The Salone del Mobile lands in Riyadh with 30 Italian design companies

The growth prospects of the Saudi Arabian market were illustrated by President Porro and, for Italian design, look especially at the hospitality sector: 'Government estimates speak of 150 million visitors by 2030,' Porro explained. 362,000 new rooms will be built; leasable retail space will grow to 9.9 million square metres; high-end office rents are up 8.7% year-on-year (source: JJL Research).

The Saudi market for furniture, fixtures and fittings is currently worth around EUR 6.11 billion and aims to exceed EUR 8 billion in 2030 (source: TechSci Research and Mordor Intelligence), with residential (65%) and hospitality as the main drivers.

The scenographic heart of 'Red in progress' will be the installation curated by the international architecture studio Giò Forma, which will introduce the world of the Salone del Mobile.Milano to Riad: a landscape of modular scaffolding, covered with a semi-transparent red fabric, which will transform the raw language of the construction site into a cultural stage. Red will not only be the colour but the fil rouge of the experience, a visual trace connecting places and people, a symbol of energy and the future. Among the textures of the setting, the products of more than 35 furnishing companies will light up a path where know-how, design audacity, harmony and circularity meet and trace new perspectives. It will be a preview and, at the same time, a manifesto: an architecture of communication that will announce the arrival of a global event and invite Riyadh to experience design as a shared cultural construction.

The cultural programme will be divided into Masterclasses and Round Tables, organised in collaboration with the Saudi Ministry of Culture's Commission for Architecture and Design and led by leading figures in architecture and design of the two countries: an agenda of themes, case studies and analysis of ongoing urban transformations, but not only, that will enhance innovation, sustainability and the evolution of design identity, drawing from the heritage of the great masters of design, supporting young talents in their growth path and promoting strategic connections between creativity and the business world. The space dedicated to the public programme is conceived as an informal and human-centred forum, with tiered seating, carpets and cushions that bring speakers and audience closer together and encourage direct dialogue: an environment capable of transforming storytelling into operational discussion and qualified networking. The B2B component will take shape in the Business Lounge designed by Lissoni & Partners, which will be divided into lounge and meeting areas conceived for a discreet and functional welcome: cosy lounges bordered by curved walls like graphic signs, pillars covered with backlit pleated fabric that become landmarks, carpets, furniture and vegetation inserts to create a comfortable refuge. A full-height luminous wall will tell the story and values of the Salone del Mobile.Milano. The arrangement of the furniture is designed to create an environment dedicated to scheduled meetings, presentations and networking between Italian companies and major Saudi Arabian players. To complete the schedule, site-visits to some of the main giga-projects under development in Riyadh and the Kingdom are planned. The aim is to create qualified relationships, test the needs and priorities of clients, and generate concrete opportunities for companies in the supply chain.