interior and spatial design

In the Laboratory students read, interpret and re-elaborate the specific value of Spatial Design, investigating the vast open field of project research related to the deepest and most variable characteristics of living, intended in all its extensions, that are at the origin of urban modifications. Over time, this research road has had a constant matrix in the development, in various forms, perspectives and places, of the concept of “enhancement” of indoor and outdoor spaces, in a frame of “genetic development of the urban metabolism”. It is a project vision based on the analysis and critical reading of the contemporary (and near future) conditions of living in the flow of urban transformations.

Students:

• know and understand the processes, methods and instruments needed to interpret, in a critical manner, the project themes connected with the Spatial Design sphere;
• know how to analyse the reference context and elaborate complex projects for space enhancement;
• autonomously and in a group, make and report on the design choices made, developing an aptitude for negotiation, team building, the acceptance of leadership and conflict management.

In the Design Studio, students read, interpret and re-elaborate the specific value of Spatial Design, investigating the vast open field of project research related to the deepest and most variable characteristics of living, intended in all its extensions, that are at the origin of urban modifications.
Over time, this research road has had a constant matrix in the development, in various forms, perspectives and places, of the concept of “enhancement” of indoor and outdoor spaces, in a frame of “genetic development of the urban metabolism”. It is a project vision based on the analysis and critical reading of the contemporary (and near future) conditions of living in the flow of urban transformations.
In the creative professions and especially in design, ideas originate, mature and perish in a constant flurry.
We are interested in transforming something abstract and intangible in tangible.
Research and Design interpretative lens theme
NAVIGATING TRANSITIONS ||| Spatial Practices between Spatial Design and Contemporary Art matter.
Within the framework of the title "Spatial Practices between Spatial Design and Contemporary Art Matter”, the term ‘matter’ emphasises both the tangible, material aspects actively employed (the physical material) and the implicit or ideal nature of spatial and artistic practices (the philosophical and metaphorical concept). This dual focus opens a reflection that involves both the physical and conceptual dimensions of artistic and design materiality.
The relationship between art and space is not solely thematic but also methodological and formative. Dualism is not understood as opposition, but rather as a system of interacting forces, examples include: Art//Function _ Intuition//Method _ Space//Time _ Body//Matter. The designer learns to navigate among these poles, rather than to choose one as dominant, and to inhabit uncertainty in order to generate complex, layered, and meaningful spaces.
In this way, a design model emerges where the designer engages deeply with matter (whether it be canvas, stone, metal, wood, clay, wax, plastics, or materials of secondary nature, etc.), much like an artist: with attentive listening, poetic tension, and openness to the process. This involves a performative use of matter, which must become a ‘participant’ in the experience of inhabiting and living the space, proposing an immersive experience in which the body interacts, in varying degrees, with the materials that define the designed environment.
Spatial design is meant to be experienced and used; it is not free art, but applied art. Nonetheless, its value can — and perhaps should — be defined through a ‘consonant perception’, a perceptual and emotional resonance that articulates its significance.
The design references will be sought in the historical and most recent production of design objects, spaces, artworks and architectures, especially in all those authors who have achieved how to create “a paradigm shift".

Prova orale obbligatoria
Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, di gruppo, con revisioni periodiche, con presentazione/discussione finale
Valutazione continua obbligatoria
Students will be asked to interpret the general theme of the laboratory in a personal way, translating it into a scale model.
During the semester, an intermediate delivery will be required, a short video of 2-3 minutes maximum duration, which transmits and clarifies the first project ideas.
Students will have to demonstrate that they are able to know in depth the contents of the introductory lectures dedicated to the topic of the course.

Giovanna Piccinno, RE-CONNECTION DESIGN. Spatial strategies for multiscale challanges, Editore: Maggioli-Design&, Anno edizione: 2025, ISBN: 9788891679727
Michele De Lucchi e AMDL Circle, Muri senza muri / Walls without walls, Editore: Dario Cimorelli Editore, Anno edizione: 2023, ISBN: 9791255610397
Giovanna Piccinno, Dualism Manifesto/Design Challenges for the XXI Century, Editore: Maggioli-Design&, Anno edizione: 2023, ISBN: 9788891655899 https://www.theplan.it/politecnica-university-press/dualism-manifesto-design-challenges-for-the-xxi-century
Note: This book is available in open access
Giovanna Piccinno, 5 Spatial Design Tactics, Editore: Maggioli-Design&, Anno edizione: 2020, ISBN: 9788891646330
Michele De Lucchi e AMDL Circle, Earth Station - Architetture per il pianeta terra, Editore: Silvana Editoriale, Anno edizione: 2000
Michele De Lucchi e AMDL Circle, Connettoma, Synapsis of humanistic architecture, Editore: Silvana Editoriale, Anno edizione: 2000
Carlo Rovelli, Helgoland, Editore: Adelphi, Anno edizione: 2020
Alessandro Baricco, The Game, Editore: Einaudi, Anno edizione: 2018
Antonio Damasio, Lo strano ordine delle cose, Editore: Adelphi, Anno edizione: 2017
Harry Francis Mallgrave, L'empatia degli spazi, Editore: Raffaello Cortina, Anno edizione: 2015
Richard Sennet, L'uomo artigiano, Editore: Feltrinelli, Anno edizione: 2013
Steven Johnson, Dove nascono le grandi idee, Editore: BUR, Anno edizione: 2011
Enzo Mari, 25 modi per piantare un chiodo, Editore: Mondadori, Anno edizione: 2011
Elisabeth Grosz, Caos, territorio, arte, Editore: O barra O edizioni, Anno edizione: 2011
Pether Zumthor, Atmosfere. Ambienti architettonici. Le cose che ci circondano, Editore: Electa, Anno edizione: 2007
Jeffrey Maitland, Il corpo spazioso, Editore: Astrolabio, Anno edizione: 2004
Web site_ Teaching is learning www.teachingislearning.it

Art research is a fundamental nourishment of design practice, especially in the Italian design tradition. Lessons and exercises aim at providing the students with an in-depth knowledge of contemporary art languages and practices, so that they can effectively become tools in any design process.

• knowing how to read, understand and critically assess visual and expressive languages of contemporary art;
• knowing how to translate these languages into the design process;
• knowing and understanding the relationship between contemporary art languages and current experimentation in the field of space design.

Over the past one hundred years, the field of Art has radically changed. Each aspect of its production has been involved: the contents, the techniques, the goals, the role of the Art itself - and that of the artists - within the society. Starting from this legacy, contemporary Art becomes a vast experimental field where the condition of the present is continuously recorded, analysed, and interpreted.
The course describes this process chronologically, from the Avant-garde to the latest works, according to a model largely adopted in literature. It traces three main lines of research: the first on the nature of space, the second on the use of matter, and the third on the role of the body. These are issues that often deal with the practice of design and, therefore, offer interesting opportunities for reflection and comparison. On the other hand, they permit a broader exploration of the connections between Art and other creative activities such as theatre, filmmaking, music, fashion, and advertising.
Besides the lessons, the course provides seminars that involve the participation of artists, curators, and art experts.
Negli ultimi cento anni il campo dell'arte è attraversato da radicali trasformazioni. Ogni aspetto del fare artistico è coinvolto: i contenuti, le tecniche, le finalità, il ruolo stesso dell’arte – e degli artisti – nella società. Muovendo da tale eredità l'arte contemporanea si presenta come un esteso campo di sperimentazione in cui la condizione del presente è, continuamente, registrata, analizzata e interpretata.
Il corso descrive questi mutamenti adottando un criterio cronologico, dalle Avanguardie ai lavori più recenti, secondo un modello storiografico ampiamente consolidato in letteratura. Propone tre livelli di lettura: il primo sulla natura dello spazio, il secondo sull’uso della materia, il terzo sul coinvolgimento del corpo. Si tratta di questioni che spesso attengono alla pratica del progetto e offrono quindi interessanti occasioni di riflessione e di confronto. D’altra parte essi consentono una esplorazione più ampia sulle connessioni tra l’arte ed altre attività creative come il teatro, il cinema, la musica, la moda, la pubblicità.
Alle lezioni si affiancano seminari di approfondimento con la partecipazione di artisti, curatori ed esperti d’arte.

Prova scritta obbligatoria, con prove in itinere
Prova orale obbligatoria
Two in-course tests are scheduled. The first relates to the Avant-garde and the second to the post-war and contemporary production. The first in-course test consists of analysing and interpreting a specific topic (such as an artistic movement or an artist's work). The students have to find out the influence of this artist/movement on the present creative production. The second consists of a project of an interior aimed at translating/interpreting in spatial terms the features of a contemporary art movement.
In-course tests are compulsory and have to be submitted on the dates set by the course schedule, which will be provided at the beginning of the semester. The assessments obtained in these tests account for 60% of the final evaluation grade. The remaining 40% will result from the final exam, consisting of a discussion of the course contents.
An in-depth knowledge of the course contents and the bibliography is required. Therefore, attendance, though not compulsory, is strongly recommended.
Students who cannot, for whatever reason, attend the lessons, however, have to submit the in-course tests on the scheduled dates.
Durante il semestre sono previste due prove in itinere, una relativa alle Avanguardie, l’altra alle ricerche post-belliche e contemporanee. Nel primo caso si tratta di un lavoro di analisi e interpretazione di un argomento specifico (come un movimento artistico o il lavoro di un artista), di cui si chiede agli studenti di scoprire l'influenza sulla produzione creativa contemporanea. Nel secondo si tatta di progettare un interno che traduca / interpreti in termini spaziali le caratteristiche di un movimento artistico contemporaneo.
Le prove in itinere sono obbligatorie e vanno redatte nei tempi stabiliti dal calendario del corso, che sarà reso noto all'inizio del semestre. Le valutazioni ottenute nelle prove in itinere, rappresentano il 60% del voto di valutazione finale. Il restante 40% sarà il risultato della prova conclusiva, che consiste in una discussione sui contenuti del corso.
Si richiede una conoscenza approfondita dei contenuti del corso e della bibliografia, pertanto, sebbene non obbligatoria la frequenza alle lezioni è fortemente consigliata.
Gli studenti che non possono, per qualsiasi motivo, frequentare le lezioni, sono tenuti, in ogni caso, a presentare le prove in itinere nelle date in programma.

