Diary
The Radar: Patricia Urquiola
Recommendations from Milan
Bar Basso on Via Plinio. Paolo Reda – REDA &CO / Alamy Stock Photo
In this edition of The Radar—Ursula magazine’s uncommon cultural recommendations from our friends and colleagues around the world—the designer Patricia Urquiola takes us to one of her favorite neighborhoods in Milan ahead of its Design Week.
I chose Milan at a time when moving to another country wasn’t such a common decision, and experienced what could be called a pre-Erasmus foreign student exchange. I was born and raised in Spain and was studying architecture in Madrid, but I felt a strong need to step out of my comfort zone. In Milan, I fell in love with design, a love shaped by the courses I took with Achille Castiglioni and by my first job at De Padova, where I had the opportunity to work with Vico Magistretti.
The cupola dome above the Cassina showroom on Via Durini. Courtesy Cassina Store Milano
Since then, the city has changed immensely. What used to be the Milan of the masters—the architects and designers whom I got to know inside and outside the university—has evolved into a global hub for design.
The area between Porta Venezia and Città Studi holds a special place in my heart. It’s where I’ve always lived and have almost always worked since moving from Madrid. Some of my favorite places are:
• Bao House: A microsized Taiwanese restaurant that I adore. It features a small sidewalk patio, which is perfect for spring lunch breaks. The classic bao and the spinach are my favorites from the menu.
• Books Import: This is a great spot for international books, especially for rare photography and architecture titles.
• Civiconove: I love this clothing store. Over the years, Paolo and Luca, the owners, have become friends of mine. They also showcase small artworks, design pieces and photographs.
• Poporoya: The first Japanese restaurant to open in Milan. It’s authentic and unpretentious.
Casa Museo Boschi Di Stefano. Photo: Natalie Kennedy
• Bar Basso: The go-to spot for an aperitivo—especially during Milan Design Week—and an integral part of the neighborhood’s charm.
• Casa Museo Boschi Di Stefano: A collection of 20th-century Italian art displayed in the owner’s Art Deco apartment. The building was designed by Piero Portaluppi in the 1920s.
Elsewhere in the city, I recommend a stop at the Cassina Showroom on Via Durini. It is one of the first mono-brand design stores in Milan, and an early site of Fuorisalone, the popular event series during Milan Design Week. Renowned designers like Mario Bellini, Vico Magistretti, Clino Trini Castelli, Achille Castiglioni, Giancarlo Tintori and Piero Lissoni have all left their mark there over the years. I was lucky enough to redesign and double this space for Cassina’s fiftieth anniversary.
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Patricia Urquiola is an architect, designer and creative director who collaborates with prestigious international brands. In 2001, she opened her own studio. Her works are included in numerous public collections, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.