Architect Kulapat Yantrasast will present When Apricots Blossom, a large-scale exhibition commissioned by the Uzbek Art and Culture Development Foundation, during Milan Design Week 2026 at Palazzo Citterio.
© ACDF
The project marks Uzbekistan's debut at the international design event and takes the form of a site-specific installation spanning the historic venue. Central to the presentation is The Garden Pavilion, a "deconstructed yurt" designed by Yantrasast, featuring a lightweight latticed framework and translucent outer layers. The structure reinterprets traditional nomadic architecture through contemporary materials and spatial concepts, with custom wooden furnishings integrated into the interior.
The wider exhibition explores the environmental and cultural history of the Aral Sea region, tracing its transformation from ecological collapse to ongoing restoration initiatives. The scenography, also designed by Yantrasast, combines architectural elements with narrative installations to reflect this trajectory.
As part of the programme, the exhibition includes newly commissioned works by 12 international designers, who draw on Uzbekistan's bread-making traditions as a point of reference. These contributions take the form of functional objects, including bread trays and limited-edition stamps, linking craft, food and cultural identity.
The project is supported by a public programme of talks, workshops and guided tours, addressing themes such as sustainability, material culture and regional heritage. Activities include hands-on sessions with Uzbek artisans and discussions on the intersection of design and ecology.
Through When Apricots Blossom, the exhibition positions design as a medium for cultural exchange and environmental reflection, combining architectural installation with interdisciplinary content within a historical Milanese setting.
More information:
Uzbek Art and Culture Development Foundation
[email protected]
www.acdf.uz
