Fabbrica Design Week in Milan: design, installations and music festival

Fabbrica Design Week in Milan: design, installations and music festival

When: 21–26 April 2026
Where: Fabbrica del Vapore, Milan

For Design Week, Fabbrica del Vapore presents the third edition of Fabbrica Design Week, a multidisciplinary program that brings together design research, archives and contemporary music under the theme Continuum, archives, transformations and project visions. The event features exhibitions, installations and a curated music festival that highlights emerging and independent practices.

Exhibitions and participating projects

The event occupies about 5,000 sqm indoors for exhibitions and another 5,000 sqm outdoors for musical programming. Key collaborators and projects include:

• Casva and Fabbrica del Vapore: a focus on the archival work of Carla De Benedetti;
• Politecnico di Milano: a new chapter of the Interdependence project;
• ISIA: Isia research – New design for a new world;
• Musashino Art University: exploration of new living models (Mobility Fixtures for Unfixed Life);
• Contributions from associations and collectives such as DcomeDesign, Ventura Academy, Asia Design and the ForA collective showcasing original emerging talent.

Music festival and stages

The outdoor square hosts a six-day festival on three stages, designed to provide immersive listening experiences and to connect the energy of the dancefloor with design-led content.

• Main Stage (international electronic): Seth Troxler, Ben Klock, Moodymann, Adiel, Toy Tonics Jam (Kapote, Sam Ruffillo, Tonno Disko, Cleeeo, Tommiboy), Ciao Discoteca Italiana, Lele Sacchi, Fabio Monesi, Turbojazz, Dario Lem.
• The Scene Stage (urban and hip hop): curated line-up across the week — Wednesday 22: Damianito and Mista P; Thursday 23: Macro Marco and Dj MadKid with Ensi; Friday 24: Akeem with Marvely and Rae; Saturday 25: closing set by Dj Suspect.
• Disco Counter (new for 2026): dedicated to local crews and the rising disco/house scene.

Why attend: Fabbrica Design Week acts as a cultural hub where archival research, experimental design and live music converge, producing opportunities for discovery for designers, students and contemporary art audiences.

For detailed schedules, ticketing and practical info check the official Fabbrica del Vapore channels and the participating institutions' updates.