Snøhetta designs sensory exhibition space for USM Modular Furniture for Milan Design Week

Photo: Courtesy of USM Haller

Renaissance of the real

Snøhetta in partnership with USM Modular Furniture present Renaissance of the Real, a multisensory installation by Swiss artist and experience designer Annabelle Schneider.

Debuting at the prestigious Fondazione Luigi Rovati during Milan Design Week, the project invites visitors to step away from digital acceleration and rediscover the sensory intelligence of the physical body.

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The Vision: Presence Cannot Be Downloaded

We live in an era of hyper-connectivity, yet feel increasingly disconnected from our surroundings. While algorithms shape our desires more than reality, our attention becomes fragmented. Renaissance of the Real serves as a conceptual counterpoint to this digital saturation. The installation explores how carefully designed physical spaces can restore presence, perception, and human connection in an age increasingly shaped by technology.

The Architecture: Structure Meets Vulnerability

At the core of the installation is the iconic USM Haller modular system. For over 60 years, USM has defined a design language of precision and adaptability. Here, the system transcends its role as furniture, acting as the architectural skeleton that supports a soft, textile membrane that expands and contracts subtly like a breathing organism. This cocoon-like bubble creates a dialogue between the steel modular grid and fluid, organic softness – a space where structure and vulnerability coexist.

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Photo: Courtesy of USM Haller

The Experience: A Sensory Recalibration

The architectural expertise of Snøhetta shapes how this relationship unfolds spatially. Known internationally for projects that connect architecture with landscape and human experience, the studio developed a spatial choreography that allows the installation to function as both a sculptural presence within the museum garden and an intimate sanctuary. The journey begins with a reset: upon arrival, visitors are offered a warm towel – a ritual cleanse during a week of overstimulation. Inside the textile cocoon, visitors will encounter a landscape of subtle sound frequencies, diffused light, scent, and tactile surfaces.

“The USM grid is both an anchor and an invitation. Our design explores the tension between the gridded and the amorphous, creating a permeable boundary that filters the outside world and draws attention inward to light, nature, and the quiet presence of others,” says Anne-Rachel Schiffmann, Director for Interior Architecture, Snøhetta

To further anchor the experience in the physical realm, artist and audio engineer Devon “OJAS” Turnbull will host daily vinyl listening sessions. From Monday to Friday (April 20–24, 5 pm – 6.30 pm), the space will be filled with analogue frequencies to further connect and calm its audience. The space is designed not for performance, but for stillness – offering a temporary refuge to breathe, listen, and simply be present.

“Renaissance of the Real is my response to a moment where reality is increasingly dominated by speed and images. Instead of producing another product, this installation is an immersive experience – a place where the structural clarity of USM Haller holds a breathing environment that invites us to reconnect with our bodies and each other,” says Annabelle Schneider, Artist and Experience Designer