For FuoriSalone 2025, as part of the INTERNI Cre-Action exhibition-event, Amazon presents ‘The Amazing Plaza’, an installation designed by the international architecture firm MAD, which includes a curated selection of furniture and home design products available on Amazon.it. The installation will be hosted in the Pharmacy Courtyard (Cortile della Farmacia) of the University of Milan.
‘The Amazing Plaza’ is a modern take on the Italian piazza (square), which historically served as the beating heart of social and commercial life. As with traditional piazzas, the installation’s focal point is a pavilion. The installation is divided into three distinct thematic areas, presenting a wide selection of products for the home, furnishings, lighting, smart home and technological accessories, from popular to the most niche, with a specific focus on products made by small and medium-sized Italian companies.
The space features a soundscape curated by Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi of Milan and the University of Milan’s Laboratorio di Informatica Musicale, together with an augmented reality experience developed by StudioAira. The roof, made of coloured ETFE strips, amplifies the space, lighting and the overall experience, while the central mirrored pavilion, conceived as a space for contemplation, displays design objects for visitors to view.
“We are delighted to be back at FuoriSalone as part of the INTERNI Cre-Action exhibition-event with ‘The Amazing Plaza’, this creative vision has transformed the space into an immersive and engaging experience for visitors,” says Marco Ferrara, Director EU Furniture at Amazon. “This year, our presence at the Pharmacy Courtyard of the University of Milan aims not only to celebrate design in all its forms, but also to allow customers to explore the home furnishings and design products available on Amazon.it, in addition to the innovations that are revolutionising the shopping experience for our customers. Once again, we want to place particular emphasis on the excellence of Italian products, an invaluable source of creativity that has allowed Italian design to stand out across the world, confirming our commitment to fully showcasing that combination of tradition and innovation that makes Italian design unique."
For MAD, ‘The Amazing Plaza’ represents an architectural experience comprising discovery and reflection. The installation is spread across several levels, involving visitors through the lighting elements created by Artemide, which interpret light as an element of interaction between the environment and the individual. The surrounding areas reflect the central pavilion’s style, offering new perspectives and transforming a familiar experience into something unexpected.
“At MAD we often play with reality and how it is perceived,” says Andrea D'Antrassi, Associate Partner at MAD. “With ‘The Amazing Plaza’ we wanted to offer a new vision of the piazza, interpreting it as a space for connections and encounters. We can think of it as a familiar environment, but certainly the peculiarity of the installation does not lie so much in the iconic elements that make the piazza a well-known place, but rather in the possibility that it refers to something else, something different and new.
To further enrich the ‘Amazing Plaza’ experience, the Pharmacy Courtyard will also play host to ‘The Amazing Talks’, a series of conversations with prominent figures from the world of design and architecture, who will share their visions, experiences and perspectives on current and future trends in the sector.
‘The Amazing Plaza’ will also come to life through ‘Plaza in Sound’, an unmissable series of musical performances created in collaboration with Filarmonica della Scala, sponsored by Lurisia Premium Beverages. The result will be a fascinating interweaving of live instrumental and electronic music, which will envelop and transform the installation space, amplifying its immersive nature.
Amazon’s technological innovation is reflected in the experience offered to visitors of the installation: by scanning the QR codes positioned next to the products on display, they will be able to access the relevant product pages on Amazon.it, while a series of screens integrated into the exhibition area will illustrate the latest innovations in product research, selection and shipping. Visitors will also be able to discover advanced features such as augmented reality visualisation, allowing them to see how products would look in their home before purchasing. A 360° view of the products and the ‘Discover’ feature allow for product search according to style preferences, and provides personalised suggestions. Particular attention is paid to the shopping experience for large appliances, furniture and furnishings, with Amazon giving customers the option to select the date and time range for delivery, as well as complementary services such as unpacking, installation and collection of used goods, available subject to product type and delivery area.
‘The Amazing Plaza’ gives visitors a small taste of the wide range of products available in the home and design categories on Amazon.it. The selection encompasses everything from big brands to niche companies, including Amazon brands and creations by small and medium-sized Italian businesses. It also includes smart home solutions, such as intelligent lighting systems and Echo devices with Alexa integration. Among the offerings are some of the over 1.4 million products worldwide to have obtained at least one of the sustainability certifications in the Climate Pledge Friendly programme, as well as a careful selection of returned items available on the Amazon Second Chance storefront, giving them a new life. In addition, Amazon reinforces its support for Italian excellence with ‘Design Made in Italy’, the category available within the Made in Italy storefront dedicated exclusively to Italian design.
The ‘Amazing Plaza’ event is organized in collaboration with numerous partners: Groupe Seb Italia, with the brands Moulinex, Rowenta and Lagostina (as main partners), Lurisia Premium Beverages, Signify, Sodastream, Ariete, Polti, Fastweb, Twinkly, Zafferano, Bialetti, LEGO, Electrolux, Blomus, Ichendorf, MEUBLE COSY, StudioAira, Maco Technology SRL and Piante Faro. Technical partners: Motorola and Samsung TV. Lighting partner: Artemide.
For more information about ‘The Amazing Talks’ and the ‘Plaza in Sound’ including a full schedule of events, click here.
