This is being published in conjunction with the 23rd International Exhibition of the Milan Triennale (15 July-11 December 2022). Entitled Unknown Unknowns. An Introduction to Mysteries, the exhibition is an interdisciplinary event motivated by a desire to answer a number of questions on what we still “don’t know we don’t know” across several spheres: from the most distant universe to dark matter and from the depths of the oceans to the origin of our consciousness. This pluralistic experience involving designers, architects, artists and researchers offers an opportunity to topple our convictions.

The exhibition is accompanied by two publications, containing Essays and a Catalogue (both with graphic design by 2×4 in New York) respectively. They serve as an add-on to the curatorial approach, an exhibition “within” and “beyond” the exhibition. This publication features the essays. Introduced by Stefano Boeri and Emanuele Coccia, it contains several theoretical contributions written by internationally acclaimed writers – Elie Ayache, Michel Cassé, Manuele Fior, Helen Hester, Vladan Joler, Eben Kirksey, Chiara Marletto, Sarah Mineko Ichioka, Emanuele Quinz, Michele Spanò and Riccardo Venturi – professionals, experts, scholars and researchers in different fields of knowledge.

The essays present contemporary phenomena from diverse angles: political-philosophical, creative, scientific-biological, economic and statistics… with a view to conveying the critical drive behind the International Exhibition. This first volume seeks to trigger a debate on the “unknown unknowns” all around us.