Design Week: the Alma Water installation and a tribute to Grazia Deledda

A space conceived as a narrative even before being an installation: a place where the sea is not merely a physical element, but a living presence, a shared memory, a cultural horizon. It is within this dimension that Alma Water takes shape—an artistic installation created by artist and designer Sara Ricciardi in collaboration with engineer Alberto Sanna, dedicated to the sea.

The work, presented by the Regione Autonoma della Sardegna and CIPNES Gallura, interprets the relationship between the sea, innovation, and economic development through a contemporary language, transforming water into a narrative medium. The sea thus becomes both a productive space and a symbolic one: a strategic infrastructure for the boating system and the blue economy, as well as a place of identity.

Alongside the installation, the space hosts a cultural exhibition dedicated to Grazia Deledda, featuring a selection of quotes from her works, in which the sea emerges as a constant, intimate, and universal presence. The writer’s words guide visitors through landscapes and emotions that reflect the deep relationship between humanity and nature that characterizes Sardinian culture.

The initiative is part of the celebrations marking the centenary of the Nobel Prize in Literature (1926) awarded to the author, and contributes to strengthening the connection between cultural heritage and development perspectives. The sea, in its many representations, thus becomes a bridge between past and future: between literary memory and design innovation.

Within this dialogue between installation and written word, between design and storytelling, an integrated vision of Sardinia takes shape—one that is capable of speaking to an international audience without losing its authenticity.

Participation in Milan Design Week is part of the broader path of internationalization of the regional boating system, confirming the commitment of institutions and partners to position Sardinia as a strategic platform in the Mediterranean for innovation, education, and the sustainable development of the blue economy.