RUFA at Milan Design Week: Students Explore the Potential of Darkness

During Milan Design Week 2026, from April 20th to 26th, RUFA (Rome University of Fine Arts) will present Luminous Depths – Designing from the Shadows at BASE Milano. This exhibition project delves into darkness as a creative condition. As part of the FuoriSalone program, responding to the theme Hello Darkness, the installation shifts the focus from the final outcome to the genesis of the design process.

The project begins by stepping away from the overexposure that defines the current era, characterized by fast-consumed images, performance anxiety, and immediacy. Reflecting on this concept and envisioning an alternative approach, RUFA's Design students will construct an environment where darkness becomes a space for listening and possibility. It serves as a threshold where design can take shape without the constant pressure of visibility. In this context, design is framed as a relational and generative practice, centered on the slow pace of research.

"Today, design is often forced to exist in a state of continuous exposure, where everything must be immediately visible, legible, and performative," commented designers, project coordinators, and RUFA lecturers Alessandro Ciancio and Paolo Parea. "With Luminous Depths, we wanted to invert this logic, bringing attention back to what happens before form: doubt, intuition, research. Darkness becomes a necessary design space, allowing for deceleration and the generation of more conscious visions. Through this participation, RUFA reaffirms its commitment to educating designers capable of interpreting the present and transforming it into conscious design visions, where experimentation, research, and sensitivity converge to create new scenarios in contemporary design."

The exhibition by RUFA students at BASE for Milan Design Week 2026 will feature an ecosystem of objects that evoke forms of bioluminescence, presences that guide the gaze through uncertainty. Some works focus on the body and its imperfections, while others activate relationships between individuals and space, moving beyond an individualistic view of objects. The collection is diverse yet cohesive, weaving together materials, functions, and imaginations.

Among the featured projects, Durocco by Alara Celayir reuses discarded materials to create playful children's toys. Plankton by Albina Fediushina translates the fluid movement of marine life into a lamp that rebalances itself within a space. 2IN1 by Elisa Tiberi explores furniture transformability, integrating light and structure into a hybrid system. Meanwhile, Culi Stellari by Giulia Barbaliscia introduces an ironic and participatory dimension, turning a bench into a performative device.

Barbaliscia also presents Scoliosis, which subverts the paradigm of anatomical deviation by transforming a curvature into a formal and functional principle. In Black Mountain, Letizia Domilici synthesizes the body into a sculptural object that interacts with space through positive and negative forms. Muzzle by Mika Back encourages perceptual adaptation, inviting visitors to slow down and inhabit the dim light. With Volut, Gabriel Martino builds a balance between classical references and contemporary design, merging curved steel with marble.

Complementing these works, a section dedicated to multimedia design expands the scope to interactive experiences. Memory House transforms memory into a sound device using NFC technology, while Melodya offers an educational object designed to assist children with cochlear implants. Finally, Pin & Play introduces a playful and tactile dimension to knowledge transmission through a system of physical connections and auditory feedback.

RUFA at Milan Design Week: Students Explore the Potential of Darkness

At Milan Design Week 2026, RUFA (Rome University of Fine Arts) is set to unveil a compelling exhibition titled Luminous Depths – Designing from the Shadows. Running from April 20th to 26th at BASE Milano, this project, part of the FuoriSalone and aligned with the theme Hello Darkness, explores the creative possibilities inherent in darkness. It marks a deliberate departure from the emphasis on immediate results, instead prioritizing the foundational stages of the design process.

The initiative arises from a critique of the pervasive overexposure in contemporary society, characterized by fleeting imagery, pressure to perform, and the demand for instant gratification. In response, RUFA's Design students are crafting an immersive environment where darkness fosters listening and opens up new avenues for creation. This setting acts as a transitional space, allowing design concepts to evolve free from the constant demand for visibility. Within this framework, design is redefined as a collaborative and generative practice, valuing the deliberate pace of investigation.

Alessandro Ciancio and Paolo Parea, who are both designers, project coordinators, and RUFA faculty, stated, "Design today is often compelled to exist in a state of perpetual display, where everything must be instantly apparent, understandable, and impactful. With Luminous Depths, our aim was to reverse this trend, redirecting attention to the crucial phases preceding form: doubt, insight, and exploration. Darkness emerges as an essential design arena, enabling a slower approach and the development of more informed perspectives. This involvement underscores RUFA's ongoing dedication to cultivating designers who can critically assess the present and translate it into thoughtful design proposals, merging experimentation, research, and sensitivity to forge new paths in contemporary design."

The exhibition will showcase a diverse array of student creations from RUFA, presenting an interconnected collection of objects that suggest bioluminescence and guide the viewer's perception within the ambiguous atmosphere. Certain pieces examine the human form and its perceived imperfections, while others foster connections between people and their surroundings, challenging an object-centric, individualistic viewpoint. The result is a multifaceted yet unified exhibition where materials, functionalities, and conceptual ideas intermingle.

Notable projects include Durocco by Alara Celayir, which transforms waste materials into whimsical childhood toys. Albina Fediushina's Plankton captures the fluid motion of marine life in a self-balancing lamp. Elisa Tiberi's 2IN1 investigates furniture adaptability, integrating illumination and structure into a hybrid system. Giulia Barbaliscia's Culi Stellari injects humor and encourages participation by repurposing a bench into a performance tool.

Barbaliscia also contributes Scoliosis, reinterpreting anatomical deviation as a source of formal and functional design. Letizia Domilici's Black Mountain distills the human form into a sculptural piece that engages with space through voids and solids. Mika Back's Muzzle prompts a shift in perception, asking visitors to slow down and inhabit the subdued lighting. Gabriel Martino's Volut achieves a synthesis of classical aesthetics and modern design through the interplay of curved steel and marble.

Additionally, a dedicated multimedia section broadens the exhibition's scope to include interactive experiences. Memory House utilizes NFC technology to translate memories into auditory experiences. Melodya presents an educational tool designed to aid children with cochlear implants. Lastly, Pin & Play introduces a playful and tactile approach to learning, employing physical connections and sonic feedback.