Failures

“Success” and “successful” are usually among the most frequently recurring words in Milan Design Week great showcase. Raumplan’s Failures shifts the focus on the process and the behind the scenes of design world. In the scenery of the ancient rooms of Cascina Cuccagna, an old barn in the centre of Milan, the exhibition is dedicated to the theme of failure in design and art. Failures is an insight into some hidden sides of designers’ and producers’ daily work, with products, prototypes and unique pieces by design masters as well as contemporary designers.

While success draws attention only to the result, the occurrence of failure brings to light the intermediary phases, the trials and the unpredictable paths that structure a project in all its complexity. Failures, mistakes, detours and changings of course represent a way for penetrating the specific story of each object.

The main section of the exhibition displays works by Aldo Rossi, Alessandro Mendini, Ettore Sottsass, Joe Colombo, Marco Zanuso, Richard Sapper, Riccardo Blumer and Francesco Faccin. The pieces on show may be considered as “failures”. For different reasons they missed their goal or moved far away from the original project.