Hidden Garden

Milan, May 2018 | An enchanted garden, populated by tall trees, hundreds of plants and
blooming flowers was located in the heart of the high-rise Milan during the Salone del
Mobile 2018. Hidden Garden, the intriguing project designed by Pierattelli Architetture,
gave to 10,000 visitors a precious place, where recover the relationship between man
and nature.
For the Milan Design Week, the Italian architecture practice, created a site-specific
installation, to reflect on the relationship between the vertical city and the importance of
green spaces where to find a more intimate dimension of time. The project explored the
possible cohabitation between these two levels of architecture, which in the future
appear to be increasingly linked: the “urban scale” and the „human scale“.
Located in the heart of the new „Innovation Design District“, Hidden Garden was
conceived as a secret but at the same time infinite garden. A space of 100 sqm protected
by a ring of panels that concealed it from the chaotic square outside, from which only
glimpses and perspectives were allowed. Inside, the panels were lined with mirrors,
creating a fascinating interplay of reflections, between abstraction and reality.
The outside panels – made of Krion, innovative material with antibacterial and
photocatalytic properties that help to purify the air – were designed as „empty canvases“,
to be decorated by anyone wanting to express their creativity. Drawings, murals and
thoughts found expression for 24 hours, before being easily erased to leave room for
new creations the next day.
The interior of the garden featured outdoor lamps designed ad hoc by Flos, which
allowed to visit the space event after sunset, and by exclusive furnishing accessories
signed by Vitra, with an area dedicated to families, particularly appreciated by the
numerous “younger” visitors.
Lively and vibrant space, the installation was also scene of many events with a large
public participation: from the live performance of the street artist Ascanio, which on the
external panels of the installation created a large mural inspired by the verticality of the
city, to the performance of the singer Margherita Zanin, who touched all the audience
with the charme of her voice.
Technical description
The installation consists of a 100 sqm rectangular garden, enclosed by 45 panels, 3.30
meters high and distant from each other 10 cm, supplied by PORCELANOSA Grupo.
The outside panels are made of Krion® K-Life (material with antibacterial and
photocatalytic properties that help to purify the air), while the internal panels consist of
mirrors that reflect the surrounding space. The structure was set up by the Italian
company Bruni Costruttori, active for over 50 years in the building sector.
The garden, created by Gruppo Giardini, features a thick grassy mantle, from which
emerge 200 aromatic plants and 4 large trees, creating a winding path that allows you to
enjoy the entire area in a totally free way.
The space can also be visited after sunset thanks to the lighting provided by the new
Landlord outdoor product and 2 Super Archimoons FLOS. The outside lamps, specially
designed for this installation, enhance the charm of the place with plays of light and
shade.
The garden is enriched with Vitra Home Collection furnishing accessories: the area
dedicated to children will feature a selection of icons of classic and contemporary
design as Eames Elephant (Charles & Ray Eames, 1945) and Panton Junior (Verner
Panton, 1959/1960); flanked by Vegetal Chair (Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec, 2008),
Panton Chair (Verner Panton, 1999), MVS Chaise (Maarten Van Severen, 2000), Metal
Side Tables (Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec, 2004).