At Milan Design Week 2025, it feels like materials, more than furniture, are taking centre stage. ‘It’s time we gave materials the spotlight they deserve,’ says Fabio Pecora, founder of Materia 2.0, the city's new material library. For designers, architects, and exhibitors, he explains, matter isn't just substance, it's the key to sustainability, innovation, and emotional connection. ‘Italy has lacked a rational dictionary of architectural materials,’ says Silvia Spreafico, design manager at Materia 2.0. The Como-based company, a specialist in high-end architectural materials, decided to take matters into its own hands. Known for its striking mood boards (and strong Instagram following) it created a physical space to house its curated selection of materials, chosen for their fine craftsmanship, innovative qualities, and Made in Italy integrity.
Unveiled during Design Week (7-13 April 2025), Materia 2.0 is a 500 sq m material library in the heart of Porta Nuova, nestled among the towering glass buildings that symbolise the city’s contemporary growth. Some of the materials involved include metal, glass, ceramic, porcelain stoneware, concrete, marble, natural stone, wood, terracotta, resin, fabric, and cement grit. With a focus on architectural materials, the goal is to expand what is already the largest material library in Italy.
‘Today, we range from surfaces to upholstery materials, from artisanal products to industrial ones,’ Spreafico says. The visual impact is stunning: a 30m-long gallery where 1,200 samples, 5,000 display pieces, and a catalogue of over 15,000 products are arranged like books on a library shelf. Like old libraries, every ‘spine’ – in this case, every material sample –must be perfectly aligned. Each piece is standardised to a manageable 20x20cm format, even for heavier or denser materials, and accompanied by information panels and QR codes to dive into technical specs and variants.
‘Selection is based on quality,’ Spreafico says, while gently running her fingers across textured tiles rich with stories: like those from Marca Corona, a Sassuolo-based ceramics brand founded in 1741: ‘They even have a private museum that narrates the entire production history of their region, and they’ve lent us some unique pieces.’ Or take Il Ferrone, a Tuscan company producing terracotta both industrially and artisanally, reviving ancient kilns hidden in the wine cellars of Chianti. Then there’s Barzaghi Salotti, a classic Brianza-based furniture maker, from the famed design district north of Milan. ‘All the companies we showcase have strong in-house production values,’ adds Spreafico. ‘Zava, for example, started as a metal workshop. They now create dramatic, sculptural lighting pieces.’
Facing the wall of materials are immersive exhibition spaces where materials come to life as furniture and experimental installations. ‘This is CP Parquet,’ Spreafico says, referring to the long-standing Venetian flooring company. ‘Here we show how the same material used for flooring can also form a co-ordinated table and bookshelf.’ The ambition is to become not just a showroom, but a centre of excellence for research, design, and interdisciplinary exchange. While partner companies are involved, Spreafico is quick to underline that the project is not commercially driven: ‘We want to be a tool, not sell a product. This is an open dictionary of materials, a place for experimentation, and for combining materials in bold and unexpected ways.’
Via Marco Polo 9, Milan
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