Repurposing shipping containers as homes, studios or pop-ups is certainly nothing new, but Milan-based architecture and design studio m2atelier took a newer approach. The Crafted Capsulean experiential installation housed in a shipping container is less about the limitations of its compact footprint and more about reducing modern life to its uncompromising essentials.
Photo: Lorenzo Pennati
For Genova Design Week 2026, m2atelier worked closely with top Italian experts to create The Crafted Capsule. Focused on construction, lighting, fabrics and leather craftsmanship, each expert helped rethink what a compact interior could be. The installation is an exercise in precision, showing how careful planning and meticulous material selection can transform even the smallest space.
“The Crafted Capsule explores how modern life can be distilled to its essentials without sacrificing emotion, comfort or beauty,” explained m2atelier founders Marco Bonelli and Marijana Radovic.
Photo: Lorenzo Pennati
The Crafted Capsule it comes together through a carefully orchestrated mix of materials and technical know-how. NIVA led the internal engineering and much of the construction, while Material developed the installation’s embossed, zinc-plated wall panels. Luce5Its integrated lighting – including an illuminated mirror above the bed – visually expands the compact interior. Textile products from C&C Milano and rich blue leather from Foglizzo soften the industrial shell with warmth and texture.
Instead of presenting compact living as a compromise, The Crafted Capsule shows that careful attention to proportion, materiality and craftsmanship can make even the most confined spaces feel inviting.
Photo: Lorenzo Pennati
Editorial Transparency: This article was developed with the help of artificial intelligence tools, which may have been used for research, description, editing or copy improvement. Reporting, fact-checking and editorial decisions were made by Design Milk’s editorial team.
