At the latest Milan Design Week, Spain’s most dynamic brand—this time the main sponsor of Fuorisalone.it—made its presence felt on multiple fronts: at Cupra Garage, the small electric Raval was unveiled (which Auto&Design will cover very soon); in a more secluded space near Piazza 25 Aprile, the interiors of the future were explored; and at the Garibaldi Gallery, the “Own the Wheel” exhibition (the brand’s first initiative of its kind) took place, featuring works by seven European artists. This last venue, moreover, also hosted the results of a “72-hour” event organized by students from the Raffles Design Institute, who imagined new scenarios centered around the automobile.
Of these initiatives, grouped under the heading “Beyond the known,” the second was perhaps the most interesting. Inside a mysterious, windowless rectangular space, components made of cellulose or almond fiber (examples of so-called “neo-nature”) were displayed alongside a seat described as “evolutionary” and a highly advanced dashboard-door panel assembly. “We offered a glimpse of the future, without references to current models,” confirms Francesca Sangalli, head of Color&Trim. “For example, the seat with 3D-printed support foam”—both aesthetic and structural—“can be produced with different densities and thicknesses right from the manufacturing stage, with material added only where necessary. The advantage of parametric design lies precisely in programming these aspects in advance.” The result expresses an incredible minimalism in construction and weight, fully in line with ecological requirements, while taking on a bold and even “animalistic” aesthetic, according to Sangalli: “It is no coincidence that, when observing a biological organism under a microscope, one perceives a similar visual pattern.”
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In the door trim, however, “the section created using 3D knitting features its own graphic design, which also interacts with the 3D-printed pattern applied on top. This conveys sophistication, and we’ve added micro-slits to let light filter through. Ultimately, in this initiative for Fuorisalone, we have maintained Cupra’s strategic pillars—including its tribal spirit and play of reflections—while projecting them far into the future.” The observer is presented with a seamless symphony of surfaces, capable of shifting texture, aligned with today’s design language while heralding its evolution. A further step, pending the final results, toward redesigned and drastically innovative interiors.
