STRATA

During the Salone del Mobile in Milan, from April 7 to 13, Belgian designers Tim Vranken, Middernacht & Alexander, and Linde Freya Tangelder (Destroyers/Builders) will present STRATA, a collaborative exhibition showcasing new and existing works from the three design studios.

The exhibition, exploring material, meaning, and collaboration, will take place in a spacious venue for industrial recovery located in the Fondazione Prada district. This space, built in 1949 and recently renovated, features large south-facing windows overlooking a lush veranda and private garden.

STRATA brings the three designers together under one overarching roof, allowing them to present their unique practices within a unified scenography. This approach emphasizes the layering of their work while providing room for individual expression, as they explore both the overlaps and differences that define their personal approaches.

While their meeting in Milan may appear coincidental, it is the result of a distinct energy within each of their practices—different in outcome yet connected in intention. The exhibition places them in a setting that embraces both freedom and tension, where their works exist in dialogue with one another and with the space itself.

A sense of openness is central to their practice. The exhibition unfolds in a cohesive scenography that plays with the concept of layering—not only through material and form but also in the spaces between the works, the contrasts and affinities that emerge, and the interplay between individual expression and collective presence.

Texture is a key element in all three designers’ work. While their material choices vary, there is a clear resonance and harmony in how they shape and define surfaces. The purity of their single-material compositions creates a sense of strength, leaving a lasting impact on viewers. Their approaches to texture are distinctive, but the contrast in materials adds depth to their shared affinity for craftsmanship.

Photo © Tijs Vervecken