Kaldewei and Design Academy Eindhoven hosting design talks at Milan’s Villa Bagatti Valsecchi
“Overcoming the boundaries of thought and realising circular economic systems with creative excellence” – with this guiding principle, the German premium bathroom manufacturer Kaldewei is committed to a sustainable transformation in design and architecture.
This includes their latest project, in which Kaldewei is hosting design talks in conjunction with the Design Academy Eindhoven (DAE). In keeping with the Milan Design Week’s credo “Are we going in circles?”, lectures and panel discussions at Alcova Milano, the independent design platform of Fuorisalone, will focus on concepts of the circular economy. Kaldewei is particularly keen to encourage people to question existing conventions of thought and overcome supposed boundaries in the design process.
From 7 to 10 April, Kaldewei and the DAE, one of the world’s leading design schools, will bring together experts from design, science and industry to discuss the opportunities and challenges of a circular economy.
The open talks will show how designers develop sustainable solutions, use material resources responsibly, and integrate long-term thinking. The lecture series is aimed at an international audience from the creative industry, including students, young professionals, curators and industry leaders. Alcova, was founded in 2018 by Valentina Ciuffi (Studio Vedèt) and Joseph Grima (Space Caviar), and has established itself as a platform for visionary design ideas, attracting over 90,000 visitors each year during Milan Design Week.
The location for the lecture series is Villa Bagatti Valsecchi, it was originally built as a summer residence for the Milanese aristocratic family and is an architectural gem from the 19th century. In 2025, it will be repurposed by Kaldewei and the DAE, and every day during the event there will be panel discussions followed by a dialogue. The aim is to inspire the next generation of designers, develop sustainability-oriented methods, and demonstrate new paths for material innovation and responsible production.
“Establishing circular systems against all odds – we are convinced that bold ideas and interdisciplinary collaboration are the basic prerequisites for a sustainable transformation of our industry,” says Christian Büttner, Head of Innovation at Kaldewei.
The English-language talk formats will begin at 3 pm on all four days, followed by talks and discussions from 4 pm. The first talk on Monday will be on “Material Culture” with Afaina de Jong from AFARAI, moderated by Ilse Meulendijks, Head of the Master Programme at the DAE. On Tuesday, Prof Dr Michael Braungart will talk about “Cultural Ecology” and the radical nature of sustainability approaches. One day later, Metahaven and Head of GEO-Design Daniel van der Velden will address the topic of “Planetary”, which deals with various design approaches and attitudes. The talk format concludes on Thursday with “Making & Implementation”, a discussion on experimental approaches to sustainable design and the future of materials.
Further information at: www.alcova.xyz