To protect our land, we must first understand it; this is the starting point of Prada Nature Beyond, a project that transcodes neurobiologist Stefano Mancuso’s thesis that plants are the only solution capable of saving us from disaster.
Nowadays, brands are promoters of social, environmental, and cultural values and have a high degree of popular impact. The project investigates the phenomenon of Brand Activism and identifies the Prada case as the main promoter of values. After a critical reading of the company, we decided to translate Prada’s values into a space, imagining a new format. The Group’s initiatives related to the environment, people, and culture thus translate into Prada Nature Beyond, an experience that invites man to detach himself from the anthropocentric vision, to reconnect with nature, and to discover plants as cognitive and supportive beings.

Specifically, the format is applied here in Milan, through the redevelopment of the former Innocenti-Maserati industrial space, but it is scalable to various locations around the world and has as its basic requirement the redevelopment of degraded buildings.
Prada Nature Beyond is a large, energy self-sufficient ecostructure-producing more than it consumes, which nature to reclaim its spaces to cooperate with humanity.

The research phase made use of experiments in the field of biomimicry. Specifically, we looked at the shape of biological systems, both at the visible and micrometer and nanometer scales, for inspiration. Using digital microscopes, biological photographs were taken that allowed us to capture hidden aspects of the biological models under examination. Of particular relevance were the plant cells visible under the microscope at 1000x magnification. This fascinating structure, based on the Voronoi diagram, has proven to be the key to defining the plan of space. The dimensional and geometric data were translated into a 3D model using the parametric design program Grasshopper. The same approach has been employed for the design of many bioinspired structures in space. Nature, however, is not just aesthetic beauty, but extreme intelligence: the chlorella algae here becomes a machine that purifies the air, creating a stable microclimate.
In design, production processes, and materials have marked significant choices related to ecosystem protection. Research carried out in the field of biophilia has led to digital fabrication. Research on WASP, a leading company in the world of digital fabrication, suggested the possibility of imagining an entire on-site installation, 3D printed with local soil from the excavations of rainwater recovery tanks. This approach reduces transport-related emissions, protects workers, reduces costs, and celebrates the concept of Genius Loci: each Prada Nature Beyond in the world will be characterised by a different colour of the space given by the different types of terrain.

The experience invites users, at an early stage, to see the plants deep inside and be aware of their sensitivity. Subsequently, starting from the beneficial effects of plants on humans and the concept of culinary and psycho-physical well-being, various types of plants gave rise to regenerative spaces for storytelling. For example, garden plants have given rise to a farm-to-table restaurant that, thanks to a hydroponic crop, ensures maximum quality and reduces environmental impact. The aim is to promote safe farming practices and to invite self-cultivation. In a second wing of space, medicinal and purifying plants exhibit their beneficial properties related to the body and mind. Phytoremediation plants naturally purify biopools while aromatic plants invite you to do natural treatments for body care. In this world, all species are important: in the outdoor area, gardens designed for pollinating insects and bug hotels help protect biodiversity.
Using an alchemical and experimental approach, the research path involved the exploration of diverse yet connected worlds, such as plant neurobiology, biophilia, brand strategy, biotechnology, mindful design, food strategy, landscape design, digital fabrication, and experience design.