Celant, Germano, The American Tornado. Art in Power 1949-2008, Editore: Skira, Anno edizione: 2008, ISBN: 9788861300682
Foster, Hal et alii, Art Since 1900: Modernism, Antimodernism and Postmodernism, Editore: Thames & Hudson, Anno edizione: 2005, ISBN: 9780500238189
Krauss, Rosalind E., Passages. In Modern Sculpture, Editore: Mit Press, Anno edizione: 1981, ISBN: 9780262610339
Poli, Francesco, Postmodern Art. From the Post-war to Today, Editore: Collins, Anno edizione: 2008, ISBN: 9780061665776
Godfrey, Tony, The Story of Contemporary Art, Editore: Thames & Hudson, Anno edizione: 2020, ISBN: 9780500239872
Guerrini, Luca, Itinerari. Opere, progetti, prodotti tra design e arte, Editore: Maggioli, Anno edizione: 2008, ISBN: 9788838742936
Riout, Denys, Qu'est-ce que l'art moderne?, Editore: Gallimard, Anno edizione: 2000, ISBN: 9782070410880
Vettese, Angela, Capire l'Arte Contemporanea, Editore: U. Allemandi & C., Anno edizione: 1998, ISBN: 9788842208495

This course aims to stimulate thought about the relationship between design and construction as the origin of expressive and poetic quality of an internal space, where the role of detail and matter can arise. The course is structured with lessons and optional graphic exercises in which the themes of the lessons from a design implication standpoint will be developed. The educational objectives of the course aim to impart not only knowledge but also judgement autonomy in design choice awareness and an ability to learn in the detailed cultural study of the subjects dealt with.

Students:

• know and understand the relationship between designed and built and the role of technology, the study of detail and a correct choice of materials as a necessary instrument for a high quality design
• know how to take advantage of the expressive quality of a material or a detail in the design process.
• develop judgement independence while aware of the design choices and understand the detailed cultural study of the subjects dealt with.

The integrated course ATELIER FOR TECHNOLOGIES has the aim of exploring the relationship between design and construction as the matrix of the expressive and poetic quality of interiors, unfolding the role of matter and detail.
The course consists of the two subjects of Culture of Design Technology and Practice of Design Technology.
The first program investigates the delicate transition between spaces ideation and execution in terms of choice of technologies, materials and surfaces. It originates from the need to study, more in depth, the relationship between the creative phase of a project and its definition through specific physical and sensual qualities of the spaces.
The skill of an interior designer is precisely to introduce new sensorial contexts and to choose the most suitable materials and technologies in so to create a certain atmosphere and, in the best case, new perceptual scenarios.
Simultaneously, the subject of Practice of Design Technology focuses on architectural details and detailing, with the aim of transferring to the students, among the many variables conditioning this activity, the expressive and figurative viewpoint. Accordingly, selected case studies are disclosed and compared as well as the position of outstanding contemporary scholars, highlighting, with a diachronic perspective, the principles of construction, the rules of composition and assembly as a construction grammar from design to building.
This course aims to activate autonomous processes for understanding materials, surfaces as well as assembly systems and to expand the possible repertoire of solutions to consider while designing, being well aware though that the ultimate reason for these choices is always due to one’s individual experience and "one’s ability to perceive the world with both emotions and reason" (P. Zumthor).
The course consists of lectures and optional graphic coursework developing the lectures’ topics.
The educational goals of the course are not only to provide knowledge and understanding of the topics but also to enhance the capability of the students to make aware and informed design choices (making judgements) and to improve their learning skills enlarging their interests towards the in depth analysis of the course themes.
In the section Bibliography a selection of books on the lectures’ topic are listed, but further specific publications will be provided at the beginning of the course.

Prova scritta facoltativa (a scelta dello studente), con prove in itinere
Prova orale condizionata (a scelta del docente)
Progetto/i - Elaborato/i facoltativo (a scelta dello studente), individuale, con revisioni periodiche, senza presentazione/discussione finale
Attending students
The final assessment consists of an elective written test covering the topics addressed during the lectures and an oral examination. The oral examination is mandatory for students who do not take or do not pass the written test and optional for those who do. Additional credit may be earned through the elective coursework.
Non-attending students
The final assessment consists of an oral examination based on the books listed in the bibliography.

Kenneth Frampton, Studies in tectonic culture: the poetics of construction in Nineteenth and Twentieth Century architecture, Editore: MIT, Anno edizione: 1995
Drew Plunkett, Construction and detailing for interior design, Editore: Laurence King, Anno edizione: 2015
Blaine Brownell, Matter in the Floating World: Conversations with Leading Japanese Architects and Designers, Editore: Princeton Architectural Press, Anno edizione: 2011
Blaine Brownell, Transmaterial: A Catalog of Materials That Redifine Our Physical Environment, Editore: Princeton Architectural Press, Anno edizione: 2006
Luisa Collina, Cino Zucchi with Valentina Auricchio, Simona Galateo (des), SEMPERING. Process and pattern in architecture and design, Editore: silvana editoriale, Anno edizione: 2016, ISBN: 9788836634392

Il corso affronta il tema dell’intreccio delle arti visive con il mondo del progetto. Nella tradizione italiana la cultura progettuale si è ossigenata costantemente con l’intersezione di territori di ricerca e ambiti di azione differenti, muovendosi tra architettura e pittura, tra design e fotografia, tra architettura degli interni e scultura, tra allestimento e moda, tra arti applicate e grafica.

Lo studente:

• conosce e comprende le attuali sperimentazioni nel campo del design e le ricerche condotte nel mondo delle arti visive;
• sa leggere le logiche di evoluzione formale e tipologica degli oggetti e degli spazi, e il mondo dei linguaggi visivi ed espressivi delle arti contemporanee;
• in autonomia è in grado di valutare criticamente un contesto di applicazione progettuale ed è capace di restituire le analisi effettuate.

TRA LE DISCIPLINE
Le lezioni sono impostate su racconti interdisciplinari intorno a temi originali (Angolo, Atmosfera, Attimo, Doppio, Fragilità, Intreccio, Inquadrare, No, Nulla, Orizzonte, Oro, Polvere, Spiragli, Taglio…), con al centro l’opera di autori italiani degli ultimi 100 anni, significativi per la loro azione trasversale: protagonisti come Getulio Alviani, Andrea Anastasio, Cesare Andreoni, Luciano Baldessari, Giacomo Balla, Mauro Bellei, Harry Arieto Bertoia, Flaminio Bertoni, Renata Bonfanti, Andrea Branzi, Marisa e Gegia Bronzini, Duilio Cambellotti, Maurizio Cattelan, Stefano Casciani, Joe Colombo, Toni Cordero, Riccardo Dalisi, Michele De Lucchi, Filippo de Pisis, Fortunato Depero, Paolo Deganello, Gabriele Devecchi, Marco Dezzi Bardeschi, Marcello D’Olivo, Francesco Faccin, Marco Ferreri, Formafantasma, Piero Fornasetti, Duilio Forte, A G Fronzoni, Anna Gili, Decio Guardigli, Alessandro Guerriero, Giulio Iacchetti, Giancarlo Iliprandi, Ugo La Pietra, Bice Lazzari, Cesare Leonardi, Giovanni Levanti, Corrado Levi, Mauro Lovi, Angelo Mangiarotti, Ugo Marano, Enzo Mari, Franco Mello, Fausto Melotti, Alessandro Mendini, Carlo Mo, Carlo Mollino, Davide Mosconi, Leonardo Mosso, Gabriele Mucchi, Bruno Munari, Costantino Nivola, Marcello Nizzoli, Fabio Novembre, Ivo Pannaggi, Gaetano Pesce, Gianni Pettena, Davide Pizzigoni, Piero Polato, Gio Ponti, Enrico Prampolini, Michele Provinciali, Franco Raggi, Regina, Tullio Regge, Michele Reginaldi, Ricas, Umberto Riva, Cinzia Ruggeri, Roberto Sambonet, Denis Santachiara, Leonardo Savioli, Ettore Sottsass, Attilio Stocchi, Eugenio Tavolara, Giuseppe Terragni, Thayaht, Bruno Vaerini, Guido Venturini, Nanda Vigo, Vittorio Zecchin… Autori, tutti, messi sempre in relazione tra loro e con con l’opera di altri protagonisti internazionali, e riletti ogni volta attraverso l’argomento indagato.

Prova orale obbligatoria
Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, individuale, senza revisioni periodiche, con presentazione/discussione finale
L’esame è orale e individuale, e prevede la presentazione di un elaborato critico costruito come una raccolta di opere, messe in relazione tra loro rispetto a un tema a scelta e personale, immaginando connessioni, dialoghi e affinità, per arrivare a un racconto articolato, coinvolgente, ritmato.
Il lavoro andrà presentato attraverso una valigia (una scatola, un contenitore, un baule…) che conterrà tutti gli strumenti necessari al racconto della ricerca (mappe, tavole, fascicoli, schede, cartoline, oggetti vari..) ordinata intorno alle opere scelte (e dove gli autori italiani dovranno essere presenti in modo significativo), e un volume che contenga una lettura critica del tema proposto, oltre a tutte le opere scelte, descritte e puntualmente commentate, e alla relativa bibliografia di riferimento.

