Heimtextil meets Milan Design Week

Two pieces designed by Patricia Urquiola exclusively for Heimtextil are staged in Milan. With their organic shapes, the ‘Gruuvelot’ sofa and the padded sculpture ‘Mushmonster’ by Moroso morph to their surroundings and invite touching and interaction. ‘Gruuvelot’ represents an organism that expands and unfolds within space. Exceptional protrusions, extensions and volumes form a flowing seating ecosystem that adapts to the body and offers a variety of possibilities for interaction. ‘Mushmonster’ is inspired by the shape of a giant mushroom and shows an organism in constant metamorphosis. At the same time, it contains a filling that enables sustainable production and complex shapes. The covering designed by Patricia Urquiola envelops the padded object. Sustainable and innovative: the fabric is produced using a water-based and CO2-saving printing process.

The unique pieces made their debut at Heimtextil in Frankfurt in January. Embedded in the ‘among-us’ installation by Patricia Urquiola, they showed holistic interior design of tomorrow. Comfortable, functional, aesthetic, sociable and sustainable: these characteristics came together in ‘among-us’ to create an overall visual and tactile experience. The installation was a must-see at Heimtextil, inviting visitors to pause, connect and spark ideas for new projects.

‘I am very happy we brought two pieces – ‘Mushmonster’ and ‘Gruuvelot’ – from Heimtextil into ‘Alchemica’, the installation by Elle Decor Italia, where they become part of an alchemical narrative. The project explores the home through the metaphor of alchemy – a space of transformation and experimentation, and the two pieces reveal their hybrid potential across various scales,” says Patricia Urquiola, architect and designer.

Until Sunday, the upholstered pieces will merge with a new design environment at the heart of Milan Design Week. Patricia Urquiola designed the Palazzo Bovara for Elle Decor. Under the title ‘Alchemica’, the installation explores the home as a transforming organism that changes throughout the day, the seasons and the stages of life. The designer plays with the metaphor of alchemy, the senses, balance and opposites. She invites visitors to experience the metamorphosis in different rooms. Right in the centre: the padded sculptures of the Heimtextil installation ‘among-us’. ‘Gruuvelot’ is positioned in the purification and light phase in a reflective room with light tones. In the indoor garden, ‘Mushmonster’ is part of a union of opposites and biomorphs in moving, cyclical light.

Olaf Schmidt, Vice President Textiles & Textile Technologies at Messe Frankfurt, and Patricia Urquiola, architect and designer, with the upholstered objects of the Heimtextil installation ‘among-us’ by Patricia Urquiola at Milan Design Week, Photo: Messe Frankfurt/Matteo Kovaci

The collaboration with Patricia Urquiola in Frankfurt continues. The designer and architect creates an exclusive design showcase for the upcoming edition of Heimtextil from 13 to 16 January 2026 – a further development of her acclaimed ‘among-us’. The completely new staging opens another chapter. It combines tactile objects with digital elements, visual projections and acoustic impulses to create an immersive overall experience.