The unconventional events of TOWANT grant unique access to design & architecture studios
Creative Strategist. Passionate for design, sustainability and travelling. I enjoy researching and writing about up and coming designers, as well as design projects from around the world.
TOWANT’s original events represent exclusive opportunities for networking with design and architecture studios.
Focusing on creating unconventional initiatives for communication and networking, TOWANT is an Italian company based in Milan specialized on events for the design and architecture industry, offering an opportunity to meet and create business relationships with the protagonists of contemporary architecture.
With now ten different types of events offered to connect people and studios, TOWANT has held events all around Europe, allowing people to approach differently and get to meet people from a wide variety of design and architecture studios.
Having an insider’s look to many creative studios, TOWANT presents a once in a lifetime opportunity to access architecture and design studios and meeting the minds behind them.
Who is Gianluca Lupi? How did the journey in architecture begin?
Gianluca Lupi: “I live in Tuscany, in the Florence area, I have always been attracted and passionate about events and the organization of different kinds of initiatives.
I firstly started organizing different initiatives while at university for the music and fashion sector. Then I specialized in the design and architecture industry with TOWANT.
I am a curious person that loves simple things with a twist of originality and with a differential aspect to them. I like traveling, reading, photography and electronic music. Besides, I like taking inspiration from contemporary times and urban life.”
Why TOWANT? why organizing events for architecture firms and professionals?
Gianluca Lupi: “TOWANT was founded twelve years ago, specialising in unconventional architectural and design events.
Our goal is to describe contemporary architecture not only to the professionists of the sector, but also to the people who live and actually enjoy the architecture and its spaces.
We wish to offer an opportunity for communication and networking to the main characters of the architecture and design sector. We work a lot in Italy, Milan above all, but we are also very active abroad, particularly in London, Zurich, Amsterdam and Copenhagen.
Our formats include the so-called ArchitectsParty, which are parties held at architectural offices based in Italy and in Europe; the ArchichefNight, a dinner event with architects as chefs; DJArch, parties at design showrooms with architects acting as DJs; ArchiBike; and DesignFootballCup just to name fews.
Behind every TOWANT project there are Italian and international design companies. For them this is a new way to meet and create business relationships with the protagonists of contemporary architecture.”
Curious about incredible design events happening right now? Check out: Istituto Marangoni presents: Memphis, the colour of objects
From cooking events to bike tours, ping pong and football matches or Dj’s: your events involve architects in so many different ways. What do all these initiatives have in common?
Gianluca Lupi: “The architectural and design projects are created by people, by their minds. Regardless of the commercial, technical and marketing aspects, I recognize that people, with their own personalities, passions, and peculiarities have an effect on each realized project.
All of the TOWANT events have in common the fact that the focus is not much on the project or on the product created, but it is more on the people: their habits, dreams, thoughts, interests and any other details reflected in the way they create architecture and design.
We try to focus on all these aspects by having a bike tour with an architect, or by having dinner, with a football match, or with music and any other activity that can help us describe and understand who the person behind a project is.“
Out of the events you have organized, which one was your favorite so far?
Gianluca Lupi: “I am very close to the format of TOWANT ArchitectsParty, that is a party held at architectural offices.
It is a quite simple event, which has changed and evolved during the years and has been held in a lot of Italian cities but also in New York, Amsterdam, London, Rotterdam, and Berlin.
ArchitectsParty has always been appreciated as it allows to discover and experience the studio where contemporary architecture is created.
Also in this case, the party, in addition to allowing entrance to the office space, it allows to have a glimpse of the architect’s personality. Each party is unique and different to the other, as they reflect the creativity, originality and style of each architectural studio involved.
ArchitectsParty has existed from twelve years and will last for many more years, as it will always be an opportunity for building new relationships, networking and communicating with the participating studios.
In addition to the ArchitectsParty I am very close to DjArch and ArchiBike, which are two formats we are looking forward to growing internationally.“
What is the dream-event that you still haven’t organized?
Gianluca Lupi: “In addition to consolidating our existing events formats and when possible working more on their internationalization, our aim is to create unconventional initiatives which present new opportunities for communication and networking.
We are focusing on ‘dematerialising’ the relationships and architectural communication. The relationships among people, the possibilities for being together and the opportunities offered by the social media and the new communication tools will become the protagonists of our future projects.
Our future projects will be distancing themselves from the material products.”
What are you planning next?
Gianluca Lupi: “We are working on a new international event, UrbanDesignInterviews, a calendar of conversations with the main characters of architecture at the design cities: Milan, Amsterdam, London, and Barcelona.
We are launching OnSite, which are 20 Italian constructions described by 20 architectural studios; this will be a new digital format aiming to become a yearly event.
We are planning the ArchitectsParty tour, to take place in Rome, Turin, and Milan; and DJArch Milan, with the participation of Chicco Giuliani and Alex Farolfi (from the radio program “Deejay Chiama Italia” hosted by Linus and Nicola).”
Curious to know about other design events going on in Milan? Don’t miss Pixel City: Design Open Spaces extends its borders introducing augmented reality.
