Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1545128
57 P art of the appeal of Alcova — the roving design show curated by Joseph Grima and Valentina Ciuffi — is the duo's uncanny knack of finding fascinating architectural backdrops for their annual shows at Salone. In 2026, the Milan edition featured two locations: a historic former military hospital and, to the delight of architecture buffs, a 1939 villa by Franco Albini that opened to the public for the first time. Built early in Albini's career, Villa Pestarini is an intact gem of Rationalist architecture, a home defined by a stark white rectangular façade. Originally constructed on two levels, the villa was expanded upward in 1949 after the owners persuaded Albini to add a third floor, which he clad in corrugated metal. Villa Pestarini remains a private residence and has been meticulously preserved by its owners. The first thing visitors encounter — and the villa's most photographed feature — is a suspended staircase in Carrara marble set against a glass-block wall. One of the pioneering elements of Albini's design was its expansive living and dining area, divided by open-sided walls — a precursor to today's great rooms. During Alcova, Patricia Urquiola furnished the space with re-editions of Albini designs for Cassina, where she serves as creative director. On view was Albini's gravity-defying double- sided Veliero bookcase, based on the 1940 prototype he created for his home in Milan. COURTESY FONDAZIONE FRANCO ALBINI, MILANO COURTESY FONDAZIONE FRANCO ALBINI, MILANO Villa Pestarini, 1938 Villa Pestarini, 1938