Francesco M. Cataluccio, Pierluigi Anselmi, "Altalene", in Inventario 01, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2010
Francesco M. Cataluccio, Dalia Greppi, "V come Vento", in Inventario 02, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2011
Matteo Pirola, "Finestre", in Inventario 02, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2011
Marco Minuz, "Croci: Giulio Iacchetti vs...", in Inventario 02, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2011
Matteo Pirola, "Pavimenti", in Inventario 03, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2011
Cristina Miglio, Marco Meneguzzo, Renata Molho, "Abiti come sculture", in Inventario 03, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2011
Cristina Miglio, "Zero carati", in Inventario 04, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2011
Annalisa Ubaldi, "Specchi", in Inventario 04, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2011
Francesco M. Cataluccio, Lorena Tonin, "T come Tracce", in Inventario 04, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2011
Matteo Pirola, "Equilibrio", in Inventario 04, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2011
Annalisa Ubaldi, "Tra gli alberi", in Inventario 05, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2012
Francesco M. Cataluccio, Michela Dossi, "P come Pioggia" in Inventario 06, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2012
Roberto Marone, "Nebbia" in Inventario 06, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2012
Matteo Pirola, "Red & Blue" in Inventario 06, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2012
Cristina Miglio, "Anna Gili - Animali" in Inventario 06, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2012
Stefano Salis, Annalisa Ubaldi, "Intorno al libro", in Inventario 07, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2013
Mariana Siracusa, "Angoli", in Inventario 07, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2013
Matteo Pirola, "Doppie coppie", in Inventario 07, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2013
Deborah Duva, "Nina Saunders - Imbottiti: poltrone e divani", in Inventario 07, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2013
Francesco M. Cataluccio, Matteo Pirola, "M come Mani", in Inventario 08, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2013
Giacinto Di Pietrantonio, "Pinocchio", in Inventario 09, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2014
Martina Sanzarello, "Casa", in Inventario 09, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2014
Michela Dossi, "Ombrello", in Inventario 10, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2014
Francesco M. Cataluccio, Lorena Tonin, "Labirinti", in Inventario 10, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2014
Francesco M. Cataluccio, Annalisa Ubaldi, "G come Ghiaccio", in Inventario 11, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2015
Chiara Fauda Pichet, "Grucce", in Inventario 12, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2016
Beppe Finessi, "Rimbalzi", in Inventario 13, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2017
Manolo De Giorgi, "Arancione", in Inventario 13, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2017
Marta Elisa Cecchi, "Polvere", in Inventario 13, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2017
Chiara Fauda Pichet, "Bolle di sapone", in Inventario 13, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2017
Davide Pizzigoni, "Ventaglio", in Inventario 14, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2018
Beppe Finessi, "Rimbalzi", in Inventario 14, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2018
Chiara Fauda Pichet, "Superare le fessurazioni", in Inventario 14, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2018
Giada Boromello, "Elefanti", in Inventario 14, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2018
Manolo De Giorgi, "Verde", in Inventario 14, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2018
Luca Cotini, "Matita", in Inventario 15, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2020
Beppe Finessi, "Rimbalzi", in Inventario 15, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2020
Stefania di Maria, "No", in Inventario 15, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2020
Beppe Finessi, "Corrado Levi. Un manuale di progettazione", in Inventario 15, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2020
Manolo De Giorgi, "Marrone", in Inventario 15, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2020
Elisa Testori, "Scotch", in Inventario 15, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2020
Marta Elisa Cecchi, "Fiammifero", in Inventario 16, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2022
Beppe Finessi, "Rimbalzi", in Inventario 16, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2022
Manolo De Giorgi, "Rosa", in Inventario 16, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2022
Fulvio Irace, Annalisa Ubaldi, "Sopraelevazioni", in Inventario 16, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2022
Arianna Santambrogio, "Spine", in Inventario 16, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2022
Davide Sibra, "Mattone", in Inventario 17, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2023
Beppe Finessi, "Rimbalzi" in Inventario 17, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2023
Mirko Zardini, Arianna Santambrogio, "Filo spinato", in Inventario 17, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2023
Anna Sedino, "Oro", in Inventario 17, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2023
Manolo De Giorgi, "Viola", in Inventario 17, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2023
Stefano Salis, "Mongolfiera", in Inventario 18, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2025
Beppe Finessi, "Rimbalzi", in Inventario 18, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2025
Stefania di Maria, "Volti negati", in Inventario 18, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2025
Manolo De Giorgi, "Celeste, azzurro, turchese", in Inventario 18, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2025
Franco Toselli, "Tavolozza", in Inventario 19, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2025
Beppe Finessi, "Rimbalzi", in Inventario 19, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2025
Stefania di Maria, "Cornici", in Inventario 19, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2025
Martina Costa, "X", in Inventario 19, Editore: Corraini, Anno edizione: 2025

In the Laboratory students read, interpret and re-elaborate the specific value of Spatial Design, investigating the vast open field of project research related to the deepest and most variable characteristics of living, intended in all its extensions, that are at the origin of urban modifications. Over time, this research road has had a constant matrix in the development, in various forms, perspectives and places, of the concept of “enhancement” of indoor and outdoor spaces, in a frame of “genetic development of the urban metabolism”. It is a project vision based on the analysis and critical reading of the contemporary (and near future) conditions of living in the flow of urban transformations.

Students:

• know and understand the processes, methods and instruments needed to interpret, in a critical manner, the project themes connected with the Spatial Design sphere;
• know how to analyse the reference context and elaborate complex projects for space enhancement;
• autonomously and in a group, make and report on the design choices made, developing an aptitude for negotiation, team building, the acceptance of leadership and conflict management.

The Design Studio explores Interspecies Placemaking as an emerging field of Spatial Design that investigates how meaningful relationships between humans, non-human species and living ecosystems can be shaped through design. Working on a real case study, students will develop spatial interventions that support ecological regeneration, environmental awareness and new forms of coexistence between species. The design process will be grounded in the specific characteristics of the site, considering ecological, spatial, social and governance dimensions as interconnected components of a single system. Through field research, environmental observation, stakeholder interviews and case study analysis, students will investigate how design can generate experiences and infrastructures that enable both human activities and more-than-human habitats. Co-design and co-creation will represent fundamental components of the Studio. Students will work with local communities, researchers, institutions and project partners to understand different perspectives and develop spatial strategies that integrate physical interventions with relational and organisational dimensions. Particular attention will be devoted to the governance of public spaces, exploring how design can enable long-term stewardship, participation and shared responsibility for places. Rather than designing isolated objects, students will develop spatial experiences and place-based interventions that combine recreation, learning, orientation and care within more-than-human environments. The Studio adopts an experimental and systemic approach, integrating Interior and Spatial Design with Service Design methods to prototype innovative scenarios that strengthen the ecological and social value of public spaces.
The Studio addresses contemporary research themes promoted by European research and innovation programmes, including Nature-based Solutions, biodiversity, ecological transition, participatory governance and regenerative approaches to public space design. It encourages students to explore how design can contribute to creating places where environmental quality, collective wellbeing and multispecies coexistence reinforce one another. This Design Studio therefore provides students with the opportunity to integrate spatial research, participatory processes and design experimentation, moving from contextual analysis and stakeholder engagement to concept generation, prototyping and public testing through a final exhibition and public event.
Bibliography will be provided at the beginning of the semester.
PARTNERSHIPS
DESIS Network – Design for Social Innovation and Sustainability
www.desis-network.org
GOCCIA – Green Opportunities to Clean-up Contaminants through an Interspecies Alliance (European Urban Initiative)
https://eui-goccia.eu
PHASE 1 Reseaech Analysis
Students will investigate the project site through fieldwork, environmental observation, stakeholder interviews and case study research. The objective is to understand the ecological, spatial and social dynamics of the place and to identify opportunities for Interspecies Placemaking. The analysis will explore users, non-human species, environmental processes, governance actors and existing spatial infrastructures, leading to the definition of design challenges and opportunity areas.
PHASE 2 Concept Generation
Based on the research findings, students will develop spatial concepts addressing one or more Interspecies Placemaking challenges. Co-design activities with local stakeholders, researchers and project partners will support the iterative refinement of the proposals. Particular attention will be devoted to integrating spatial quality, ecological performance and governance strategies within coherent design scenarios.
PHASE 3 Project Development and Prototyping
Students will further develop their proposals into detailed spatial interventions, reaching an appropriate level of resolution through physical and/or digital prototypes. The outcomes will be tested, discussed and presented during a final public exhibition and event, fostering dialogue with citizens, stakeholders and the local community.
Students wishing to further develop the outcomes of the Design Studio may continue their work through a Master's thesis or internship under the supervision of the teaching staff.

Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, di gruppo, con revisioni periodiche, con presentazione/discussione finale
Valutazione continua obbligatoria
The studio is based on phases to develop the final outcome. These phases will be separately assessed and will proportionally be part of the final evaluation. Interaction with the teaching staff, proactivity when developing the project and engagement and committement troughout the whole design studio will be assessed too. An additional individual output is required during the research phase.

FASSI, Davide, LANDONI, Paolo, PIREDDA, Francesca, SALVADEO, Pierluigi, Universities as drivers of social innovation, Editore: Springer, Anno edizione: 2020
FASSI, Davide, Temporary Urban Solutions, Editore: Maggioli Editore, Anno edizione: 2012
MERONI, Anna, SELLONI, Daniela, ROSSI, Martina, Massive Codesign, Editore: Franco Angeli, Anno edizione: 2018 https://ojs.francoangeli.it/_omp/index.php/oa/catalog/book/303
CAMOCINI,Barbara, FASSI,Davide, In the neighbourhood, Editore: Franco Angeli, Anno edizione: 2018
MERONI, Anna, SANGIORGI, Daniela, Design for services, Editore: Routledge, Anno edizione: 2011

The aim of the workshop is to design a complex space – whether permanent or temporary, indoor or outdoor – by encouraging students to analyse the context of the project, identify and examine case studies in order to develop a design concept, and then bring this concept to fruition by producing a final design, with particular attention to functional, formal and material aspects.

Students have to:

• know and understand the processes, methods and instruments needed to interpret, in a critical manner, the project themes connected with the Spatial Design sphere;
• know how to analyze the reference context and elaborate complex projects for space enhancement;
• autonomously and in a group, make and communicate the design choices made, developing an aptitude for negotiation, team building, leadership and conflict management.

