MEET Headquarters, Milan

MEET – the international centre of digital culture, supported by the Cariplo Foundation – recently unveiled its brand-new Milan headquarters. Artemide has been a supporter of MEET for several years, as part of a partnership based on the shared belief that design culture can act as a strong driver for innovation and future-oriented development. Here, in the new headquarters designed by Carlo Ratti Associati, Artemide’s lighting solutions become an integral part of the very spirit of the centre.

MEET is a meeting place – a hub for sharing and dialogue, not just online but also in person, where visitors are greeted at the entrance by a fragmented chandelier spelling out the word MEET, designed by Carlo Ratti with the help of Artemide. On entering, visitors see the individual suspended pieces come together, as the power of perspective transforms them into communication.
The entrance thus becomes a space in which people are welcomed and open up to each other. It is home to Discovery, a stunning installation created by Ernesto Gismondi and equipped with patented Integralis technology, designed to make socialising even safer. Controlled through the Artemide app, the innovative Integralis light technology takes action against pathogenic micro-organisms in the air and allows groups to return to spaces safely and securely, albeit while adhering to the latest rules.
The Alphabet of Light composition from BIG, measuring over 30 metres, flows through the entrance, connecting the various spaces together and beckoning visitors inside. The simplicity of this modular system creates a sense of continuity and uniformity and is the result of highly innovative, patented optical and electronic technology.

Throughout it all, Artemide’s light follows the rhythms of the people and adapts to how they interact with spaces. At times, it is expressive and impactful, such as in the entrance, while at others it simply lets the purity of light showcase and emphasise the architecture, events and messages of the centre itself.
In the immersive digital room, the dynamic LoT (Light over Time, by Tapio Rosenius) interacts with wall projections for an even more engaging experience. Patented optical technology and smart operating systems make it possible to alter the apertures of the beams and the colour of the light, creating ever-changing displays which seem to vanish into the surrounding architecture.
The light also follows the lines of the staircase – the heart of the building, which was created to accommodate people and projections.

In the offices, the A39 ceiling lights from Carlotta de Bevilacqua guarantee optimum perception thanks to innovative optical systems which control brightness.
Ultimately, the aim of MEET is to rediscover a new sense of humanism – through digital. Set in the heart of the city, it’s a space that has transformed the present into the future, a space in which Artemide’s light strikes the perfect balance between culture, innovation and experimentation – all concepts given a voice by this place. Artemide’s Human&Responsible Light is the union of humanism and science, of knowledge and savoir-faire, turning technological innovation into beauty, experiences and smart management.