The marathon of Milan’s design week means late nights and early mornings and a million meetings in between. It’s hard to find time to eat let alone enjoy the hospitality of the Milanese. Airbnb, which connects over 24,000 guests (that’s more than double the typical numbers) to homestay accommodations during the annual Salone del Mobile in Milan, played consummate host for the second year in a row with a special pop-up event and exhibition designed for the occasion.
Teaming up with design curator and Milan native Ambra Medda, this year’s event focused on Makers & Bakers, highlighting the works of emerging design talent in the context of casual dining at Ristorante Marta. The location is a design jewel in and of itself—designed by architect Paola Navone, it is the sister restaurant of Spazio Rossana Orlandi which is located right around the corner. As Medda told Core77, “[Airbnb’s] intentions were to play host to the design community as well as provide a platform for young designers during Salone.”
Each morning, designers, press, friends and family joined Medda and Airbnb for a communal breakfast of freshly baked breads, tarts, fruits and coffee. Australian sisters Carter and Harry Were baked fresh loaves of sourdough for guests. The morning we attended, we literally broke bread with the parents of Dossofiorito designer Gianluca Giabardo who shared a table with us. Tableware designed by Dossofiorito, Stephen Bradbourne, and Joobel Thom were used for service while the “human printer,” illustrator Zebedee Helm, made custom postcards for diners. Check out the gallery below for a little taste of hospitality with Airbnb’s Makers & Bakers.
Airbnb presents Makers & Bakers with Ambra Medda, 12 – 15 April at Ristorante Marta for Salone 2016