Course Contents
The course introduces students to the design of temporary urban spaces by considering time as a design material. Through the development of an ephemeral urban theatre, students will acquire the knowledge and skills to analyse places from historical, temporal, sensory, and experiential perspectives, and to translate these insights into innovative design proposals.
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
analyse urban contexts through historical, temporal, sensory, and spatial investigations;
develop research-driven design concepts grounded in critical analysis and relevant case studies;
design ephemeral and adaptable architectural interventions that activate public space and accommodate multiple cultural and performative uses;
integrate sensory dimensions—including light, sound, materials, smell, and atmosphere—into the design process;
conceive and communicate the temporal evolution of a project by designing programmes of activities, transformations, and user experiences over time;
represent and communicate design proposals through physical models, technical drawings, storyboards, and audiovisual media;
collaborate effectively in multidisciplinary teams while developing critical thinking and public presentation skills.
Ephemeral Design: theories, principles, and contemporary applications of temporary architecture and urban installations.
Time-Based Design: time as a design material; temporal dynamics, rhythms, cycles, and transformation processes in urban environments.
Urban Context Analysis: historical, spatial, sensory, and temporal reading of places, including flows, patterns of use, and environmental conditions.
Design Research: development of research-based concepts through precedent studies, critical references, and design investigation.
Public Space Activation: design of temporary interventions capable of supporting cultural events, performances, screenings, and community activities.
Sensory Design: integration of light, sound, materials, smell, atmosphere, and multisensory experience within the design process.
Adaptive and Reversible Structures: strategies for assembly, disassembly, flexibility, sustainability, and reuse.
Narrative and Experience Design: construction of user journeys, storyboards, and temporal scenarios to communicate spatial experiences.
Design Representation: physical models, technical drawings, graphic communication, and audiovisual storytelling.
Collaborative Design Process: teamwork, public presentations, design reviews, and iterative project development.

Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, di gruppo, con revisioni periodiche, con presentazione/discussione finale
The evaluation will be based on the commitments of each of the 3 modules + KPIs.
The topics are:
concept
storytelling
community engagement
layout
models (phisycal)
chronotopes
behaviors and fluxes (how people stay in the place)
research
video
KPIs

A list of books will be given to the students at the beginning of the Laboratory as reference for each topic. Students should study them in order to reach the contents and the methologies.

The aim of the workshop is to design a complex space – whether permanent or temporary, indoor or outdoor – by encouraging students to analyse the context of the project, identify and examine case studies in order to develop a design concept, and then bring this concept to fruition by producing a final design, with particular attention to functional, formal and material aspects.

The student:

• are familiar with and understand the processes, methods and tools required to critically interpret the issues of a project within the field of Spatial Design;
• are able to analyse the context and develop complex projects for the repurposing of spaces;
• work independently and in groups to implement and communicate design decisions, developing skills in negotiation, team-building, leadership and conflict management.

X-Habitat
Designing Habitats for Remote and Extreme Environments
Studio Description
X-Habitat is an Interior and Spatial Design studio based on the consolidated research and experimental activities developed by Professors Annalisa Dominoni and Benedetto Quaquaro in the fields of Design for Space and Extreme Environments. Together, they created and coordinate Space4InspirACTion, the world's first and only Space Design course supported by the European Space Agency (ESA), established in 2017 within the Master's Degree Programme in Integrated Product Design.
The studio is grounded in the awareness that environments characterised by severe climatic conditions, geographical isolation, limited accessibility or scarcity of resources represent one of the most stimulating fields for contemporary design experimentation.
Each year, the studio explores a different design scenario while maintaining a constant objective: investigating how interior design can improve quality of life, well-being and the experience of inhabiting complex environmental conditions.
Students will be guided in the design of living environments capable of responding to the functional, ergonomic, psychological and experiential needs of people living in remote and extreme environments.
The studio topics may include, but are not limited to:
Alpine huts and high-altitude habitats;
Scientific stations in polar environments;
Temporary habitats for emergency and disaster relief;
Habitation systems for deserts and arid environments;
Offshore habitats and marine platforms;
Underground and subterranean facilities;
Remote observatories and research stations;
Habitats for volcanic and geothermal environments;
Mobile shelters and expedition habitats;
Extreme habitats for space missions.
Educational Objectives
The studio provides students with an advanced design experience focused on the integration of research, innovation and interior design for remote and extreme environments, with particular attention to the quality of living in challenging climatic, geographical and operational conditions.
The course aims to guide students in the development of adaptive, resilient and technologically informed spatial solutions capable of responding to environmental, functional, constructional and human constraints.
Contents
Students will be required to design a living system capable of responding to extreme conditions, including isolation, limited accessibility, climatic variations, energy constraints, safety requirements, reduced living spaces, physical and psychological comfort, and the relationship with the surrounding landscape.
The studio will address the following topics:
Interior design for temporary habitats and shelters in extreme environments;
Quality of living in extreme conditions;
Ergonomics, usage gestures and user behaviour in confined environments;
Environmental, physical and psychological comfort;
Functional organisation of space;
Relationships between interiors, furniture and equipment;
Innovative materials, technologies and construction systems for extreme environments;
Prefabrication, lightweight construction, modularity and sustainability;
Integration between interior design, construction systems and prefabrication;
Environmental sustainability and resilience;
Relationships between interior space, the external environment and climatic conditions;
Access systems and transportation solutions supporting remote habitats.
2026–2027 Theme
For the 2026–2027 Academic Year, X-Habitat will focus on the interior design of Alpine huts and temporary or semi-permanent high-altitude habitats, investigating the challenges of living in conditions characterised by isolation, limited accessibility and a strong relationship with the natural environment. The project will be developed through two modules.
Module 1 will focus on the design of habitats and interior spaces, with particular attention to building envelopes, transportability, assembly and maintenance. Students will develop spatial solutions and explore the experience of inhabiting extreme environments. Lectures by invited experts will address innovative construction systems, prefabrication, advanced materials and technologies for habitats and shelters.
Module 2, complementary to the first, will focus on transportation systems designed to access and support habitats in Alpine and remote environments, addressing issues related to logistics and mobility.
Teaching Methodology
The studio adopts a multidisciplinary approach integrating Interior and Spatial Design, ergonomics, materials, architectural technology and applied research.
The design process is developed through Human-Centred Design methodologies aimed at understanding users' needs, behaviours and interactions with space and the surrounding environment.
Within this framework, the Use & Gesture Design (UGD) methodology will be adopted. Developed specifically to design the experience of living in Space and Extreme Environments, UGD guides students in observing and designing gestures, sequences of use, and the relationships between people, objects and space, with particular attention to the specific conditions of living at high altitude, where comfort, high performance and safety represent the primary criteria for design quality.
Teaching activities include:
lectures;
lectures by invited experts;
periodic design reviews;
group project development;
final presentation.
Expected Learning Outcomes
At the end of the course, students will be able to:
critically interpret design issues related to living in extreme environments;
understand the role of materials, construction systems and prefabricated solutions in the design of high-altitude habitats;
develop Interior and Spatial Design projects addressing environmental, typological, ergonomic, functional, emotional, perceptual and technological aspects;
design interior spaces that promote comfort, safety, well-being and a high-quality user experience;
integrate access systems, mobility and habitat support solutions into the design process;
communicate design choices effectively through drawings, models and presentations, working efficiently both independently and as part of a team.

Prova orale obbligatoria
Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, di gruppo, con revisioni periodiche, con presentazione/discussione finale
Assessment Methods
Assessment will be based on the project developed throughout the studio, active participation in teaching activities, the quality of the design process, and the ability to communicate design decisions clearly and effectively. Although the project will be developed in groups, the final assessment will be individual. Evaluation will consider:
participation in design reviews and group work;
coherence of the design concept with the project brief;
overall quality of the project;
ability to respond effectively to the constraints of extreme environments;
quality of the designed interior spaces;
integration of space, furniture, materials, technologies and access systems;
integration of functional, technological and experiential aspects;
quality of the final deliverables;
quality of project representation, storytelling and communication.

Dominoni, A., Design of Supporting Systems for Life in Outer Space. A Design Perspective on Space Missions Near Earth and Beyond, Editore: Springer, Anno edizione: 2021
Garcia, M., The Architecture of Emergency, Editore: Wiley, Anno edizione: 2014
Kronenburg, R., Architecture in Motion: the History and Development of Portable Building, Editore: Routledge, Anno edizione: 2013
Smith, R. E., Prefab Architecture: A Guide to Modular Design and Construction., Editore: Wiley, Anno edizione: 2010
Roke, R., Mobitecture: Architecture on the Move, Editore: Phaidon, Anno edizione: 2017
Siegal, J., Mobile: The Art of Portable Architecture., Editore: Princeton Architectural Press, Anno edizione: 2002
Heingartner, D., Mobile Homer, Editore: Artbyte, Anno edizione: 2001
Nappo, D., Homes on the Move - Mobile Architecture, Editore: Ullmann, Anno edizione: 2012

The aim of the workshop is to design a complex space – whether permanent or temporary, indoor or outdoor – by encouraging students to analyse the context of the project, identify and examine case studies in order to develop a design concept, and then bring this concept to fruition by producing a final design, with particular attention to functional, formal and material aspects.

The student:

• are familiar with and understand the processes, methods and tools required to critically interpret the issues of a project within the field of Spatial Design;
• are able to analyse the context and develop complex projects for the repurposing of spaces;
• work independently and in groups to implement and communicate design decisions, developing skills in negotiation, team-building, leadership and conflict management.

