As part of Fuorisalone 2026, running from 20 to 26 April, MV Line is taking part in the MoscaPartners Variations exhibition in the Cortile dell’Orologio at Palazzo Litta, presenting the installation “Sunflower” to the public for the first time: a project that brings together design, technology and visual experimentation
Milan Design Week is one of the most important international events dedicated to the worlds of design, architecture and innovation. Every year in April, Milan becomes a global hub of creativity, welcoming professionals, companies and enthusiasts from all over the world.
The week revolves around Salone del Mobile. Milano, accompanied by the customary Fuorisalone, which comes alive with a packed programme of exhibitions, installations and events spread across the city’s neighbourhoods and historic buildings. Against this unique backdrop, brands and designers present new projects, products and visions that foreshadow the trends in modern design.
MoscaPartners Variations, in the Cortile dell’Orologio at Palazzo Litta, will host the installation “Sunflower”, an exhibition concept conceived by Giulio Iacchetti, which illustrates the fusion of research and design in the field of awnings, complemented by the artistic and photographic project by Massimo Gardone and Alessandra Muran. The star of the show is SunDrive, the new outdoor awning developed by industrial designer Giulio Iacchetti, artistic director of MV Line, transformed through an artistic performance into a sculptural element that evokes the opening of flowers towards the light.
SunDrive is not merely a shading system, but an architectural device that interprets the theme of transformation – at the heart of Design Week 2026 – as the ability to respond to light, wind and the needs of the space. Sun protection thus becomes a lightweight structure, a dynamic element that interacts with the environment and actively contributes to living comfort. Giulio Iacchetti has succeeded in developing the innovative idea of concealing the unsightly mechanical arms that allow the fabric to extend to its full horizontal length, whilst simultaneously increasing sun protection. The result is an awning that enhances coverage and UV protection by concealing the arms with an additional flap of fabric which, continuing seamlessly from the top of the awning, also runs along the bottom. The ‘Sunflower’ design transforms the awning’s technical function into a visual and spatial experience.
For the installation at Palazzo Litta, eight SunDrive canopies will be positioned on two different levels, radiating out from a central structure, so that when opened they resemble the petals of a large blue flower in bloom. The fabric of the canopies will be decorated with a floral iconographic design developed by photographer and visual artist Massimo Gardone in collaboration with Alessandra Muran. Through a meticulous study of colour, light and shades, they have photographed and rendered the image of daffodils—flowers symbolic of spring and beauty—thus conveying to the viewer the same ethereal quality and delicacy of their petals. A spectacular display of blossoms to witness, which can be viewed either from above or whilst sitting comfortably beneath the canopies, sheltered from the sun.
A visual and evocative experience complemented by the Hug Stools by Fantin, the installation’s technical partner, also designed by Giulio Iacchetti.
“I wanted to capture the blue of the sky. I look up; against the blue, the petals seem to dance as they drift gently down from the curtains, as if they were coming to meet us. I imagine myself there, sheltered from the sun and rain, beneath a sky that is not merely a colour, but a source of protection. A blue envelops and shelters us, as if the entire universe were vibrating within its silent vastness. And so I think of Giulio and his clear blue ‘terlis’, which he wears like the crisp morning air because ‘Sometimes, from staring at the sky so much, your eyes turn blue’, as Mario Marenco said.” Massimo Gardone (Azimuth Photo)
MV Line’s participation in Fuorisalone underscores the company’s commitment to exploring new ways of presenting its products, highlighting quality, innovation and design philosophy within an international setting dedicated to contemporary design.
“Milan Design Week is a key moment for us. We are presenting a new project that reinforces our identity: solar shading not as an accessory, but as an active component of contemporary architecture,” says Paolo Montanaro, founder of MV Line.
“We have worked on a system capable of transforming itself and establishing a relationship with its surroundings. A light architecture that stems from function but transcends the purely technical dimension.” says Giulio Iacchetti.
MV Line – Milano Design Week 2026
MoscaPartners Variations
Palazzo Litta, Corso Magenta 24, Milano
20 aprile 2026: Press preview
21–26 aprile 2026: open to the public
MoscaPartners Variations is an exhibition organised by MoscaPartners, founded by Caterina Mosca and Valerio Castelli in 2011, taking place at Palazzo Litta during Milan Design Week 2026. This year’s theme, Metamorphosis, is an exploration of transformation, change and adaptation. The exhibition focuses on transformation driven by experimentation, the development of new materials and the technologies we possess today. The challenge for the world of design is to interpret contemporary scenarios and hypothesise future ones: whilst on the one hand the reference point is the human being, their needs and demands, on the other it is crucial to look at our relationship with the planet, its resources and the way we interact with our surroundings, creating a virtuous connection between the various aspects of life. In the Cortile d’Onore, the site-specific installation by the Lebanese-born, Paris-based architect Lina Ghotmeh, entitled Metamorphosis in Motion, serves as the scenographic and conceptual centrepiece for the entire exhibition.
