Philippe Malouin installs swing set inside grand Milanese palazzo
Milan 2015: visitors to a Neoclassical palazzo in Milan were invited to play on swings created by London designer Philippe Malouin using quartz surface material Caesarstone (+ slideshow).
![Philippe Malouin Caesarstone swings](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2015/04/Philippe-Malouin-Caesarstone-swings-Milan-2015_dezeen_468_1.jpg)
The grand hall of Palazzo Serbelloni served as the backdrop for the Caesarstone Movements interactive installation during Milan design week.
Malouin developed the swing set as a way of presenting the different colour varieties of Caesarstone – a synthetic stone more commonly used for kitchen worktops.
![Philippe Malouin Caesarstone swings](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2015/04/Philippe-Malouin_Caesarstone_Milan-2015_dezeen_468_01.jpg)
"For me the starting point was the exploration of the material," said Malouin. "We therefore focused on spending time in the workshop, except, this was not an ordinary workshop, but a fully equipped quartz surface transformation facility."
![Philippe Malouin Caesarstone swings](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2015/04/Philippe-Malouin-Caesarstone-swings-Milan-2015_dezeen_468_2.jpg)
The idea was originally shown as a circular set of 12 swings at the Interior Design Show in Toronto earlier this year.
For Milan, Malouin created a line of eight swings hung in a line from ropes attached to a thin steel frame.
![Philippe Malouin Caesarstone swings](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2015/04/Philippe-Malouin-Caesarstone-swings-Milan-2015_dezeen_468_0.jpg)
Supported by angled posts, the structure spanned the length of Palazzo Serbelloni's gilded hall.
Each rectangular seat was formed from a different variation of Caesarstone that was repeated as a strip of flooring below the paths of the swings.
![Philippe Malouin Caesarstone swings](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2015/04/Philippe-Malouin-Caesarstone-swings-Milan-2015_dezeen_468_4.jpg)
The Canada-born designer also created a collection of 20 geometric planters, which were shown in an adjacent room.
These were presented on a large plinth and filled with tropical plants, creating a contrast with the ornately decorated space.
![Philippe Malouin Caesarstone planters](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2015/04/Philippe-Malouin_Caesarstone_Milan-2015_dezeen_468_11.jpg)
"Caesarstone is an extremely versatile material that is easy to predict and work with, and it offers a variety of colours and finishes," said the designer. "I therefore experimented with a series of techniques and applications ranging from the mundane to the more experimental."
![Philippe Malouin Caesarstone planters](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2015/04/Philippe-Malouin_Caesarstone_Milan-2015_dezeen_468_21.jpg)
The installation took place from 14 to 19 April at Palazzo Serbelloni, Corso Venezia 16.
Photography is by Tom Mannion.