Lissoni & Partners creates a ghostly, full-scale silhouette of the new Sanlorenzo SHE yacht within the historic Cortile del ’700 at the University of Milan, transforming naval engineering into a poetic exploration of transparency and volume for FuoriSalone 2026.
A conceptual deconstruction of space. The installation, titled UN_Material, marks a departure from traditional yacht showcases by stripping away the physical bulk of the vessel to reveal its “hi-tech soul.” Piero Lissoni has reimagined the SHE yacht—a vessel defined by 1960s aesthetic codes—as a rhythmic sequence of 1:1 scale cross-sections. By utilizing these skeletal profiles, the project shifts the focus from the boat as a finished object to an investigation of form and void, inviting a dialogue between the industrial precision of the shipyard and the Renaissance backdrop of the university.
Technological lightness and sensory depth. Each vertical section is draped in a semi-transparent micro-perforated fabric, a material choice that balances high-performance engineering with ethereal visual effects. As light filters through the overlapping layers, the volume of the boat appears to shift and shimmer, mimicking the flickering quality of light on water. These white metal profiles do more than just outline a silhouette; they create a navigable landscape where visitors are invited to walk through the “gut” of the ship.
Tracing the intangible. This immersive path allows for a tactile engagement with the scale of the vessel, transforming the act of walking into a sensory journey through industrial innovation and heritage. By moving through the various sections, the observer experiences the transition from the private to the communal areas of the boat, all while remaining enveloped in a cloud-like atmosphere. The fabric, while seemingly delicate, is engineered to withstand wind stress, embodying the dual nature of the project: aesthetic grace backed by rigorous engineering.
Defining the waterline. The entire structure rests upon a raised platform that serves as a physical representation of the waterline. This boundary is the crucial threshold where the hull meets the sea—the point between the emerged and the submerged. By elevating the installation, Lissoni grounds the conceptual exercise in the reality of naval physics, making the intangible dimensions of buoyancy and displacement visible to the public. It is a narrative device that connects the technical constraints of the sea with the artistic freedom of the Milan Design Week stage.
A dialogue within the city. Placed within the context of the INTERNI MateriAE exhibition, UN_Material stands as a highlight of the season’s experimental installations. It joins a series of high-profile interventions across the city that challenge the boundaries of materials, such as the evocative Origin by Zaha Hadid Architects for Audi at Portrait Milano. These projects collectively redefine how we perceive the relationship between industrial objects and their urban environment, turning functional machines into objects of cultural inquiry.
Material storytelling. The choice of the University of Milan as a venue provides a stark contrast between the cutting-edge materials of the installation and the centuries-old masonry of the courtyard. This juxtaposition highlights Sanlorenzo’s tradition of using the FuoriSalone as a laboratory for research. Much like the Mutti House of Polpa, which reinterprets industrial waste through a creative lens, UN_Material uses the language of modern fabrication to tell a story of evolution and timelessness.
A vision of the future. Within this wider landscape, Sanlorenzo’s contribution reinforces a commitment to a vision where advanced technology and elegance coexist. The project suggests that the future of luxury lies not in the accumulation of weight, but in the mastery of light and the refinement of experience. By reducing a massive yacht to its most essential lines, Lissoni reminds us that the power of a project often lies in what is left unsaid, proving that even the most technical structures can be rendered with a delicate, ephemeral touch.
UN_Material by Sanlorenzo | Where: Cortile del ’700, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Festa del Perdono 7, Milan | When: April 20 – 30, 2026.