At Milan Design Week, staged last week, Prada Frames presented a metaphorical journey for its fourth edition. This year’s symposium, continued to explore the intricate connections between design and the natural world. The conversation was centred on the theme of mobility and the infrastructures that support it, viewed as dynamic systems that shape the flow of people, goods, data, and power.

Titled In Transit, the three-day event was curated by the Milan-and Rotterdam-based design studio Formafantasma and supported by Prada. It took place just ahead of the official opening of the Salone del Mobile and Milan Design Week, running 8 to 13 April.

“Prada Frames is an opportunity to discuss contemporary times, and change is inevitably part of that. In this case it’s about infrastructural shifts triggered by [the emergence] of AI, data centers and migration fluxes, which are all linked to the idea of movement,” Simone Farresin of Formafantasma said.

The staging of In Transit added a layer of meaning, with the chosen venue echoing the themes of movement. Conversations unfolded aboard the fantastic Arlecchino train, a recently restored 1950s masterpiece by Gio Ponti and Giulio Minoletti, brought back to life by the Fondazione FS Italiane. Inspired by naval aerodynamics, the train features glass partitions, reclining armchairs, and panoramic lounges that embody both innovation and elegance.

Additional sessions took place in the Padiglione Reale, the historic hall within Milan’s Central Station once reserved as a royal waiting room for Italian monarchs and visiting dignitaries, further anchoring the symposium in spaces that speak to the legacy and symbolism of transit.

“Prada Frames is an opportunity to discuss contemporary times, and change is inevitably part of that. In this case it’s about infrastructural shifts triggered by [the emergence] of AI, data centers and migration fluxes, which are all linked to the idea of movement,” Simone Farresin of Formafantasma said.

The chicest symposium featured discussions on topics such as digital infrastructures, global trade, surveillance, and migration, with contributions from notable figures including Kate Crawford, Natalia Grabowska, Hito Steyerl, and Alice Rawsthorn.

The first three editions of Prada Frames, held in 2022, 2023, and 2024, each explored a distinct theme: the relationship between forest ecosystems and the timber industry; the potential for design and science to drive transformation, particularly in how we view waste as a material in flux; and the concept of the home as a private space shaped by cultural perspectives.

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Image: Formafantasma’s Simone Farresin and Andrea Trimarchi aboard the Arlecchino train. Courtesy of Prada