Gli animali che siamo. La nuova metamorfosi dell’appartamento-showroom Casaornella a Milano
Interior designer Maria Vittoria Paggini has unveiled the 2026 edition of Casaornella, her apartment-showroom in Milan's Via Conca del Naviglio 10, during Design Week. Titled "L'animale sociale" (The Social Animal) with the subtitle "Nessuno mi può giudicare" (Nobody Can Judge Me), the space is completely restructured each year. For this edition, Paggini removed all doors to create a fluid, open-plan layout, using curtains for privacy. The project explores themes of authenticity and human relationships in the digital age, inspired by Italian pop songs from Mina to Luigi Tenco, which form the exhibition's soundtrack.
Casaornella matters because it blurs the boundaries between private residence, design showroom, and art gallery, offering a unique, immersive experience during Milan Design Week. Paggini's annual transformations treat the apartment as a living artwork and a form of personal therapy, addressing contemporary social issues through spatial design. The 2026 edition's focus on digital-era relationships and the loss of instinctual behavior resonates with broader cultural debates about technology and human connection, making it a notable example of how design can engage with social commentary.