Salone del Mobile 2026 Theme on Material
The reflection on the meaning of design continues within the Salone del Mobile 2026 theme.
While the theme in 2025 was “A language in the service of people,” the main theme of 2026, A Matter of Salone, is “MATTER.” Matter that can be touched, read, and interpreted.
According to Maria Porro, the return to matter is a form of accountability. Matter encompasses geography, craftsmanship, and environmental impact.
The communication campaign Salone 2026 progresses through different materials such as stone, leaf, wood, and sponge. Each represents a different relationship: nature, transformation, sensoriality, and production.
These materials come from nature. As they are processed, they change not only their form but also their meaning. The story of the material emerges. Matter becomes meaning itself.
In the Motel409 design project, photographer Alecio Ferrai approaches material from a different perspective:
“Raw material is imperfect. Honesty begins at this point. This is a character.”
This approach considers material not only as a physical element but also as an ethical and conceptual position. Imperfection here is not a deficiency, but the starting point of design.
Design needs to move beyond solving human needs and begin to produce meaning.
Agency: Motel409
The project features six contemporary creatives:
photographers Charles Negre, Eduard Sánchez Ribot, and Alecio Ferrari, alongside set designers Studio Végété, Laura Doardo, and Stilema Studio.
