Design Holds Memories

An interdisciplinary project born from the collaboration with Istituto Marangoni Milano Design, inviting you to immerse yourself between the past and the present.

Smeg FAB28 refrigerator reinterpreted by Matteo De Luca

Seven Shapes

Project by Matteo De Luca

Smeg FAB28 refrigerator reinterpreted by Mariana Prestes

The Art of Nature

Project by Mariana Prestes

Smeg FAB28 refrigerator reinterpreted by Yuetong Shi

Double Happiness

Project by Yuetong Shi

Explore the projects

Seven Shapes
by Matteo De Luca

«The refrigerator, in addition to its primary function, has always been a space for play and creative expression within the home. It is a place where children hang drawings, magnets, and messages, turning it into a kind of domestic art gallery.»

Symbolic images related to memory by Matteo De Luca

The fridge, keeper of memories

«This spontaneous use reflects the desire for personalization and interaction, making the refrigerator a living element, capable of holding stories, memories, and shared moments. Enhancing this playful dimension with interactive decorations, such as magnetic patterns, expands its potential, creating a blend of design and play.»

Portrait of Matteo De Luca, designer Marangoni x Smeg

Tangram

«The Tangram is an ancient Chinese puzzle, consisting of seven geometric shapes, called 'tans', which together form a square. The goal of the Tangram is to combine these pieces to create specific figures, such as animals, objects, or people, without overlapping them. The seven pieces include: two large triangles, one medium triangle, two small triangles, a square, and a parallelogram.»

The Art of Nature
by Mariana Prestes

«Being in touch with nature is part of my life and brings back beautiful memories, like the moments spent with my grandmother while we had lunch together. She loved imitating the song of the birds and taught me how to take care of them.»

Symbolic images related to the memory of Mariana Prestes

Embracing naturre

«The concept of 'The Art of Nature' links emotional memory to the beautiful natural cycle, where birds help plant fruit trees that provide food for everyone.»

Portrait of Mariana Prestes, designer Marangoni x Smeg

The creative process

«I imagined the SMEG refrigerator embraced by nature, painted in watercolor like a work of art, because inside it holds a treasure that interests everyone, including birds, creating new beautiful memories: fresh fruit and food.»

Double Happiness
by Yuetong Shi

«Born from the recent divorce of my parents, this project reflects on what their marriage might have been like in the early years. Centered around the symbol of Double Happiness, the design blends tradition with abstract patterns inspired by the 80s, expressing wonder, melancholy, and serenity.»

Symbolic images related to memory by Yuetong Shi

The Three Essentials in the 1980s.

«In the 1980s, in China, marriage was often symbolized by the '三大件' (Three Essentials): a refrigerator, a color TV, and a washing machine. Among these, the refrigerator stands out as a central object, embodying the essence of a modern home. This project focuses on the refrigerator, reinterpreting its cultural significance and exploring its emotional resonance through a contemporary lens.»

Portrait of Yuetong Shi, designer Marangoni x Smeg

Inspiration: the family

«My inspiration comes from a personal chapter of my life. After years of living separately, my parents came to visit me together in Dubai, which led to a decisive moment: the end of their marriage. For our family, this was not a sad ending, but a long-awaited resolution that finally brought clarity and peace. Having never witnessed the early happy days of their union, I am left to imagine what that moment must have been like – when their journey began.»

Creativity, innovation, and experimentation are at the heart of the collaboration between Smeg and Istituto Marangoni Milano Design. This partnership offers an opportunity to give voice to new visions and transform them into a tangible experience, which comes to life during the Milano Design Week 2025.

Design Holds Memories began with the proposal of new creative ideas to be associated with the iconic FAB28 refrigerator, allowing Prisma Project students to connect with the Smeg universe, reinterpreting and innovating its codes. At the same time, the company had the opportunity to engage with a young creative audience, welcoming fresh ideas and conceptual developments.

The result of this exchange led to various customizations, including three creations by Mariana Prestes, Matteo De Luca, and Yuetong Shi. Focusing on memory and recollection, the three designers transformed the refrigerator into works of art that play with graphics, personal history, and natural elements. A narrative that begins in the past and immerses itself in an imagined present, enriching the design with emotional and conceptual content.

A second challenge, reserved for students of the Master in Digital Design for Immersive Experiences, was won by Anastasia Istratova. The challenge aimed to define the exhibition layout of the project, presenting the three refrigerators in the main store windows. This display set was designed to engage passersby with multimedia content.

The project gained further visibility thanks to the digital communication campaign developed by students Tal Schottenfels, Martina Montebugnoli, Sahar Snir-Schlinger, and Randy Alejandro Ramirez Aybar from the Master in Digital Art Direction, which defined the strategy for social and online channels. This included a guerrilla marketing phase organized during the Milan Marathon, with Istituto Marangoni students acting as "ambassadors in motion", producing digital content, customized T-shirts, and gadgets in a journey that tells and emphasizes its creative and communicative impact.

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