In the context of Milan Design Week 2026, designboom presents ROOM FOR DREAMS, a full week-long programme of live talks, films and daily events, also featuring Stefano Boeri.
In addition to the immersive installations on view at ME Milan Il Duca, the conversations, social gatherings and cinema space contribute to a layered exploration of dreams as design tools for cultural and social transformation.
On Thursday 23 April, at 3 PM, the panel Dream Projections: Designing the Future Before It Arrives takes place, featuring Stefano Boeri alongside Carlo Ratti (architect and founder of Carlo Ratti Associati, and professor at MIT), Ma Yansong (architect and founder of MAD, and Guest Editor of Domus 2026) and Claire Brodka (Managing Editor of designboom), in which the current and future challenges and characteristics of architectural and urban design are discussed.
From the event synopsis: Dreams often operate as projections — dress rehearsals for possible worlds. Cities, technologies, ecologies: everything begins as an imagined construct before taking shape. Whether through responsive cities or vertical forests, the panel underlines the value of projection as a predictive tool, exploring how imagination anticipates and shapes urban and planetary futures.
Among the other participants on other days: Philippe Starck (STARCK), Lonneke Gordijn (DRIFT), Benoît Mintiens (Ressence), Giovanni Moro (UNIMATIC), Mårten Claesson (Claesson Koivisto Rune).
For more information: https://www.designboom.com/design/talks-films-full-room-for-dreams-program-milan-design-week-2026/