French interior designer Pierre-Yves Rochon, known for his work with prestigious hotels and luxury brands, brings Villa Héritage to the 63rd edition of the Salone del Mobile.Milano. Villa Héritage is one of the three Special Projects at the design fair helmed under Salone’s cultural programme, A Luxury Way, dedicated to the all-Italian ability to create timeless objects. Rochon’s site-specific installation is an interior concept that exemplifies the potential of inspiration sought from heritage. Designed to exhibit how heritage is not a constraint but instead a source of freedom, Rochon cites “the Venice of Luchino Visconti, the music of Gustav Mahler, a winter garden inspired by the majestic glasshouses of the 19th century” in an attempt to draw focus towards beautiful innovations from the past. “Heritage is not a constraint; it is a source of freedom. Understanding and mastering the legacy of our craft provides us with the tools to reinvent and push the boundaries of design,” Rochon shares in the official release.

Villa Héritage tangibly reflects on design as a universal language capable of connecting tradition and innovation and promoting a dialogue between the past and the future. Beyond its spatial presence, the installation invites reflection on the meaning of living and artistic creation. An excerpt from the press release pronounces the inquiries that have shaped the design installation: “Why do some shapes and proportions continue to resonate over time? What makes an object a timeless icon? How do you design environments that can move and impress themselves on the collective memory? What is the relationship between art, design and materials?”

Conceptualised as an indoor space where one can fluidly move from one room to another, Villa Héritage evokes the familiarity of residential buildings. It is perhaps for this reason that the large-scale installation appears less like a showcase meant to be seen and observed from afar. Instead, this multi-sensorial setting, appended with a dynamic play of light, colours, volumes and materials, engages the audience and beckons them to move through the space and soak up the different moods in each room.

The spatial design of the installation set in Milan, Italy, is segmented into different spaces, such as the entrance, a drawing room, a dining room, the library, a bathroom, a bedroom, a winter garden and a music room. Some brands whose pieces are displayed across the installation include Barovier & Toso, Gallotti&Radice, Ghidini 1961, iDOGI, ILLULIAN, MINOTTI and Moscatelli, among others.

The entrance to Villa Héritage sets the tone for the entire design exhibition with insertions that agitate a dialogue between architecture, materiality and the contemporary viewpoint. A contemporary sculpture of a woman expresses the central role that human figures play in built spaces. Meanwhile, large photographs by Massimo Listri encapsulate the spirit of the Italian palazzi and its symmetry. Furthermore, the contrast between materials used in the entrance room, such as terracotta and Pietra Serena, exemplifies the graceful melding of disparate entities.

The designated Drawing Room within the installation, washed in red, explores the link between opera and design. With the usage of a dramatic tone, Rochon imbues a sense of drama in the room. “It is a space of restrained emotion, reminiscent of the architecture of the historic spaces and the silent tension that precedes the opening of the curtain,” mentions an excerpt from the press release. The scene is further dramatised with the placement of an iconic costume—designed by Luchino Visconti, worn by Maria Callas and brought alive again by the students at Accademia della Scala—from La Traviata. Within the drawing room, too, contemporary pieces of furniture converse with museum pieces.

Moving into the Dining Room, one comes across an interior expanse washed in blue, evoking the sea, the sky and the expansive and unknown worlds that exist beyond these enclosures. “It’s a colour that conjures up a whiff of the trade routes, the influences of faraway lands such as Asia and India, reinterpreted over the centuries in European furnishings and the decorative arts,” the studio shares, drawing focus on the impact of the colour blue. Exemplifying the multicultural value that voyages inspire, the room hosts a 17th-century Flemish tapestry and Chinoiserie motifs.

Reflecting a sense of calm, the plum-coloured library is a space where books and textiles come together. With displays such as a dress designed by Italian costume designer Lila De Nobili for La Traviata and original sketches, atelier photographs and textile elements documenting the creative process, the pieces attempt to elicit both memory and curiosity for further knowledge about the subject. This space serves as a ‘tribute to knowledge that survives because it knows how to renew itself’.

The Bathroom, with mirrors—designed by Arte Veneziana—adorning its walls, becomes magnified despite its slightly smaller size in comparison to the other rooms. With lights reflecting from the mirrors in almost an infinite perpetuity and a 1930s-inspired bathtub sitting in the centre, the space takes on a luxurious mien.

The Bedroom, coloured in white, offers both a serene space for repose and a subtle expanse for each material and detail to stand out.. Some ostentations within the room include images from Luchino Visconti’s Death in Venice (1971) and a porcelain chandelier accompanied by Gustav Mahler’s Adagietto, enhancing the experience aurally.

Further, the Winter Garden, designed as a tribute to Italian landscapes and inspired by the majestic glasshouses of the 19th century, is a room demarcated to evoke a deep connection between architecture and nature. Features within the room include sofas upholstered with fabric that boasts contemporary motifs, a Murano glass chandelier evoking the plant world and textile trimmings applied on the walls as decorations.

Elsewhere, the Music Room, at the centre of the square-shaped installation, is again a dialogic expanse that melds architecture, sound and matter. The space, washed in shades of brown and dotted with Amy Thai’s sculptural works, is designed to reverberate with the music played here. Further, the room is visually dominated by Italian photographer Massimo Listri’s visuals of the imposing dome of Rome’s Pantheon on the ceiling. Within the room are two instruments—the traditional harp and an Alpange piano, which redefine sound art through technological innovation. “Its elegant, contemporary design chimes perfectly with the philosophy behind Villa Héritage, where past and future come together in a continuous dialogue,” mentions the press release about the piano, which is played by two young masters, Anne Lovett and Michael G. Jennings, during the fair. Elaborating further on the choice of the piano at the heart of the Villa Héritage, an excerpt from the press release mentions, “Its presence is not incidental – here, where architecture and sound meet, the Alpange becomes a symbol of art in constant evolution, a bridge between the piano tradition and the infinite possibilities of technology.”

With Villa Héritage, Rochon invites the audience to slow down, observe, listen and feel the spaces segmented within the installation and ponder on the transcendental power of design elements from every era.

Pierre-Yves Rochon’s 'Villa Héritage' is on view from April 8 – 13, 2025 at Fiera Milano, Rho – A Luxury Way – Pavillions 13-15.

Keep up with STIR's coverage of Milan Design Week 2025, where we spotlight the most compelling exhibitions, presentations and installations from top studios, designers and brands. Dive into the highlights of Euroluce 2025 and explore all the design districts—Fuorisalone, 5Vie, Brera, Isola, Durini and beyond—alongside the faceted programme of Salone del Mobile.Milano this year.