Regenerating Rural-Urban Ecological Synergies in Water Environments
Landscape | Balance | Regeneration | Narrative | Composition | Sensory | Waterscape
FOREWORD
The course will explore the role of Landscape and Spatial Design in complex urban-rural areas, with particular attention to the regeneration of evolving spaces and water environments. Its mission is to advance research and innovative design practices in these fields, towards a new ecological paradigm.
This will be achieved by applying a range of landscape and spatial-interior design strategies and tools, such as environmental, functional, and aesthetic qualities; the enhancement of place identity and quality; the regeneration and adaptive reuse of buildings; the adaptability and flexibility of spatial interventions; performance criteria; perceptual comfort; bio-natural elements; connectivity; and, above all, relational aspects.
In particular, the research and project activities will explore spatial design solutions for sites and buildings situated along the Lombard stretch of the Ciclovia VenTo, along the Po River. Special attention will be given to identifying their reuse potential, opportunities for enhancement, and integration with the territorial and tourism development strategies associated with the VenTo cycling infrastructure project.
>> All project research must verify consistency with some of the Goals expressed by the Agenda 2030_ONU, Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs (17) > https://www.undp.org/ sustainab.le-development-goals The topic is also coherent with the call: HORIZON-CL6-2023-COMMUNITIES: Improving rural futures through better territorial governance and rural-urban synergies.
In particular, it intends to explore the role of designing, referring to different interpretative levels:
The sustainable approach toward the SDGs (in particular: SDG5, SDG11, SDG12, SDG13)
the circularity (closing loops/ flows)
the regeneration of environments
the re-connection between disconnected areas of territory and fragmented urban fabrics
the rural-urban synergies
the time (the relationship between time/space/nature and the updating design process)
the different scales of interventions, spatial and temporal
The role of natural elements and their multiple varieties (biodiversity)
the sensory and sensitive aspects (sounds/acoustic, haptic, visual, olfactory, synaesthetic)
the ephemeral, virtual, and communicative performances
The role of the public
The design studies and proposals should experiment with favouring bi-directional urban-rural synergies and the development of a well-being economy: respect for the natural condition; proximity (shortening distances/value chains), greener economy/society (ecosystem services), circularity (closing loops/ flows), services (improving social connectivity), culture and heritage (building territorial identities).
Some Keywords: Spatial; Spatial strategies; Landscape; Balance; Multiscale; Re-connection; Water; Ecology; Holistic; Natural/Artificial; Analog/Digital; Bio-Design; Circularity; Identity; Wayfinding; Perception; Synesthetic; Sound; Scent; Haptic; Fabricating; Prototypes
Areas of application:
Urban and natural environments
Rural-urban synergies
Water environments
Landscape regeneration
Sensorial paths
Wayfinding
Spatial storytelling
Cultural heritage
Spatial and territorial networks
Networking places
Tourism development
GOALS
All these different interpretations offer the opportunity to learn and practice:
the value of design experimentation, working in an international environment, mentored by a team of professors and practitioners with different backgrounds and skills: Spatial-interior design; Landscape-spatial design; Sounds and musical composition;
understanding the role of nature in the balance of environments manipulated by humans;
the knowledge, cultural and technological, of the landscape, interior-spatial design approaches;
the awareness of the perceptual value of sensorial aspects in the design of open and closed spaces
The STUDIO foresees experimental 3D prototypes, studio models, video, and graphic/visual representations to set up a final exhibition.

Prova orale obbligatoria
Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, di gruppo, con revisioni periodiche, con presentazione/discussione finale
Valutazione continua obbligatoria
The course will be set for steps of research and project, each one making up an in-progress evaluation. Grades will be given considering:
quality and originality of the research,
quality and level of innovation of presented topics and design solutions,
quality and "right quantity" of work presented,
quality of communication and presentation,
soft skills (teamwork, team building, problem-solving, adaptability, time management,...).
All these marks will contribute to the final grade of the studio, as well as the real active participation in all the didactic activities of the studio (lectures, presentations, visits, tutorials, etc.).

Giovanna Piccinno, RE-CONNECTION DESIGN. Spatial strategies for multiscale challanges, Editore: Maggioli-Design&, Anno edizione: 2025, ISBN: 9788891679727
Giovanna Piccinno, DUALISM MANIFESTO_ Design challenges for the XXI Century, Editore: Maggioli Editore_Design&, Anno edizione: 2023, ISBN: 9788891655899 https://www.theplan.it/politecnica-university-press/dualism-manifesto-design-challenges-for-the-xxi-century
Note: This book is available in open access.
Giovanna Piccinno, 5 SPATIAL DESIGN TACTICS, Editore: Maggioli Editore_Design&, Anno edizione: 2020, ISBN: 9788891646330
Giovanna Piccinno, Elisa Lega, Spatial design for in-between urban spaces, Editore: Maggioli, Anno edizione: 2012, ISBN: 9788838761612
Michela De Poli, Guido Incerti, Atlante dei paesaggi riciclati, Editore: Skira, Anno edizione: 2014, ISBN: 9788857211480
Günter Vogt, Thomas Kissling, Mutation and Morphosis_Landscape as Aggregate, Editore: Lars Müller Publishers, Anno edizione: 2020, ISBN: 978-3-03778-618-5
Vincent Guallart, The self sufficient city, Editore: Actar, Anno edizione: 2012, ISBN: 9781940291031
Gilles Clement;Philippe Rahm;Giovanna Borasi, Environ(ne)ment: Approaches for Tomorrow, Editore: Skira-CCA, Anno edizione: 2007, ISBN: 9788876249594
Christophe Girot, Dora Imhof, Thinking the Contemporary Landscape, Editore: Thomson-Shore, Anno edizione: 2017, ISBN: 9781616895204
Studio Azzurro, Immagini sensibili, Editore: Silvana Editoriale, Anno edizione: 2016
Gilles Clement, Manifeste du Tiers paysage, Editore: Sujet/Objet, Anno edizione: 2004
Lotus/navigator_ Fare l'ambiente, Editore: Editoriale Lotus, Anno edizione: 2002, Fascicolo: n.5, maggio 2002
Lotus/navigator_ Il paesaggio delle freeway, Editore: Editoriale Lotus, Anno edizione: 2003, Fascicolo: n.7, gennaio 2003
Lotus/ navigator_ Velocità controllate, Editore: Editoriale Lotus, Anno edizione: 2003, Fascicolo: n.8, maggio 2003

The main goal of this Lighting Design class is to understand and leverage the immense potential of Light in defining the built environment’s Visual Experience – with a focus on Interior and Spatial design.
The learning journey will develop around Lighting Design discipline’s unique complexity, through the exploration of related and relevant science, technology, psychology and art.

The Student will:
Be exposed to a multitude of real-life Lighting Design projects and their interaction with other Design disciplines, also coming by renowned Guest Lecturers;
Know about Lighting Theory basics, to be leveraged in order to deliver – or to deal with – an impactful Lighting Design project;
Understand “light behaviour” defining the Visual Experience, and its complex interactions between nature, humans, and the built environment.

The course aims to develop students' sensitivity to different lighting modes, enabling them to approach interior design by better controlling aspects of vision and the perception of space.
During the course, experiences related to the phenomenon of light are foreseen and will be applied to developing a project in one of the most common design areas.
Retail Lighting - Commercial areas and shops from the perspective of the initial approach and the operating mode for selecting lamps and lighting fixtures. The design study, the product category to be illuminated, and the correct positioning of the lighting luminaires. SDG7 - AFFORDABLE AND CLEAN ENERGY
Hospitality Lighting - Design of hotel facilities and restaurants; functional lighting, comfort, ambient or spectacular lighting to enhance architecture and rooms; dynamic lighting. SDG3 - GOOD HEALTH AND WELLBEING; SDG7 - AFFORDABLE AND CLEAN ENERGY
Each lighting application covered during the course will be based on the importance of energy saving, sustainability, well-being, and smart lighting.
One or more of these topics will be used as case studies, and the students must develop a specific lighting project based on each.
Lectures on the fundamentals of lighting design will also be conducted to ensure that all students approach the final project with the same competencies.
What is light and units of measure
Various types of luminaires - SDG3: GOOD HEALTH AND WELLBEING
LED: principles and families - SDG7: AFFORDABLE AND CLEAN ENERGY; SDG12 - RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION
Principles of perception
Human-centric lighting - SDG3: GOOD HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Prova scritta obbligatoria, senza prove in itinere
Prova orale condizionata (a scelta del docente)
Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, di gruppo, con revisioni periodiche, con presentazione/discussione finale
Altro
By the 3rd lecture, the students can choose to complete the course in attending or non-attending mode.

• Non-attending students will produce (individually) a lighting project and, during the exam, will take an oral test on the topics covered in the course and selected books from the bibliography.
• Attending students are required to attend at least 70% of the lessons. Attendance will be tracked; excessive absences will mark the student as non-attending. Attending students will carry out two practical exercises, a theory test, and a group project, with revisions planned.

Schivelbusch Wolfgang, isenchanted Night: The Industrialization of Light in the NineteenthCentury, Editore: The University of California Press, Anno edizione: 1998, ISBN: 9780520203549
Junichiro Tanizaki, In Praise of Shadows, ISBN: 9780099283577
Junichiro Tanizaki, Libro d'ombra, Editore: Bompiani, Anno edizione: 1988, ISBN: 8845251675
Note: Italian version of "In praise of shadows".
Lighting Planners Associates Inc., Designing With Light and Shadow, Editore: Images, Anno edizione: 2002, ISBN: 9781864700411
Malcolm Innes, Lighting for Interior Design (Portfolio skills), Editore: Laurence King, Anno edizione: 2012, ISBN: 9781856698368
Ulrike Brandi, Christoph Geissmar, Light for Cities: Lighting Design for Urban Spaces, a Handbook, Editore: Springer Science & Business Media, Anno edizione: 2007, ISBN: 9783764376291
The Lighting Handbook, 10th Edition, Editore: Illuminating Engineering Society, ISBN: 9780879952419
Note: Technical manual
Christopher Cuttle, Lighting by Design, Editore: Architectural Press, Anno edizione: 2008, ISBN: 9780750687683
Course on basic lighting by Philips http://images.philips.com/is/content/PhilipsConsumer/PDFDownloads/China/ODLI20150914_001-UPD-zh_CN-basics_of_light.pdf
Maurizio Rossi, Design della luce. Fondamenti ed esperienza nel progetto della luce per gli esseri umani., Editore: Maggioli Editore, Anno edizione: 2008, ISBN: 9788838746987
Note: Italian language
Pietro Palladino, Paolo Spotti, Illuminare con i LED. Principi e applicazioni della luceelettronica., Editore: Tecniche Nuove, Anno edizione: 2012, ISBN: 9788848128261
Note: Technical manual - Italian language
Mario Bonomo, Chiara Bertolaja, L'illuminazione delle opere d'arte negli interni. Guida allaprogettazione., Editore: Ediplan, Anno edizione: 2013, ISBN: 9788896726099
Note: Technical manual - Italian language
Maurizio Rossi, Circadian Lighting Design in the LED Era, Editore: Springer, Anno edizione: 2019, ISBN: 978-3-030-11087-1

This course will trace the concept of the Museum from the foundation of national museums, through mid-20th century expansion, to the current popularity of buildings by "starchitects".
Focussing on the study of principal Italian and international museums, the course will discuss issues concerning the contemporary museum in a broader framework – embracing social, philosophical, economic, and political values – and in light of current cultural and historiographic debates and new challenges in the post-Covid era.

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• Explain the basic concepts and terminology of the museum;
• Describe the types of museums, their historical development and recent transformations;
• Develop a critical appraisal for interpreting issues concerning heritage, art and their display in the present context;
• Acquire skills in contemporary museology and the interconnections between museum and heritage, as well as in new media and museum communication.

