Samir Bantal has transformed the language of consumer retail into a sculptural design installation titled Il Sonno, presented during Milan Design Week as part of Designboom’s Room for Dreams exhibition.
Commissioned by SolidNature, the installation recreated an entire functioning supermarket environment using natural stone materials, including marble, granite, quartzite, onyx, and travertine. Moreover, every product and architectural surface within the space was fabricated from stone, transforming disposable consumer objects into permanent sculptural artefacts.
“Every shelf and every product in the ‘Il Sonno’ market has been made from natural stone: marble, onyx, quartzite, granite, and travertine shaped into the forms of everyday grocery items, including Pringles tubes, sandwiches, and fruit – all of which are for sale.”
The installation occupied the ME Milan Il Duca during the April design fair and featured 1,716 individual stone elements across 32 stone varieties. Consequently, the project blurred distinctions between collectible design, conceptual installation, and retail architecture.
Stone Consumer Goods Challenge Ideas of Speed and Disposable Consumption
Designed to resemble a conventional supermarket, Il Sonno incorporated fluorescent strip lighting, mirrored walls, standard shelving systems, and ambient background audio. In addition, the familiar retail environment intensified the contrast between mass-produced consumer culture and the permanence of stone.
“The space was designed to read as a functioning supermarket: fluorescent strip lighting, background music over speakers, and standard aisle layout.”
The installation included sculptural recreations of snacks, packaged goods, sandwiches, and fruit, all rendered unusable through their material transformation. Therefore, the project reframed everyday consumption as a slowed-down spatial and psychological experience.
“Nobody thinks while shopping; it’s a reflex. At Il Sonno Supermarket, this reflex is frozen in stone.”
According to Samir Bantal, the installation sought to interrupt automatic consumer behaviour by replacing speed and convenience with stillness and contemplation. Furthermore, mirrored walls reflected visitors as they moved through the aisles, reinforcing the relationship between consumer identity and retail environments.
“Commodities have been transformed into desirable objects, stripped of function. The experience of rushing through the supermarket is slowed down to wonder.”
Milan Installation Explores Sustainability Through Material Permanence
Alongside the conceptual framework, SolidNature positioned the installation as a broader exploration of sustainability, durability, and material longevity within contemporary design culture. The company’s founder, David Mahyari, argued that natural stone introduces an alternative system of value rooted in permanence rather than disposability.
“Natural stone introduces a different sense of value, rooted in sustainability, durability and authenticity.”
The installation featured four different surface finishes and 24 distinct product formats, highlighting both the versatility and sculptural potential of natural stone fabrication. As a result, the project connected architectural material research with debates surrounding overconsumption, environmental consciousness, and the future of retail design.
“Unlike systems built on speed and disposability, it shifts consumption towards awareness, where everyday choices become part of a larger dream shaping a more conscious and future-oriented world.”
Although the Milan exhibition has concluded, the stone objects created for Il Sonno remain available for purchase through SolidNature, extending the installation beyond the fair into collectible design and contemporary art markets.