This Workout Gear is Worth Its Own Exhibition at Salone Del Mobile
If you’ve ever stepped foot in a luxury hotel gym or a billionaire’s house (careful in there…), you’ve seen it: the Technogym Unica. It’s the sleek, chrome-and-leather revolution that made working out at home feel less like a sweaty DIY project and more like an extension of a high-end interior design portfolio.
This year, as the design world descends on Milan for Salone del Mobile, Technogym isn’t just showing off new arrivals; it’s taking a victory lap for its most famous child. To celebrate 40 years of the Unica, the brand launches UNICA MENTE, an installation that cements the machine’s status as a bona fide design icon.
“When I imagined and designed Unica 40 years ago, in the garage at home, the idea of wellness as we understand it today was still a long way off,” notes Nerio Alessandri, founder of Technogym “My dream was not just to create a beautiful piece of equipment, but to trigger a true cultural revolution driven by design, capable of making physical exercise attractive and desirable. Unica defined a new product category for the home: home wellness.”
The UNICA MENTE exhibition, curated by Felice Limosani at Technogym’s Via Durini flagship, features images and video content of 40 athletes, artists, and entrepreneurs who have lived with the Unica over the years. Each of the participants has selected a school or charity to receive a donated Unica, ensuring the machine's legacy moves beyond the home gym and into the hands of future generations.
In a world of fast-moving tech and fitness fads, the Unica remains remarkably unchanged. It’s a testament to the fact that when the biomechanics and the Italian leather are perfect the first time, you don’t need a pivot.
UNICA MENTE is open to the public at Technogym Milano from April 21 to April 26.
