
Alcova is a platform for designers, companies, institutions and researchers working on the future of living and manufacturing. During the world's largest design event, the Milan Furniture Fair, Alcova brings together the people who are defining design culture through ground-breaking work on living environments, products, systems, materials and technological innovations. Founded in 2018 by Valentina Ciuffi (Studio Vedèt) and Joseph Grima (Space Caviar), Alcova has become one of the most important projects of Fuorisalone, attracting over 90,000 visitors every year.
The former SNIA factory is an outstanding example of rationalist architecture - a sprawling industrial relic from the First World War that has been abandoned for over 20 years. Overgrown with ivy, the site shows a fascinating interplay between industrial decay and the quiet return of nature. It offers a unique insight into its complex history as a former global centre for synthetic fibre production.
BURG at the Milan Furniture Fair Salone del Mobile
Period: 7 to 13 April 2025, daily 11 am to 7 pm
Place: SNIA Via Umberto I, 20814 Varedo MB, Milan, Italy
Idea, realisation and trade fair support: Philipp Witte
Social Media: BURG communicates the trade fair appearance at social media with the hashtags #BurgHalle und #t.o.y.s.
More informationen: https://www.salonemilano.it/en and https://alcova.xyz/
7 to 13 April 2025, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
SNIA Via Umberto I, 20814 Varedo MB, Mailand, Italien