Museums are currently renegotiating their role within society, proposing new typological and cultural models in response to shifts in culture, economics, and politics. Drawing from the legacies of private Renaissance studioli, cabinets of curiosities, and Enlightenment-based scientific humanism with their imperial underpinnings, this course will explore how museums develop, represent, and display diverse beliefs, histories, and narratives.
Institutions of Natural History, Anthropology, Science, Technology, History, and Art will be examined from various perspectives, focusing on governance, colonialism, nationalism, class, gender, ethnicity, and community. By studying major Italian and international museums, the course will discuss how these institutions strive to align with the International Council of Museums' (ICOM) new definition (Prague 2022), and how they balance scholarly content with popular appeal across different forms of display – permanent collections, temporary and traveling exhibitions, widespread and territorial museums, hybrid cultural formats – while addressing the problem of overtourism and the growing porousness between these formats.
Contemporary museum issues will be framed within a broader context, embracing social, philosophical, economic, and political values while considering current cultural and historiographic debates. The course will examine the new roles of museums as network structures and their engagement with business partners (galleries, collectors, donors, sponsors) and institutional actors (museum partners, art critics, art schools) shaping the evolution of shared practices, including the museum's own reinvention as a social space of well-being and encounter, and as a site of consumption, where bookshops, cafés, and shops have become part of both the visitor experience and the institution's identity and economy. It will further consider how museums provide meaningful on-site experiences while leveraging digital technologies to enhance accessibility, engagement, and sustainability both online and on-site.
Special attention will be given to how museums address and represent an increasingly multicultural society, negotiating whose stories are told, by whom, and for whom. Finally, the course will address museums' role in shaping collective memory and civic life – as places of learning, community building, and social justice – highlighting hidden and unspoken stories and fostering the development of inclusive counter-narratives that reflect the plurality of contemporary publics.

Prova orale obbligatoria
Oral exams will consist of one formal conversation based on topics discussed during class seminars, lectures, and bibliography (only bibliography for those students who will not attend classes).
Successful candidates will demonstrate an adequate knowledge of the contents covered during the course and the material indicated in the recommended readings/bibliography. They will demonstrate critical ability to understand and explain the theoretical approaches to the museum.
It will be graded as excellent the performance of those students demonstrating to be able to thoroughly analyze the text and to put it into an organic view of the topics discussed during the course. The proper use of the specific language during the examination will be also essential.
It will be graded as discrete the performance of those students with mostly mnemonic knowledge, no in-depth analysis capabilities and a correct, but not always appropriate, language of the recommended texts.
It will be graded as barely sufficient the performance of those students with approximate knowledge, superficial understanding, poor analytical capabilities, and a not always appropriate language.
It will be graded as insufficient the performance of those students with learning gaps, inappropriate language, no orientation within the recommended bibliography.

Charles Saumarez Smith, the ARt Museum in Modern Times, Editore: Thames and Hudson, Anno edizione: 2021, ISBN: 9780500022436
Suzanne MacLeod (ed.), Reshaping Museum Spaces: architecture, design, exhibitions, Editore: Routledge, Anno edizione: 2005, ISBN: 9780415343459
Note: Paperback, Hardback and e-book
I. Chambers, A. De Angelis, C. Ianniciello, M. Orabona (eds.), The Postcolonial Museum The Arts of Memory and the Pressures of History, Editore: Taylor & Francis Inc., Anno edizione: 2017, ISBN: 9780815346609
Note: Paperback, Hardback and e-book

Il laboratorio si pone come obiettivo la progettazione di uno spazio complesso, stabile o temporaneo, interno o esterno stimolando lo studente ad analizzare l'ambito di intervento, individuare ed analizzare casi di studio al fine di elaborare un concept progettuale, per poi onretizzarlo attraverso l'elaborazionedi un progetto definitivo con particolare attenzione agli aspetti funzionali, formali e materici.

Lo studente:

• conosce e comprende i processi, metodi e strumenti per interpretare in modo critico le tematiche del progetto connesso all'ambito dello Spatial Design;
• sa analizzare il contesto di riferimento ed elaborare progetti complessi di rifunzionalizzazione di spazi;
• in autonomia e in gruppo opera e comunica le scelte progettuali effettuate, sviluppando attitudini alla negoziazione, al teambuilding, all'assunzione di leadership e alla gestione del conflitto.

URBAN WORKPLACE SCENARIOS
Progettare i nuovi spazi di lavoro tra spatial, speculative e behavioural design.
L'ambiente costruito è un'espressione dei successi e delle fragilità della società, dei suoi bisogni e desideri, dei suoi ideali e principi. Man mano che questi si trasformano, si trasformano anche le qualità degli spazi e dell’esperienza degli utenti, ed è nella possibilità di questa trasformazione che si colloca il contributo del designer.
L’attività di progettazione prevista nell’ambito del laboratorio intende esplorare la convergenza tra speculative design, spatial design e human behaviour, nell’ambito di una delle sfide che negli ultimi anni hanno maggiormente attirato l’attenzione dei progettisti, ovvero la progettazione dei luoghi di lavoro. Se in passato la progettazione degli ambienti lavorativi era principalmente influenzata dall’efficienza produttiva e dall'evoluzione tecnologica, i nuovi driver progettuali possono essere identificati nella costruzione di esperienze spaziali, nello stimolo all'innovazione continua, nella formazione di un senso di appartenenza e di comunità per i lavoratori e per coloro che frequentano gli spazi progettati. La progettazione sposta di conseguenza il suo focus sulle percezioni e i comportamenti dei lavoratori, sulla cultura, l’identità e la missione dell’organizzazione di riferimento, e sull’integrazione tra fisico e digitale, al punto da rendere sempre più sfumati i confini dello spazio, del tempo e dei metodi di collaborazione.
Pertanto, anziché progettare per ciò che è necessario oggi, il design degli spazi dovrà saper interrogare il presente, cogliere i segnali di cambiamento, e progettare per ciò che potrebbe essere. Sulla base di questa visione, l’approccio progettuale proposto dal laboratorio sperimenta un nuovo processo di progettazione degli interni che integra nozioni di Speculative, Service e Behavioural Design, al fine di espandere l’attività di interpretazione del brief e di riflettere su come i cambiamenti globali in atto possano influenzare la vita quotidiana e, quindi, manifestarsi a livello spaziale. Tale approccio verrà applicato ad un esercizio progettuale volto alla definizione di un workplace scenario destinato a dei knowledge worker immaginari
Gli studenti saranno stimolati a gestire in maniera personale e creativa le diverse fasi del progetto, dall'analisi di trend e casi studio, alla definizione di scenari e narrative, fino all’elaborazione di concept spaziali. Il corso mira a fornire le competenze e gli strumenti utili alla gestione di progetti di interni complessi, rispondendo a esigenze e modalità d'uso degli spazi in linea con le caratteristiche del panorama urbano attuale, sia a livello funzionale che estetico, sapendole interpretare in modo inedito alla luce degli obiettivi di sviluppo sostenibile condivisi a livello Internazionale.

Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, di gruppo, con revisioni periodiche, con presentazione/discussione finale
Valutazione continua obbligatoria
Le attività di laboratorio sono organizzate attraverso fasi di sviluppo del progetto che saranno valutate separatamente e concorreranno in modo proporzionale alla valutazione finale. Saranno valutate anche l'interazione con il corpo docenti, il lavoro di gruppo, la proattività nello svolgimento del progetto e la continuità di presenza e impegno per la durata del laboratorio.

Joroff, M.L., Porter, W.L., Feinberg, B. Kukla, C., The agile workplace/ Journal of Corporate Real Estate, Anno edizione: 2003, Fascicolo: 5/4
Bassanelli, M., & Forino, I., New Work Communities: From the Fordist Office to the Worksphere 4.0. In Proceedings of the 3rd / TWR Conference, Anno edizione: 2022
Appel-Meulenbroek, R., Groenen, P. and Janssen, I., An End-user's Perspective on Activity-based Office Concepts/Journal of Corporate Real Estate, Anno edizione: 2011, Fascicolo: 13/2
Dunne, A., & Raby, F., Not Here, Not Now: Speculative Thought, Impossibility, and the Design Imagination, Editore: Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, Anno edizione: 2025
Bencivenga, M. & Camocini, B., Post-pandemic scenarios of office workplace: new purposes of the physical spaces to enhance social and individual well-being'/Designing behaviours for well-being spaces. How disruptive approaches can improve living conditions, Editore: FrancoAngeli, Anno edizione: 2022 https://www.francoangeli.it/Libro/Designing-Behaviours-for-Well-Being-Spaces-How-disruptive-approaches-can-improve-living-conditions?Id=27701
Graham, B., Claiming a corner at work: Measuring employee territoriality in their workplace/Journal of environmental Psychology, Anno edizione: 2009, Fascicolo: 29
Hislop, D. & Axtell, C., To infinity and beyond? Workspace and the multi-location worker/ New Technology, Work and Employment, Anno edizione: 2009, Fascicolo: 24/1
Marlow O. & Groves K., Spaces for Innovation: the Design and Science of Inspiring environments, Editore: Frame Publisher, Anno edizione: 2016
Samek Ludovici, M. et al., The impact of teleworking and digital work on workers and society, Editore: Publication for the committee on Employment and Social Affairs, Policy Department for Economic, Scientific and Quality of Life Policies, European Parliament, Luxembourg, Anno edizione: 2021, ISBN: 9789284680535 https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2021/662904/IPOL_STU(20 21)662904_EN.pdf.

In the Laboratory students read, interpret and re-elaborate the specific value of Spatial Design, investigating the vast open field of project research related to the deepest and most variable characteristics of living, intended in all its extensions, that are at the origin of urban modifications. Over time, this research road has had a constant matrix in the development, in various forms, perspectives and places, of the concept of “enhancement” of indoor and outdoor spaces, in a frame of “genetic development of the urban metabolism”. It is a project vision based on the analysis and critical reading of the contemporary (and near future) conditions of living in the flow of urban transformations.

Students:

• know and understand the processes, methods and instruments needed to interpret, in a critical manner, the project themes connected with the Spatial Design sphere;
• know how to analyse the reference context and elaborate complex projects for space enhancement;
• autonomously and in a group, make and report on the design choices made, developing an aptitude for negotiation, team building, the acceptance of leadership and conflict management.

