Is there anything more basic than bread? In English we call it “the staff of life”; in Italian we say “buono come il pane” (good as bread, or undeniably good). When thinking about how we wanted to contribute to the world’s largest celebration of design, we decided to drill down to the essentials. So we challenged 12 international designers and architects to produce a sketch of a product, a building or simply an idea created with bread. They were invited to work with any kind of bread known to them, including baguettes, flatbread, rectangular and round loaves, bagels, even sliced bread. Perhaps toast it, for added stability and baked-in patina?

The 12 architects, designers or design firms (our “apostles”) who stepped up to the plate are: Aldo Cibic, Claesson Koivisto Rune, Patty Johnson, Alberto Meda, Alessandro Mendini, Yair Neuman, Luca Nichetto, Gaetano Pesce, Stefano Pujatti, Matteo Ragni, Karim Rashid, and Yabu Pushelberg. And their results demonstrate the surprising things – from a burka to a Russian black bread table to a lounger made of Wonderbread – that exceptionally creative people can make with the most basic elements. Visitors to the exhibition are asked to donate one euro. Azure will match their contributions and the proceeds will be donated to the Daily Bread Food Bank.

Breaking Bread / Pane al Pane takes the form of sketches mounted on a structure designed by award-winning art director and architect Matteo Ragni and produced by lifestyle brand, Essent’ial. It is part of a larger exhibition composed by the two. Entitled The Essential Taste of Design, this event encompasses exhibitions, prototypes, tastings and tours of Porta Venezia’s many art, design, culinary and architectural highlights and takes place during Milan’s Design Week, April 4-9.