Porsche transforms the Palazzo Clerici with ‘The Pattern of Dreams’
When it comes to Milan design week, no installation can be considered too grandiose. For evidence, you only need to look to the German automaker Porsche, which transformed the grounds of Palazzo Clerici with the exhibition ‘The Pattern of Dreams’ for the entire week.
Visitors were welcomed into the courtyard of the historical palace where a staggering installation-cum-sculpture entitled ‘Lines of Flight’ by the design collective Numen/For Use took centre stage. Informed by Porsche’s ‘Pepita’ pattern (a houndstooth textile made up of small squares connected by diagonal stripes that’s become ubiquitous with the cars’ interiors), ‘Lines of Flight’ was a monumental structure crafted from black and white netting and built upon supportive metal foundations.
‘Lines of Flight’ refers to the act of fleeing, flowing, leaving and disappearing into the distance,’ explains Porsche. ‘The artwork is a lightweight system of thin metal cells upon which a skin of transparent netting is fluidly spread or stretched, like a colony of quivering wings.’ Over the course of the week, the public was invited to climb upwards and across the complex interweaving net, in an exercise that riffed on the joy and wonder more commonly associated with childhood. As a result, the courtyard buzzed with the energy of an adventure playground.
The ‘Pepita’ pattern continued throughout the space, where a cherry red original Porsche 356 model was exhibited on a plinth at the back of the palazzo with its seats clad in the eye-catching print. Elsewhere, three of Vitra’s iconic chairs were on display, each with a ‘Pepita’ twist – the ‘Plastic Side Chair’ by Charles and Ray Eames, as well as the ‘ID Trim L’ and ‘Petit Repos’, both designed by Antonio Citterio.
‘The Porsche Pepita Edition collection by Vitra is a symbiosis of the DNA of our companies: iconic design paired with excellent craftsmanship and compelling function,’ says Robert Ader, chief marketing officer at Porsche AG. ‘The timeless Pepita pattern gives the chairs a very striking appearance, whether in your own living room or in the office.’ Each classic chair was upholstered in the sports car manufacturer’s original fabric in monochrome hues and is available in a limited run.
‘The Pattern of Dreams’ is the third edition of Porsches’ ‘The Art of Dreams’ series. The first of the interactive art installations took place in October 2021 in Paris where French artist Cyril Lancelin constructed a giant, air-filled installation. The next edition saw Ruby Barber, founder of floral design agency Studio Mary Lennox, direct the blossoming installation ‘Everywhereness’ by at Milan Design Week. porsche.com