Introduction to Yacht Design & Yacht Interiors
Historical development of yacht design
Overview of the yacht design process
Overview of interior yacht design principles
Historical development and trends in yacht interiors
Spatial Planning and Ergonomics
Space optimization in confined environments
Ergonomic considerations for comfort and functionality
Layout design for various yacht types (e.g., cruising, racing, luxury)
Aesthetics and Style
Developing a design concept and theme
Balancing aesthetics with functionality
Materials and Construction
Traditional and advanced materials (e.g., wood, fiberglass, carbon fiber)
Construction techniques (e.g., hand lay-up, infusion, pre-preg construction)
Finishes and treatments for durability and aesthetics
Sustainable and eco-friendly material choices
Lighting design and integration
Technical Considerations
Weight distribution and balance
Acoustics and insulation
Stability and Hydrodynamics
Static and dynamic stability
Hull shapes and their performance implications
Resistance and propulsion principles
Sail Aerodynamics
Lift and drag principles
Sail plan design and optimization
Interaction between sails and hull
Regulatory Standards and Safety
Classification societies and design regulations
Safety and seaworthiness standards
Case Studies and Practical Projects
Analysis of notable yacht designs and interiors
Group project: Comprehensive sailing yacht design and presentation

Prova orale obbligatoria
Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, di gruppo, con revisioni periodiche, con presentazione/discussione finale
During the semester, there will be in-progress examinations relating to the theoretical content covered in the lessons and deadlines for the presentation of project progress that will contribute to the final assessment. The oral examination will focus on the presentation of the project developed during the design workshop.

B. Del Curto, C. Marano, M.P. Pedeferri, Materiali per il design. Introduzione ai materiali e alle loro proprietà, Editore: Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, Anno edizione: 2015
P. Lodigiani, Costruzione moderna di barche in legno, Editore: Hoepli, Anno edizione: 2008
P. Lodigiani, Capire e progettare le barche. Aero e idrodinamica della barca a vela, Editore: Hoepli, Anno edizione: 2015
L. Larsson, R.E. Eliasson, M. Orych, Principles of Yacht Design, Editore: Adlard Coles Nautical, Anno edizione: 2014
L. Larsson, R.E. Eliasson, M. Orych, Principi di Yacht Design, Editore: Nutrimenti Mare, Anno edizione: 2022
F. Fossati, Aero-hydrodynamics and Performance of Sailing Yachts, Editore: Adlard Coles Nautical, Anno edizione: 2009
F. Fossati, Teoria dello yacht a vela, Editore: Polipress, Anno edizione: 2007

In the Course students read, interpret and re-elaborate the specific value of Spatial Design, investigating the vast open field of project research related to the deepest and most variable characteristics of living, intended in all its extensions, that are at the origin of urban modifications. Over time, this research road has had a constant matrix in the development, in various forms, perspectives and places, of the concept of “enhancement” of indoor and outdoor spaces, in a frame of “genetic development of the urban metabolism”. It is a project vision based on the analysis and critical reading of the contemporary (and near future) conditions of living in the flow of urban transformations.

Students:

• know and understand the processes, methods and instruments needed to interpret, in a critical manner, the project themes connected with the Spatial Design sphere;
• know how to analyse the reference context and elaborate complex projects for space enhancement;
• autonomously and in a group, make and report on the design choices made, developing an aptitude for negotiation, team building, the acceptance of leadership and conflict management.

The course is based on the " open neighborhood " line of research, a topic of study that began ten years ago and which has seen the development of interior design workshops projects introduced within various contexts, such as the Milan Expo area, Castello Ducale in Vigevano, the railway link and the magazzini raccordati (rail-linked warehouses) in Milan. All of these are united by an intention to redevelop and regenerate the urban fabric to restore cultural, social and economic life to the area affected by the project.
The theme of the workshop will be driven by the aim to redevelop culture in all its forms, with specific providers identified as regenerative pivots for a given area. In this delicate historical moment, culture is assuming a fundamental role for society. It can become a tool for shared well-being, inclusivity and new aesthetics of public to give strength to the sense of community and welfare that is currently weakened by the lockdown.
Social distancing and limited spaces must be transformed from constraints to become design stimuli for a renaissance of "in between" urban spaces. Social and cultural spaces will expand towards new places, where the border between inside and outside will become increasingly unstable and, together with new forms of services that may/must also be commercial in nature, they will regenerate areas in a "blurred" way by connecting places of art, cultural heritage, events, performances to the city.
Students will be asked to design in four dimensions: time has become variable in our daily lives, and is a fundamental component of design. They will also have to look carefully at new technologies (particularly digital) and their application and with a sustainable and green approach. The project must therefore take into account a fundamental change associated with the post lockdown period, namely proximity. Tourism will be less global and more local, which means there will be cultural offerings with fewer "mainstream" names of international appeal and more "intimate" events that exploit local strengths and archives in a more sustainable way.
You can find the archive of our lab work on instagram:
@cultural_proximity

Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, di gruppo, con revisioni periodiche, con presentazione/discussione finale
Valutazione continua obbligatoria
The workshop involves the production of an overall project by working in groups, with weekly reviews and feedback on progress. In parallel to this, throughout the semester, lectures will be held that give rise to interdisciplinary research and short-term micro-design workshops on the topics covered in the classroom.
The aim is to provide the tools for interior and exhibition design, examining famous case studies and design methodologies as a starting point for “ad hoc” exercises. This will lead to the production of a complete exam project, in which students will be guided from the distribution layout to the construction details.

Migliore I., Time to exhibit. Directing spatial design and new narrative pathways, Editore: Franco Angeli Edizioni, Anno edizione: 2019, ISBN: 978-88-917-8871-9
Migliore I., Servetto M., Museum seed The futurability of cultural places, Editore: Electa, Anno edizione: 2024, ISBN: 9788892825642 https://www.electa.it/prodotto/museum-seed/

Durante il workshop lo studente sarà chiamato ad affrontare un'attività di progetto intensiva su una tematica proposta dal Corso di Studi e sviluppata sotto la Guida di un docente-tutor del Politecnico, un professionista o un visiting professor straniero.
La tematica è comunicata agli studenti alcune settimane prima dell'avvio della settimana di workshop.

The course guides final-year students through a design process focused on envisioning, evaluating and developing AI-native products, services and business models.

Through lectures, workshops, review sessions and prototyping activities, the course will train designers to act as interpreters between strategy, technology and the future: professionals capable not only of designing better products, but also of helping organisations envision and build what comes next.

Over the course of 13 sessions, students will progress from using AI as a simple optimisation tool to understanding it as a strategic capability—one that can transform how organisations and individuals think, make decisions, collaborate and innovate.
The course adopts a dual-lens approach. On the one hand, it examines organisations from within, focusing on the processes, skills and cultural barriers that shape AI adoption. On the other, it explores the external environment, including future scenarios, emerging markets, new needs and opportunities for disruption. Students will work on real or simulated cases, learning how to assess an organisation’s AI maturity, identify inefficiencies and “value leaks”, turn individual knowledge into institutional intelligence, and design solutions that are scalable, governable and desirable.
The course methodology is based on an integrated approach to business, technology and people, consistently considering both their internal and external dimensions. Each project will therefore be required to demonstrate strategic sustainability, technical feasibility and human value, avoiding “bolt-on” solutions and instead aiming to create systems in which AI is embedded in the DNA of the experience.

Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, di gruppo, senza revisioni periodiche, senza presentazione/discussione finale
Assessment is based on the team project developed throughout the course and on each student's individual contribution to it; there is no separate written or oral exam.
Continuous assessment (≈30% of the final grade): at the end of each module, teams submit the required deliverable (team & role map; validated scenarios; selected concept & prototype; feasibility & business case dossier; brand principles one-pager; audience-tailored pitches) and receive structured feedback during dedicated review sessions with Bain experts. Deliverables are assessed on rigor, use of the frameworks developed in class, and coherence with prior steps.
Final project and presentation (≈70% of the final grade): in session 13, each team presents the full journey and defends it in a live Q&A in front of Bain experts (and possibly the client). Grading considers the quality and coherence of the final deliverable, the audience-appropriateness of the narrative, and each student's ability to autonomously explain and defend the team's choices during the Q&A.
The use of generative AI tools is allowed and encouraged throughout the course, given its subject matter, to support research, ideation, prototyping and preparation of deliverables. During the final Q&A/defense, each student must be able to explain and justify the reasoning behind the team's work autonomously: this live discussion is the primary check on individual understanding, independent of any AI support used during the process.
Deliverables and feedback produced during the course remain valid only for the academic year of delivery.

Christensen, Hall, Dillon, Duncan, Competing Against Luck, Editore: HarperBusiness, Anno edizione: 2016
Greg Nudelman, UX for AI: A Framework for Designing AI-Driven Products, Editore: Wiley, Anno edizione: 2025
Ethan Mollick, Co-Intelligence: The Definitive, Bestselling Guide to Living and Working with AI, Editore: WH Allen, Anno edizione: 2024

The course provides students with an understanding of how AI technologies are reshaping the field of design, and equips them with the knowledge and skills necessary to leverage AI in the design processes. This turns out in understanding and exploring how tasks such as sentiment analysis, insight extraction, text-to-image generation, creative output drawing, machine translation and text summarization, big data analysis, and much more, could be used in design process to address systemic social challenges and create responsible solutions.

Students will:

• understand the fundamental concepts of AI and its applications in design.
• Explore generative design techniques to support the creative design process.
• Evaluate the ethical considerations and societal impact of AI in design.
• Collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary teams to integrate AI into the design process.

The course explores the intersection of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and design, to guide students in identifying conditions, methods, and tools for human and artificial intelligence to creatively work together, and for design principles to be applied in new product and service development (across various industries), involving people, data, and machines.
While analyzing the different opportunities for AI to be integrated in the different domains, the course will discuss its ethical implications and societal impact, and critically assess its limitations.
The course will discuss several topics, such as: data strategy; AI technologies and applications; AI enhanced creativity; machine learning and deep learning; transformer-based language models; artificial agency; hybrid intelligence and superminds; More-than-Human Design; connected things and conversational agents; ethical implications and societal impact of AI; bias, fairness, and transparency in AI systems; privacy and data protection.
Through a combination of theoretical lectures, practical examples and hands-on exercises, students will learn about the principles, applications, and ethical considerations related to AI in design. This course encourages critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity in the context of AI-powered design.

