THE IMPOSSIBLE SHOWROOM - Milan Design Week
 June 2022 

The first virtual reality headset was born in 1970. It opened a completely unchartered world offering its users endless possibilities to explore, create, work and play. More than 50 years later, The Impossible Showroom unveils a typology of virtual reality environments that were specifically created to exhibit design objects. Developed by MA in Interior Architecture (MAIA) students at HEAD – Genève, the various VR spaces showcase a selection of furniture items by Swiss designers. Visitors get to experience environments that go beyond the visual vocabulary of physical representation and discover iconic furniture in unexpected ways. To create these unique showrooms, the group drew inspiration from the materiality of the objects, the ethos of their designers and the visual identity of the associated brands. The virtual spaces offer an interpretation of the worlds of Peter Zumthor, Fritz Haller, Pierre Jeanneret, Hans Coray, Atelier Oï, Big Game, and Hannes Wettstein. 

Alongside the exhibition, the magazine Entering the Room – a new research platform that explores the different ways in which virtual reality now inhabits our lives – will be launched. It is the result of close collaboration between MAIA students and VOLUME. This first issue takes a critical look at VR and computer-generated immersive universes. Through a cross-section of different practitioners, the issue seeks to highlight the industry’s challenges as well as the possibilities that virtual reality can offer. Architects, scientists, archaeologists, researchers and artists take the floor and share their critical vision and position on the construction of a digital world. 

HEAD – Genève. Department of Interior Architecture
Team: Head of Department: Dr Javier F. Contreras
Deputy Head: Valentina de Luigi
Project Leader: Simon Husslein
Assistants: Damien Greder, Dany Champion, Pablo Brenas MAIA Students: Nell Beller, Emma Birbaud, Kevin Chellakudam, Thomas Dreux, Samia Hilal, Vilma Hubalek, Valeria Lydia Kraehenbuehl, Emma Launay, Lisa Maahsen, Camila Perna, Sandy Pitetti, Anaïs Youssefi
Special thanks : Jean-Pierre Greff, Directeur HEAD – Genève Photos : HEAD – Genève, Guillaume Collignon