VitrA and Snøhetta transform ceramics into an experience guided by light at MDW26

The collaboration between VitrA and Snøhetta at Milan Design Week stands out with Ceramics Forged in Light, an installation conceived for the Interni Materiae exhibition at the Fuorisalone. Presented at the Università degli Studi di Milano, the project proposes a sensory reflection on the transformation of ceramics, aligning material experimentation, technological innovation, and contemporary architectural language.

(VitrA/Paolo Consaga/Divulgação)

Structured as an immersive journey, the installation guides the visitor through the different stages of the ceramics cycle — from raw matter to the final object — through the interplay of water, light, sound, and clay. In this almost ritualistic project, light assumes the symbolic role of fire, the transforming element that triggers the passage from the liquid to the solid state, while ceramic surfaces, basins, and volumes are continuously reinterpreted by sensory perception.

(VitrA/Paolo Consaga/Divulgação)

The conceptual dimension of the installation is reinforced by the perspective of Anne-Rachel Schiffmann, Snøhetta’s director of interior architecture, who defines ceramics as a material in constant transformation, shaped and reshaped over time. "Ceramics is one of the most enduring materials of human culture, yet it continues to evolve. Ceramics Forged in Light invites a dialogue between the elements, in which the material reveals itself not as something fixed, but as a living continuum ."

(Divulgação/Divulgação)

The project also marks the debut of a new line of sustainable products by the brand, including a collection of recycled tiles and a ceramic washbasin developed from industrial waste reintegrated into the production process. With varied geometries and finishes in natural hues, the pieces reflect VitrA’s research into circular design, proposing an aesthetic that values the origin and the lifecycle of materials.

(Divulgação/Divulgação)

The collaboration highlights the convergence between Snøhetta’s holistic approach and VitrA’s industrial know-how. The project turns ceramics into a living organism — shaped by time, by the elements, and by human interaction — and reinforces design’s potential as a agent of regeneration and environmental awareness.