Prada Frames being home was a multidisciplinary symposium curated by Formafantasma that explored the complex relationship between ecology and design.

Bringing together scholars and professionals from various fields, including anthropologists, architects, scientists, activists, designers, curators and legal and economic experts —deploying a transdisciplinary methodology and a shared environmentally attentive approach.

The event — now it’s third year, took place from Sunday, April 14, through Tuesday, April 16, at the Bagatti Valsecchi Museum in Milan, located at Via Gesù 5, in a nineteenth-century neo-Renaissance house featuring fifteenth and sixteenth-century objects and furniture — entitled ‘being home’

The symposium explored domestic infrastructures, housing precarity, socio-economic structures and systems of governance, the impact of technological advancements on sleep, leisure, and labor, societal biases, and alternative forms of togetherness and intimacy.

For this occasion, the house opened its doors for intimate conversations and thematic lectures. The sessions were simultaneously hosted in the living room, bedroom, dining room, bathroom, and library, creating an uninterrupted exchange of information across the space.

Why we loved event..

In today’s fast-paced world, societies are grappling with complex and interconnected challenges, from climate change and urbanisation to mental health crises and social inequalities.

As these issues intensify, events such as this one are looking for frameworks to help understand and address them in meaningful ways, which is a promising approach in how the concept of the “living environment.” is more than just a physical space. It’s the idea that a this type of environment encompasses the natural, built, and social settings in which people exist, influencing well-being, behaviour, and resilience.

By redefining our relationship with our living environments, events like this help us address many of the critical challenges of our time, creating sustainable, healthy, and inclusive communities.

Issues like climate change, urbanisation, social inequality, and mental health are interconnected, and addressing them in isolation often leads to temporary fixes. By considering the entire living environment, we create sustainable solutions that are mutually reinforcing. For instance, promoting green spaces and open spaces to improve air quality, enhance mental well-being, and foster social cohesion all at once.

These types of approaches are the key to strengthening long-term resilience for many by integrating eco-friendly practices, reducing waste, and protecting natural ecosystems.

It’s extensively researched and proven that a well-designed living environment directly impacts our quality of life, providing clean air, safe spaces, and opportunities for community engagement, which help all of us alleviate stress and anxiety.

So, it’s important to carry on creating rooms and spaces where these types of conversations can continue developing to further promotes inclusive development, ensuring equitable access to resources and opportunities for all, especially marginalised groups.

Many social challenges, such as inequality and exclusion, are rooted in the physical and social structures of our environments. A well-designed living environment is one way to help bridge social divides, offering equal access to resources through educational services, events, and opportunities.

This ensures that marginalised communities are not left behind and that cities and societies grow inclusively. Ultimately, optimising the living environment framework, enabling us to tackle multiple global challenges at once, leading to healthier, more sustainable, and equitable communities.

Why it’s important to carry on the conversation…

Everything people do is space-related, whether we do it alone or with others. So, it's probably not news to you that for most people the relationship we have with where we grew up drastically influences our perceptions about the world.

Having a continuous dialogue about our home environment is vital because it shapes our understanding of the relationships between people, communities, and the places where we live.

It also deepens our connection to the places we live and fosters a sense of identity and belonging within our communities.

Whether it’s the design of a living room, the atmosphere of a family kitchen, or the organisation of shared spaces, these environments influence our comfort, well-being, and relationships.

These conversations also promote adaptability within the home. Families might discuss rearranging rooms to accommodate growing children, aging parents, or work-from-home needs, ensuring the space evolves with changing circumstances.

By reflecting on how our homes function and what improvements are needed, we create environments that better support our lifestyle and health.

This aids in fostering inclusivity, making sure everyone’s needs are considered, from accessibility adjustments for elderly family members to creating calming spaces for relaxation. Through these discussions, we can ensure that our homes are safe, comfortable, and supportive for all who live there.

Creating spaces that nurture our physical and emotional well-being, adapt to life’s changes, and foster strong connections with those who share these spaces with us — ensuring a more resilient and equitable future for everyone living within them..

Lastly, it also encourages sustainable practices, integrating natural elements, and optimising how we use resource use, all of which benefit both people and the environment.

It shows us that through thoughtful design, in places as simple as our living rooms, we can create environments that are ecologically responsible and supportive of our well-being.