Unfold Stories: Hyundai Opens its Exhibition at Milan Design Week 2026, Celebrating the World Premiere of the All‑Electric IONIQ 3
- Hyundai enters Milan Design Week, presenting its evolving design vision and creative journey.
- The installation “Unfold Stories” unveils the brand’s design philosophy and advanced craftmanship in materials.
- World premiere of the Hyundai IONIQ 3 marks the highly anticipated final chapter of the showcase.
Press material
Hyundai Motor opens its immersive installation “Unfold Stories” at the Torneria Tortona at Milan Design Week 2026. The exhibition brings the brand’s design philosophy to life in a tangible and engaging way. Marking the start of the festival, Hyundai also celebrates the world premiere of Hyundai IONIQ 3, presented at the heart of European design discourse, as the latest addition to the IONIQ family and an expression of the brand’s evolving design identity.
Milan Design Week marks a natural setting for Hyundai’s design narrative, bringing the brand’s long‑standing design heritage into dialogue with Europe’s leading creative voices. By returning to the global capital of design, Hyundai highlights a heritage that dates back to 1974 with the Pony Coupé designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, underscoring how design has continuously shaped the brand’s approach to modern electric mobility.
A unique design story unfolds
The immersive installation “Unfold Stories” guides visitors through Hyundai’s unique design process, presented as a sequence of interconnected spaces. In the “Art of Steel Exterior Space,” the journey begins with a simple sheet of paper that evolves through sculptural forms into a finished object – illustrating Hyundai’s “From Paper to Steel” approach, where material exploration becomes a defining element of its design language.
The narrative continues in the “Furnished Interior Space”, where visitors can explore Hyundai’s interior design philosophy through materials, layout, and interactive elements. This space reflects a human‑centric design approach, prioritizing comfort, emotion, and personal rituals over mechanical expression, and offers a warm, intuitive atmosphere shaped by light, texture, and proportion. Completing the experience, Hyundai designers host workshops that give attendees a hands-on understanding of the principles behind Hyundai’s design approach.
Inside, IONIQ 3 opens up as a calm, spacious environment that feels unexpectedly generous. The main interior volumes are softly sculpted and trimmed in a single, consistent direction, aligning with natural material behavior to enhance its quality of comfort. Inspired by 1970s living spaces, the interior translates principles of honest materials, clear forms, and functional confidence into a contemporary setting. Conceived as a “furnished space,” the cabin becomes an adaptable environment that focuses on clarity, comfort, and human experience.
The Unfold Stories exhibition is open to the public on Tuesday, April 21st from 11.00 to 18.00 and afterwards daily from 9.00 to 18.00 until April 26th. More information about Hyundai at Milan Design Week is available here.
