You certainly get your money's worth in Milan even when venturing beyond the trade fair halls. Well, more or less, as is always the case. In Ventura Lambrate, hard-nosed rationality seems to be on vacation, while in Milan's Museum of Science and Technology it is back to work.

The 51st Salone del Mobile and all its side shows remains one huge cultural event. By contrast, the exhibitors at the trade-fair halls in Rho prefer restraint and no longer try to parade their novelties at any price.

During the Salone del Mobile, Milan turns itself into a unique location for discussions on design. With a great deal of pride, designers expound their new ideas right across the city and thus create an ideal environment for interaction among the professionals. Here we present a small selection of encounters with designers both at the trade fair and in the city's showrooms.

LEDs wherever you look! The technology, still very young, has already firmly established itself. But what does that mean for the designs? A commentary on the Light+Building.

At the Frankfurt lighting trade fair, Light+Building, everything revolved around LED technology and its advancement. But it was those lighting manufacturers who had more to offer by the way of technical features that stole the limelight.

NRW Forum: Gender StudiesHamburg: Lost ModernismHarvard: Arts First FestivalBoston: Alex Katz

Volker Albus, who teaches Product Design at HfG Karlsruhe, makes the case for offering a range of subjects with an extremely broad focus. In his opinion, this is the only way to cope with the diversity of social, technical, ecological and economic circumstances, which nowadays present a challenge to design. In his opinion, merely calling for greater artistic freedom does notachieve anything.

Jesko Fezer has been Professor of Experimental Design at the University of Fine Arts of Hamburg since the winter semester 2011-2. In his opinion design is no more and no less than the projective exploration of the world in creative terms, and a university of art the right place for teaching it.

The success of Japanese designer Oki Sato is closely bound up with the Milan Salone Satellite. The straightforward approach to various design disciplines he experienced there was his inspiration when he set up his company Nendo. Ayako Kamozawa discusses this with Oki Sato.

Wanton act or successful appropriation? For the Salone del Mobile designer Mike Meiré gave the "60" stool, a classic by Alvar Aalto, a colorful, coat of paint applied by hand. Jörg Zimmermann spoke to him about the concept.

Architect Ferdinand Kramer not only made his name with modern, unadorned buildings and urban planning, but also, throughout his life, designed furniture whose formal vocabulary was clear and functional. At the Salone des Mobile in Milan e15 is showing a re-edition of Kramer's furniture, featuring eight of his designs.

Munich: Resonance and SilenceKlang und StilleMilan: Ventura LambrateCologne: Art CologneFairRAY 2012: Making History

Chief designer, founder of the Porsche Design Studio as well as Chairman of the Supervisory Board – these are just some of the outstanding stages in the life of Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, who died in Salzburg on April 5.

Marva Griffin is one of the most enigmatic personalities on the international design scene. With her curatorial skills, the native Venezuelan has made the SaloneSatellite one of the most important platforms for up-and-coming designers. She reveals her current plans to us in an interview.

German label e15 heads for Milan with a re-edition of furniture by Frankfurt architect Ferdinand Kramer. The collection consists of eight items and will be on display in a showroom in Zona Tortona.

Renowned Italian luminaire maker Foscarini is exhibiting a wall light designed by Simon Pengelly in Milan – and called "Innerlight". It is, together with other highlights from the collection, on view in Superstudio Più at Zona Tortona.

The German Classicon label is presenting an extraordinary collection of tables designed by Sebastian Herkner. The various versions are on show in Hall 20, booth D 07.

It was hardly surprising that there were new Konstantin Grcic furniture designs on view in Milan. Yet "Medici", created for Mattiazzi, is nevertheless surprsing. The entire collection on offer by the company, which specializes in processing wood, is on show at Hall 20, booth F06.

Among other things, in Milan Mattiazzi presented a chair designed by Nitzan Cohen along with a matching coffeehouse table. The entire collection on offer by the company, which specializes in processing wood, is on show at Hall 20, booth F06.

Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec also presented new furniture in Milan. For the "Osso" series for Mattiazzi they focused on the potential wood offers as a material. The entire collection on offer by the company, which specializes in processing wood, is on show at Hall 20, booth F06.

The lighting industry is undergoing massive change. Light digitalization is the all-defining issue. Thanks to improved LED technology, light planners can rely on new design potential when considering aspects such as energy efficiency, color rendition, light control and eliminating dazzle.

This year the Salone in Milan will be held from April 17 through 22. However, Euro Cucina and numerous events throughout the city are well worth a visit. A list of selected exhibitors shows you which manufacturers are to be found where

Light+Building is a biennial event held in Frankfurt/Main. From our list of selected exhibitors you can see which manufacturers will be presenting their newest products there this year.

For Tobias Grau there is not much separating design and technological development. He is driven not so much by a search for new forms as a search for better light. An interview with Jörg Zimmermann.

MAKK: Stadt-Design.NLMUDAM: Design CityBoston: Contemporary Art and VinylFrankfurt: Light+Building 2012Milan: Salone del Mobile 2012

Milan in turmoil: for one week the Salone Internazionale del Mobile dominates life in this Italian design metropolis. Lines form in front of subways, taxi stands and restaurants, curious faces push their way through the halls of the fair and the showrooms. Stylepark presents an overview of the most important events.

It's that time of year again: From April 17 through 20, the entire design world will gather in Milan for the Salone del Mobile.

Light+Building, which takes place in Frankfurt from April 15 through 20 this year, will more than ever before present itself as a trade fair that combines different sectors under one roof, showcasing luminaires for the home and commercial buildings along with intelligent systems for building automation and energy generation.

Founded in 1954, the Compasso d' Oro is the oldest and most renowned design prize the world over – although it exclusively promoted design Made in Italy.

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If the content is art it should not be labeled design, says Oliver Schweizer. The product designer is head of Schweizer Design Consulting and regularly teaches at design colleges, believes that everyday work calls for a sound knowledge of the tools.

Being European in China: A guide. When invited to eat at a restaurant in China, you should always carefully wedge your serviette underneath your plate. That was it doesn't fall on the floor each time you get up because you or one of the guests have a toast to make. The Chinese dinner table is not to be outdone when it comes to symbolism.

Typically furniture is only examined as regards concept, function and design – seldom do you find in-depth media-theoretical considerations. The book “Möbel als Medien” (Furniture as media), featuring contributions by authors including Marshall McLuhan, Vilém Flusser and Mark Kingwell, offers a broad perspective.