ACFA 2026 Design Tour
Attendees on the ACFA 2026 Design Tour soaked up the best of Milan Design week plus immersive visits to sponsor facilities
The ACFA 2026 Design Tour kicked off on Monday 20th April with Welcome Drinks on the rooftop terrace and a Welcome Dinner at our centrally-located Milan hotel. Attendees had an opportunity to meet one another and enjoy a sumptuous meal before heading to bed to rest up for a busy week.
Tuesday morning saw us head off (along with, it seemed, everyone else in Milan!) on the metro to Salone del Mobile.Milano. Once inside the show entry gates, the group dispersed to explore the myriad halls and focus on those areas of particular interest. We met up for guided tours of a number of stands then enjoyed more free time at the show, before heading into the heart of Milan as guests of French Living in Motion with a private tour of its Le Design Defile installation. A few keen tour members even stuck around for the fabulous cocktail party afterwards.
The next morning we repeated our trip on the Metro and spent individual time at the show before meeting up in groups at our hotel or at the show for the Gessi Milano extravaganza event. Held at the Casa Gessi Milano showroom, guests were given time to explore these extraordinary spaces before heading over to join the party (which, we are told, continued into the early hours).
Thursday saw us head into the heart of the Brera Design District. Milan has eight Design Districts and Brera is the centre for all things kitchens, bathrooms and interiors. We met our guides – Michele and Leonardo from The Mentors of Design – who took us on a three-hour walk through Brera with curated visits to some of their favourite showrooms. We enjoyed lunch at Idea Group as guests of Luxe by Design then we took ourselves to the fantastic Grohe installation at Piccolo Teatro together with drinks afterwards.
In the evening we headed to the Cosentino x Tom Dixon cocktail party at Casa Manzoni to present its new surface, Eclos and the table collection Axis.
Friday morning brought a change of pace as we headed out to the Molteni&C showroom and then to its wonderful Responsive Nature installation. Despite the planned train strike, a number of our crew jumped on the metro to attend Alcova, a key fixture in Milan Design Week. Alcova is an evolving exhibition concept that brings together a range of established designers with emerging young talent. Alcova embraces raw, abandoned and unique urban spaces, temporarily transforming them into immersive design hubs. This year, our group found plenty of inspiration in the reclaimed Baggio Military Hospital space which featured a wide variety of lighting, textiles, art and objects.
Later that afternoon we met back at our hotel to collect our bags and make the bus trip to our next stop in Brescia.
Saturday 25 April, as well as being ANZAC Day at home, is also Italian Independence Day so was a Public Holiday. After a sleep in and breakfast at the hotel, we took a short walk to our lunch location in the heart of Brescia. Following lunch we met up with our tour guide Stefan who took us on a two-hour walking architectural tour of this amazing city which saw us visit most of the important architectural and cultural sights of Brescia. The group enjoyed free time for the rest of the afternoon and evening.
Sunday 26 April was an incredible experience. As guests of e&s we headed off to explore historic Sirmione on the shores of the stunning Lake Garda. We were joined by Rob Sinclair and the senior leadership team of e&s. Our group enjoyed an indulgent, fine dining lunch at La Speranzina and a visit to Castello Scaligero di Sirmione and before making the short trip back to our hotel. The rest of the evening was free for rest and relaxation.
Our time in Brescia was at an end, so on Monday morning we packed up and jumped on the bus to make our transfer to Treviso. On the way we stopped at Le Vie Angarano winery located in the grounds of Villa Angarano, a Venetian villa designed by architect Andrea Palladio in 1548. We enjoyed a tour of the Villa and winery, complete with wine tasting and a light lunch. Following lunch we continued on to Treviso and checked into our hotel.
On Tuesday we were hosted by our wonderful sponsors Latho Components + Cabinetti Panels. Latho Components is located in the town of Paderno del Grappa, in the province of Treviso. Latho Components and its parent company Gizia have been producing surfaces and components for the furniture and interior design industry here for more than 50 years. Our day included a tour of Latho and Gizia’s factory, showroom and facilities, as well as an incredible lunch with an amazing view then a free evening.
On Wednesday, we were hosted by our wonderful sponsors UNOX Casa + UNOX Australia. The company’s headquarters are located in Cadoneghe in the province of Padua, approximately 50kms from Venice. Our visit to UNOX’s facilities included a factory tour where we were able to see how a number of the integral components came together, followed by a cooking demonstration experience like no other, which allowed our guests to experience the full gamut of functionality of the UNOX Casa ovens.
Once we returned to the hotel, we gathered for a farewell dinner to finish the tour. The following morning our guests breakfasted at their leisure then made their way on for more adventures, or to start their trip home.
All agreed it had been an incredibly experience, packed with inspiration with new friendships formed and life-long relationships established.
