Innovation made in Taiwan on display at Milan Design Week

Taiwan Sugar Corporation (Taisugar), founded in 1946, has evolved from the sugar industry towards a model based on the circular economy and sustainable energy. It incorporates agriculture, biotechnology and housing development, enhancing resources and territory in line with the themes of contemporary social design.

Fengyu Group, founded in 1986, combines construction, engineering and design to develop high-quality, sustainable environments. It operates between public infrastructures and advanced technological projects, with particular attention to structural precision and materials. The NTU Humanities Hall project received the 2025 ACI award.

Studio Bio-architecture Formosana (BaF), founded in 1999, integrates architecture and sustainability according to the principles of the circular economy. Through low-emission strategies, material reuse and space flexibility, it develops projects that reduce environmental impact and generate ecological, social and economic value. In Milan, a new chapter of this project opens, extending new possibilities for the future of living.

The Design Department of National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (NTUST), founded in 1991, promotes an interdisciplinary approach that combines theory and practice. The Glowrise project, created by Kai-Xiang Yang and Shiang-Ting Huang, is inspired by the Puyuma Aboriginal culture, transforming ritual fire into light and creating a dialogue between cultural memory and contemporary design.

Hony Glass Technology, founded in 1978 in Taiwan, specializes in advanced glass processing and optical applications. It offers integrated solutions for displays and touch panels and expands into the semiconductor and photovoltaic glass sectors. In collaboration with NTUST and T12lab, explores the potential of solar glass in sustainable design.

Techmation, together with the Italian subsidiary EEI, develops integrated power electronics and energy systems solutions. Applied in the renewables and industrial sectors, these technologies support energy integration in sustainable architecture and infrastructure.

Wynist, with over 40 years of retail experience, transforms textile, marine and agricultural waste into innovative panels for interiors and exhibition spaces. Through design and upcycling, it redefines the value of materials, developing sustainable solutions and collaborating with Italian designers for interdisciplinary projects.

Lotos is a brand of Tehome that develops mineral coatings and surfaces using local resources in Taiwan. By integrating research and technology, it creates solutions for architecture and interior design. In this exhibition he presents a light installation inspired by coral and contributes to Casa Taiwan’s “Light Theater” performance.

Yatung ready-mixed concrete develops high-performance, low-emission concrete through optimized compositions and processes. Applied in structures and infrastructures, it balances technical performance and environmental impact, contributing to more sustainable and future-oriented construction.

These are the nine companies, organizations and institutions that animate Casa Taiwan, an initiative that was created on the occasion of the Milan Design Week, active between 21 and 26 April and is

curated by the Taiwanese Commercial Association in Italy in collaboration with T12 Lab, a Milanese company that has long been involved in urban recovery and artistic practices.

During the exhibition, the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan will facilitate meetings and collaborations between the building materials industries of Taiwan and Italy, promoting international dialogue and cooperation, and positioning Taiwanese companies as reference partners in the sustainable architecture and design sector. The exhibition layout, created by a team of Italian designers, combines Italian spatial aesthetics with Taiwanese cultural images and sustainable materials, creating symbolic and experimental exhibition structures, in which design, culture and material technology coexist in profound harmony. The project includes 200 m² of internal theater and exhibition space and 1,500 m² of outdoor garden. The best sustainable materials and design companies from Taiwan will be on display inside, showcasing Taiwan’s innovation in recyclable materials, green architecture and product research. Not limited to just the commercial exhibition, it also presents the academic world with Yang Jinhuai of the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology who, together with Elisabetta Bianchessi of T12 Lab, will create an interactive experience with an energy-saving glass photovoltaic house.

For the first time, the representative Taiwanese lantern culture will be brought to Italy in its authentic form, inviting design professionals and the public to immerse themselves in its magic and discover the unique charm born from the encounter between Taiwanese culture and sustainable design. This is thanks to the participation of the Puzhi Cultural & Historical Research Association and the 88 Art Therapy Studio of Tainan who, with years of cultural research and community activism, have promoted and preserved precious Taiwanese folk traditions. Their Fucheng Lantern Festival, ranked among the “Ten Best Lantern Festivals in Taiwan,” receives national and international recognition. For the first time, the culture of Taiwanese lanterns arrives in Milan, transforming the outdoor garden into a sea of ​​lights that represent the memory of the territory, integrating digital innovation, interactive art and light design for an immersive experience between culture and senses.

The project, which presents itself as a real showcase and point of contact between design, innovation and the relationship between Taiwan and Italy, also highlights how the initiatives developed on the occasion of the Milan Design Week are increasingly attentive not only to aspects related to design, but also to innovation and technologies. Casa Taiwan is created with the collaboration of Taiwan in Milan, Representative Office in Milan, Taiwanese Trade Association in Italy, T12 Lab – Architecture and Social Design, Social Design Lab, Laboratorio Silenzio, Puzhi Cultural & Historical Research Association, 88 Art Healing Institute, Advantech Foundation, Taiwan Sugar Corporation, Fenguy Group, Bio-architecture Formosana, Techome Technology(Lotos), Hony Glass Technology, Wynist Retail Solutions, EEI, Yatung Ready-Mix Concrete, The Green Box, Inm Bem Industrial, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, SYM, EVA Air, Associazione Studenti Taiwanesi a Milano / Associazione Taiwanesi a Milano, BAOMI and also with the support of Startupbusiness. (in the photo the Taipei skyline, photo by my nguyen on Unsplash)