Installation deconstructs the concept of borders at Milan Design Week 2016

The exhibition "Open Borders", curated by Interni, at Milan Design Week 2016 , brings together a range of interactive installations, from macro-objects to micro-structures, that seek to explore ways of overcoming conventional boundaries. In the exhibition, design expands into diverse fields such as art, film, photography, technology and sustainability. MAD professionals immersed themselves in this edition's theme and created "Invisible Border", a translucent installation in the traditional Cortile d'Onore courtyard of the Università degli Studi di Milano.

Architects often create boundaries by delimiting spaces and concepts in their projects. The creators of "Invisible Border" decided to break this concept by transforming the building's historic galleries and front garden with a transition between them, an attractive, dynamic and engaging border. The installation was inspired by the natural flow of wind and water, and breaks the balance and harmony of the university's architecture, while creating a canopy between the facade and the courtyard, where people can stop to chat or watch the sky through the canopy. Blurring the boundaries between classic and contemporary, MAD’s design is composed of ETFE, a flexible polymer that moves with the wind and emits a subtle hissing sound. The installation reflects the hues of the sky during the day, creating shadows on the columns and galleries. At night, it becomes a luminous surface that colors the courtyard.