Salone del Mobile, Milano has launched a new, multi-year strategy named Slone Contract, aimed at highlighting the growing field of contract offering for large-scale projects. This strategy is designed mainly to target sectors that include hospitality, workplaces, retail, and infrastructure. During the press conference on January 29, 2026, it was announced that the 64th edition of the fair will take place from April 21 to April 26, 2026, at Fiera Milano, Rho, and will include several new initiatives focused on contract furniture. The new edition is considered to be led by Rem Koolhaas and David Gianotten from OMA. For the 2026 edition, Koolhaas and Gianotten will present the theme through a special lecture and an international forum, which Salone del Mobile, Milano will organize in partnership with OMA. Moreover, a contract-focused pathway will lead the visitors throughout the event. (Bertoli, 2026)
The Salone-OMA Contract
The Salone -OMA contract rapidly expands the segments of the global furniture industry. The contract focuses on building an ecosystem where an appropriate alignment between the design, production, and delivery of both furniture and architecture is kept, rather than only focusing on the individual products. OMA is expected to create a masterplan for the fair, which will include a diverse range of spaces for exhibitions and dialogues that will cover latent opportunities within the existing plan and will also generate new ones. The masterplan by OMA not only pays attention to the 2026 edition of the fair but also proves a framework for future editions of Salone Contact, which supports the ongoing transformation of industrial stakeholders as the major priorities and modes of practices evolve. (OMA office work, 2026) An international road tour, expected to run from September 2026 to April 2027, which will further help the Salone group to engage the global audience with multiple opportunities and challenges that would further help to shape the OMA contract. (OMA office work, 2026)
The OMA Masterplan Insights
According to the dates shared during the press conference, the 2026 edition of the fair is no longer far away. The OMA’s model for the master plan expects over 1,900 exhibitors, which will serve 36.6% foreign visitors, including 227 brands-some returning and others making their debut. More than 169,000 square meters of net exhibition space have already been fully booked. The venue is expected to welcome back several major biennial events, such as Euro Cucina with FTK – Technology for the Kitchen, featuring 106 brands from 17 countries, and the International Bathroom Exhibition, which will bring together 163 brands from nearly all countries. The centre will be considered incomplete without the inclusion of Salone Satellite, which will feature 700 designers under the age of 35, along with 23 international schools and universities. These figures affirm that the Salone is not only the most significant international furniture and design fair but also a dynamic and evolving cultural institution. The master plan highlights the relational and strategic elements that drive global connections, share common visions, and reinforce Milan’s position as the capital of contemporary design (Design News Now, 2026).
A consistent theme throughout the 2026 edition will be an increasingly integrated structure of content and exhibition paths. The Salone is also launching a new initiative, which will result in the introduction of the Salone Contract in 2027. The master plan has been entrusted to Rem Koolhaas and David Gianotten (OMA), who will explore key themes of this changing environment—ranging from contextual interpretation to visitor experience, integrated supply chains, and the enhancement of B2B networking.
Reference list for content:
ArchDaily (2025) https://www.archdaily.com/1038279/salone-del-mobile-announces-2026-framework-appointing-oma-to-design-the-salone-contract-master-plan
Bertoli (2025) https://www.wallpaper.com/design-interiors/design-events/salone-del-mobile-2026-rem-koolhaas-david-gianotten-oma-contract
OMA (2025) https://www.oma.com/news/salone-del-mobile-milano-appoints-oma-rem-koolhaas-and-david-gianotten-to-direct-inaugural-salone-contract
Reference list for images:
For Figure 1 and 2 https://www.archdaily.com/1038279/salone-del-mobile-announces-2026-framework-appointing-oma-to-design-the-salone-contract-master-plan
For Figure 3 http://designnewsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/X3Z903cA-1-1024×683.jpg
