KIRI³

In the Cortile d'Onore of Milan's Università degli Studi — at the heart of Fuorisalone 2026 and home to the Interni exhibition with the theme Materiae — MM Design and Xlam Dolomiti present an installation of architectural scale: a 4×4-metre cube built in Paulownia and SUPERTIMBER, the material obtained through the patented densification of Paulownia timber (Kiri, in Japanese). The name KIRIᶟ is already a manifesto: the cube (geometry's third power) and the Kiri (the Paulownia) merge into a single word — a synthesis of material, form and meaning. This is not a metaphor. It is a structural statement.

The project was born from the synergy between MM Design, one of the world's most awarded Italian studios of industrial and strategic design, and Xlam Dolomiti, a leading Trentino manufacturer with over a decade of expertise in structural timber panel production. Prior to KIRIᶟ, the two partners had already collaborated on Kirizuna — a seating system in SUPERTIMBER presented at the ADI Design Museum as part of the Legno Trentino collective exhibition. KIRIᶟ is the natural next step: from product scale to architectural scale.

SUPERTIMBER is the undisputed protagonist. Developed by Xlam Dolomiti as part of the SU.PRE.MO research project, in collaboration with the Bruno Kessler Foundation (FBK) and supported by the Autonomous Province of Trento, the material is produced through the industrial densification of Paulownia boards and acquires unprecedented characteristics: density exceeding 1,000 kg/m³, mechanical strength comparable to steel, a negative carbon footprint, and fire resistance superior to common timbers. It can be worked and bonded like any other wood.

The Paulownia (Kiri) is the fastest-growing tree in the world: one hectare of cultivation absorbs over 100 tonnes of CO₂ per year — up to ten times more than other plants. It regenerates from the stump without the need for replanting.

MM Design chose to entrust the entire narrative to the material itself. No claddings, no finishes. The result is a lattice structure featuring thin boards and reduced thicknesses that would be impossible to achieve with any other wood. At the centre of the cube, a stylised Paulownia emerges as a sculptural element: a sacred tree in Japanese culture, a symbol connecting earth and sky, and a living manifesto of the project's core philosophy. The design, signed by MM Design, conveys formal rigour and technical radicalism. The structure can support weights that are otherwise impossible for such thin profiles. This is not just an aesthetic suggestion; it is a practical, verifiable demonstration of SUPERTIMBER's exceptional qualities.

"KIRI³ demonstrates that the future of construction and product design lies in materials that not only respect the environment but actively regenerate it. SUPERTIMBER does not simply replace steel: it redefines the very concept of structural sustainability."
- Alex Terzariol, Designer and General Manager, MM Design

KIRI³ is more than just an installation; it is the tip of the iceberg. The profound knowledge behind the project, spanning decades of materials research, field trials, and performance benchmarks, is accessible on Mathub (mathub.eu), the digital archive of material know-how launched by MM Design in 2023. Kiri/SUPERTIMBER is one of the platform's flagship materials: technical data, application sheets, and comparative analyses form a comprehensive knowledge ecosystem that turns every discovery into a tool for continuous design.

KIRI³ and Kirizuna are not isolated projects: they are two demonstrators of an application potential that remains largely unexplored. Architectural structures, interior design, lightweight mobility, structural packaging, and professional equipment: wherever conventional steel or timber is used today, SUPERTIMBER is already a highly credible alternative. Multidisciplinarity is not an abstract value here; it is the vital condition that transforms research into an object, the object into a system, and the system into genuine innovation.