The conceptual grid, drawn by the rhythm of horizontal lines and sharp diagonal cuts in Herzog & De Meuron’s architecture for Fondazione Feltrinelli can also be found inside the UniFor Showroom, which has been further developed vertically, in the design of the zigzag walls. These geometries are the basis of the spatial installation created by Ron Gilad on the occasion of Milano Design Week 2023.
“The placement of Foster+Partners bookcases, which rest on the same grid, breaks the sequence of lines and creates a maze. This is a break from conventions in the process of organising a public library, which goes against the principle of wandering in a linear fashion among the isles. This installation creates a system of ever changing random sub-spaces, made of passages and rooms, which contain islands of tables. The general idea of wandering through a labyrinth invites the viewer to go for an intimate walk close to its boundaries. In our case, these borders are bookcases that, although “bare”, are still the protagonists of this walk. Opposite the idea of the labyrinth stands a never-ending Bokhus shelving system by the architectural firm Snøhetta: a line of about 15 metres of shelves in various dimensions creating a horizontal totem. This bookcase, with its linear nature, breaks the grid of the maze, yet at the same time it follows the linearity of the space and respects the essence of the library: a timeline of written history. In a spatial dialogue with the bookshelves, a sculpture has been put up in the outdoor garden of Via Pasternak. A minimalist metal structure representing the idea of interaction between books and shelf, in an absurd moment, frozen in time.”. (Ron Gilad)
