There is a place where, during the Lake Como Design Festival, design meets nature, archives engage in a dialogue with the contemporary, and a historic lakeside villa becomes a space for gathering and discovery.
It is Villa del Grumello, which-from September 13 to 20, 2026-once again opens its halls, park, and Greenhouse to the Festival audience; this year's edition is dedicated to the theme “Boundary.”
A boundary understood not merely as a dividing line, but as a threshold, a meeting point, and a space for connection: between past and future, memory and innovation, city and nature.
A DAY BETWEEN DESIGN AND NATURE
A visit to Villa del Grumello during the Lake Como Design Festival becomes an experience to be savored at a leisurely pace: start in the villa's historic rooms to discover the dialogue between memory and design, walk through the park following the stories of those who chose nature, and arrive at the Greenhouse-a perfect spot to pause for a book, a talk, or a culinary break.
An itinerary where boundaries do not divide, but unite.
It is Villa del Grumello, which-from September 13 to 20, 2026-once again opens its halls, park, and Greenhouse to the Festival audience; this year's edition is dedicated to the theme “Boundary.”
A boundary understood not merely as a dividing line, but as a threshold, a meeting point, and a space for connection: between past and future, memory and innovation, city and nature.
- IN THE VILLA
Future in the Past
Within the historic halls of Villa del Grumello, ''Future in the Past'' fosters a dialogue between design, art, archives, and collections to tell the story of how the past can become living material for shaping the future.
The exhibition brings together projects and site-specific installations, including Disegno Nomade by Lupo Borgonovo, the A.G. Fronzoni Archive featuring the Cappellini 64 Collection, furniture by Lina Bo Bardi presented by Etel, Proporzione Mediterranea, the Carla Badiali Archive, a bar cabinet by Paolo Buffa presented by Eredi Marelli, and 1in16 - A border divided, a story shared, a project involving eight contemporary artists.
The result is a journey where memory and the contemporary world converge, demonstrating how archives, knowledge, and objects from the past can spark new ideas and forms.
September 13-20 | 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Ticketed entry - IN THE PARK
In Nature: Stories of Those Who Chose a Different Life
The journey continues outdoors, amidst the paths and greenery of the park, with *In Nature: Stories of Those Who Chose a Different Life*-an exhibition curated by Paola Manfredi featuring photographs by Selene Magnolia Gatti. Six stories of people who chose to leave the city behind to get closer to nature and experience a different way of inhabiting the world.
Text and images create an immersive journey that invites reflection on a highly relevant boundary: the one between city and wilderness, between the pace of contemporary life and the desire to rediscover a more authentic relationship with the environment.
An exhibition to be experienced at a leisurely pace-walking through the park and letting the stories guide you.
September 13-20 | 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Ticketed entry - IN THE GREENHOUSE
Books, talks, and flavors of Lake Como
At the heart of the park, the Grumello Greenhouse becomes the Festival's most informal and convivial hub.
It hosts a temporary bistro, a bookshop, and a program of talks dedicated to design, art, and architecture.
The bistro, run by La Breva Catering, brings cuisine rooted in the local area, seasonality, and Lake Como ingredients to the Greenhouse.
The bookshop-designed by Kriptonite and managed by the Plinio il Vecchio bookstore in Como-offers books, catalogs, and publications that delve into the Festival's themes.
And then there are the talks: opportunities to hear from key figures in the world of design and culture within an informal, lush green setting.
EVENTS NOT TO BE MISSED
◆ Sunday, September 13 | 5:00 PM
Darsene. Boathouses and docks on Lake Como
Presentation of the book dedicated to the architecture of Lake Como boathouses, featuring author Francesco Pusterla and photographer Tommaso Mola Meregalli.
◆ Sunday, September 13 | 6:00 PM
The influence of minimalist design and graphic art on the development of contemporary design
A conversation with Giulio Cappellini and Patrizia Scarzella, moderated by Paolo Ferrarini, dedicated to the legacy of A.G. Fronzoni and his influence on contemporary design.
◆ Sunday, September 20 | 6:00 PM
Ico & Luisa Parisi: Glass, ceramics, and objects
Presentation of the catalogue raisonné dedicated to these two key figures of Italian design, with Roberta Lietti and Matteo Pirola.
Admission to the talks is free.
A DAY BETWEEN DESIGN AND NATURE
A visit to Villa del Grumello during the Lake Como Design Festival becomes an experience to be savored at a leisurely pace: start in the villa's historic rooms to discover the dialogue between memory and design, walk through the park following the stories of those who chose nature, and arrive at the Greenhouse-a perfect spot to pause for a book, a talk, or a culinary break.
An itinerary where boundaries do not divide, but unite.