Within the Baroque courtyard of the Palazzo del Senato, Škoda Auto and Spanish architect Ricardo Orts of Ulises Studio have unveiled a tactile landscape of malleable forms and vibrant pigments for Milan Design Week 2026, marking the public debut of the Epiq electric crossover through a sensory installation inspired by the transformative nature of modelling clay.
The conceptual vision behind the installation transcends the traditional automotive showcase, opting instead for a narrative of fluidity and potential. Ricardo Orts has translated his digital aesthetic into a physical environment that prioritizes soft shapes and inviting surfaces, mirroring the Modern Solid language that defines the brand’s future. By utilizing the motif of modelling clay, the space becomes a metaphor for the early stages of creation—a moment where everything is possible and the rigid boundaries of industrial production give way to human-centric intuition.
Navigating the courtyard, visitors are greeted by a striking juxtaposition between the ornate 17th-century columns and the pop-inflected, organic volumes of the intervention. The entrance features the camouflaged Epiq alongside the Epiq Sculpt, a three-dimensional, hand-shaped interpretation of the vehicle. This tactical placement forces a dialogue between the finished product and the raw material, stripping away technical intimidation to reveal a core of playful accessibility and formal simplicity.
Material exploration serves as the primary driver of the visitor experience. Throughout the Palazzo del Senato, the surfaces are not merely backdrops but active participants in the storytelling. The tactile quality of the installationencourages a physical connection that is rare in high-design environments. In a dedicated creative zone, the metaphor becomes literal, allowing both children and adults to manipulate actual clay, grounding the high-concept digital vision of Ulises Studio in a tangible, earthy craft.
Spatial programming within the open atrium has been carefully choreographed to foster community rather than a linear walkthrough. An open auditorium serves as a hub for the Epiq Talks, where designers and artists dissect the intersection of innovation and spatial logic. This intellectual center is balanced by a digital dome where AI avatars are generated, creating a loop between the primordial material of clay and the frontier of digital identity. The result is a multi-layered environment that addresses the complexity of modern living through a lens of curiosity.
The sensory experience is further heightened by the integration of functional art. A Škoda Elroq has been repurposed as a mobile café, serving “Curiosity Fuel” and traditional wafers, effectively turning a vehicle into a social hearth. The air in the courtyard carries a sense of lightness, supported by the presence of yoga sessions and relaxation zones that invite a slower pace of observation. Here, the focus shifts from the object to the atmosphere, where the soft-touch surfaces and bold colors work to lower the sensory threshold of the city.
Technical details of the installation reflect Orts’ background as an architect who seamlessly bridges the gap between the rendered and the real world. The large-scale forms appear almost inflated or carved from a single block of pigment, achieving a visual stability that emphasizes the physical presence of the temporary structures against the stone architecture. The use of vibrant, non-traditional palettes challenges the typical grayscale of the automotive industry, signaling a shift toward a more emotive aesthetic that resonates with an international creative audience.
Contextual impact in the wider landscape of the Fuorisalone sees this project standing alongside other high-authority interventions that prioritize material honesty and heritage. Much like the House of Polpa by Mutti, which transformed common objects into a grand narrative at the University of Milan, or the collaboration between Snøhetta and USM, which explored the “Renaissance of the Real,” Škoda’s presence at the Palazzo del Senato champions the return to physical interaction. These installations collectively signal a move away from the purely digital, favoring instead a grounded, human experience.
The installation proves that the future of mobility is not just about the machine, but about the environments we build around it. By embracing the imperfections of the hand-shaped and the warmth of the communal, the project successfully elevates a product launch into a meaningful spatial discourse. It invites the audience to stop being spectators and start being participants in a narrative of transformation that is as flexible and promising as a piece of fresh clay.
Modelling clay, yoga, simply Epiq! by Škoda | Where: Palazzo del Senato, Via Senato 10, Milan – When: April 21 – April 26, 2026