Prova orale condizionata (a scelta del docente)
Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, di gruppo, con revisioni periodiche, senza presentazione/discussione finale
Valutazione continua condizionata (a scelta del docente)
The course is organised around assignments that, together with the exam’s discussion, will lead to the final evaluation.
Attendance is compulsory: to achieve attendance it will be necessary to acquire 80% attendance at teaching.

Il corso propone l’ analisi delle relazioni che si generano fra arte contemporanea e spazio, lungo i termini cronologici che interessano la disciplina, cioè fra XIX e XXI secolo: spazio inteso come rappresentazione, spazio come cornice e scenario, come interazione progettuale o ambientale.

Lo studente:

• conosce e comprende il ruolo delle avanguardie nella critica al funzionalismo e nella prefigurazione della città contemporanea;
• sviluppa senso critico imparando a leggere la natura dello spazio contemporaneo;
• è in grado di cogliere i mutamenti avvenuti in quest'ambito e le motivazioni che le hanno prodotte.

Il corso propone l'analisi delle relazioni fra arte contemporanea e spazi come si sono evolute dal XIX secolo ad oggi: dallo spazio inteso come rappresentazione allo spazio come cornice e scenario, come interazione progettuale o ambientale, o come partecipazione. Si approfondisce la percezione dello spazio da parte degli artisti, il comportamento artistico in spazi aperti e pubblici, in ambito museale ed espositivo, negli ambienti di vita e di creazione. Analizzeremo l’ambito di intersezione fra dimensione progettuale e intenzione artistica e quanto la percezione creativa possa innescare processi innovativi e stimolanti nell’interpretazione della realtà, anche grazie alle nuove tecnologie e i nuovi media come mezzi espressivi artistici nella loro interpretazione degli spazi.
Le lezioni saranno suddivise fra moduli tematici/cronologici e approfondimenti monografici. Si svolgeranno esercitazioni individuali o di gruppo per stimolare l'osservazione e la riflessione degli studenti oltre alla loro collaborazione stimolando la cooperazione delle loro formazioni interdisciplinari.
Si procederà suddividendo il corso in quattro macroaree di analisi: arte ambientale e pubblica, fra natura e città/arte e spazi di accoglienza deputati; arte negli spazi della creazione/ arte e gli ambienti di vita.

Prova orale obbligatoria
Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, di gruppo, con revisioni periodiche, con presentazione/discussione finale
La valutazione complessiva d'esame sarà determinata da varie componenti:

• l'analisi della proattività e collaboratività degli studenti nelle attività di gruppo e in quelle didattiche in aula;
• esame finale orale che consiste nella verifica dei contenuti bibliografici e di quelli discussi durante le lezioni e i seminari;
• l'esito del lavoro di gruppo per i soft-stage.
  La percentuale valutativa del colloquio d'esame si può riassumere nel 50%, l'esito del microstage nel 40% e il restante 10% riguarda la valutazione della partecipazione attiva individuale dello studente o studentessa alle lezioni e alle attività di gruppo. È dunque caldamente consigliata la frequenza.
  Saranno dunque valutate le capacità degli studenti d’interazione, di apprendimento e restituzione critica dei contenuti delle lezioni e dei contenuti bibliografici.
  Per gli studenti non frequentanti è prevista una bibliografia di studio più corposa e l'esame orale verterà su tale bibliografia che deve essere INTERAMENTE studiata. Dovranno aggiugnere alla bibliografia del corso, uguale per tutti, i testi indicati come BIBLIOGRAFIA NON FREQUENTANTI

O'Doherty Brian, Inside the white cube. L'ideologia dello spazio espositivo, Editore: Johan & Levi, Anno edizione: 2012, ISBN: 978-88-6010-006-1
Anna Detheridge, Scultori della speranza. L'arte nel contesto della globalizzazione, Editore: Einaudi, Torino, Anno edizione: 2012
Note: BIBLIOGRAFIA NON FREQUENTANTI
Alessandra Pioselli, L'Arte nello spazio urbano. L'esperienza italiana dal 1968 a oggi,, Editore: Milano, Johan & Levi, Anno edizione: 2015
Maddalena D'Alfonso, Come l'arte trasforma lo spazio, Editore: Silvana editoriale, Anno edizione: 2016
Note: BIBLIOGRAFIA NON FREQUENTANTI
Poli francesco, Bernardelli Francesco, Mettere in scena l'arte contemporanea. Dallo spazio dell'opere allo spazio intorno all'opera, Editore: Johan & Levi, Anno edizione: 2016, ISBN: 9788860100757
Martina Tanga, Arte ambientale, urban space, and participatory art, Editore: Routledge, Anno edizione: 2019
Note: FOR EXAM IN ENGLISH
Rosalind Krauss, Passaggi. Storia della scultura da Rodin alla Land Art(1981, Editore: Mondadori, Anno edizione: 2000
Note: BIBLIOGRAFIA NON FREQUENTANTI DA AGGIUNGERE
Rosalind Krauss, Passage in Modern Sculture, Editore: MIT Press, Anno edizione: 2000
Note: for EXAM in ENGLISH
A.Mazzanti (a cura di), House and Studio Museums between Art and Design, Franco Angeli, Editore: Franco Angeli, Anno edizione: 2026
Note: open axcess

The course of Artificial Intelligence and socio-economic transformations aims at presenting the radical transformations that occur in the economy and society due to the development of the new generation of technologies led by artificial intelligence (AI). These radical changes affect the traditional ways people work, behave, communicate, express, inform and entertain themselves, and, importantly, do business, leaving many with a deep feeling of disruption. While uncertainty surrounding the creation and adoption of AI is high, as well as the worries for likely social threats, there are still high expectations about its growth and productivity potentials.
This course aims at raising students’ awareness and knowledge of the challenges and opportunities for people, firms and territories (i.e. cities and regions) stemming from the large-scale diffusion of AI. Special emphasis will be dedicated to the Europe, its regions and cities.

By this course, students are expected to:
acquire conceptual tools through which strengthening their individual capacity to understand the ongoing socio-economic transformations (DD1: knowledge and understanding and DD2: applying knowledge and understanding);
strengthen their autonomous thinking and communication skills by developing presentations, debates and essays (DD3: making judgements and DD4: communication skills);
deepen their knowledge of the ongoing technological revolution and is consequences for individuals, societies, firms and territories (DD5: learning skills).

Since the beginning of the 2010s, a new technological revolution has taken place, resting on wide-ranging technological fields and, primarily, artificial intelligence (AI). The feeling of disruption of the present technological revolution is deep since the outcome of its evolutionary trajectory is very difficult to be predicted. The profound uncertainty surrounding the development and adoption of emerging technologies and AI leaves open a set of possible evolutions of the socio-economic technological transformations, where extreme and alternative, positive as well as negative scenarios of the future emerge. A positive vision of a worldwide interconnected, smart and automated society and production system, where routinized and low-skill jobs are replaced by machines, leaving to humankind the decision-making power of control over the machines, counterbalances a negative vision of a civilization brought close to a “near workless-world”. The launch of ChatGPT and its high-speed diffusion worldwide in late 2022 have exacerbated further these opposite views.
With awareness of the complexity of the technological landscape, this course aims at offering a reconstruction of the radical transformations that occur in contemporary economies and societies due to the development of the new technologies and AI. These technologies, in fact, are reshaping the functioning of markets, leading to a polarisation of occupations and wages as well as of firms’ productivity, and, by aggregation, of regional and urban economic growth.
Economics offers valuable conceptual and operational tools to understand many of the fundamental mechanisms behind technological creation and diffusion. The analysis of these concepts is fundamental to understand the performance of firms, cities and territories in the contemporary world and it is especially important for engineers and architects, whose work is at the same time a recipient and a catalyst of these processes. In fact, those places and firms in which such transformations take place are likely to show a greater demand for architectural and engineering based skills and can play a leading role in attracting creative talents and putting them in the best conditions to express their potential.
The aim of the course is, thus, to provide students with the economic tools necessary to understand the processes related to the new technologies and AI creation and diffusion so that future engineers and architects can be able to influence and guide them.
By the end of the course, students will be able to understand critically the economic mechanisms linked to the creation and the diffusion of the new technologies and AI as well as their impacts on firms, cities and regions. Special attention will be dedicated to European regions and countries, by presenting their outlook in terms of creation and adoption trends, through data on invention and adoption, as well as in terms of impacts on the economy and labour market. The student will learn how and under which conditions firms and territories are able to gain from the creation and adoption of the new technologies.
The course will address three main issues:
The presentation of a selection of some fundamental economic concepts useful to set the ground, such as innovation, diffusion, technological change, AI, economic growth, labour polarisation.
The presentation of the main temporal and spatial trends in the creation and diffusion of AI in Europe and its regions with the aim of describing the performance of European regions and cities.
The presentation of the main socio-economic impacts of the present technological transformation in Europe and its regions with the aim of understanding which territories will gain or suffer the most from the radical restructuring that our economies and societies are experiencing.
The course will combine multiple modules and teaching methods. Students will be divided in groups, composed with the aim to maximise diversity and cultural cross-fertilisation.
The course will include
ex-cathedra lectures, with the aim to introduce students with the main conceptual tools
interactive lectures
applied lectures to boost familiarity with data management, indicators construction and interpretation, graphical and mapping representation
'academic debates' between couples of groups to consolidate learning and conceptual tools as well as communication abilities
presentation of essays at different stages of elaboration
presentation of final essays with formal discussion by other groups of students
peer reviews.
References
Beside the textbooks, additional references will be provided at the beginning of the course.

Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, di gruppo, con revisioni periodiche, con presentazione/discussione finale
Valutazione continua obbligatoria
Participation to group activites and in class deliveries (1/2).
Development of a series of essays composing an integrated output at the class level (1/2).

McAfee A, Brynjolfsson E., Machine, Platform, Crowd. Harnessing our digital future, Editore: W. W: Norton & Company, London, UK, Anno edizione: 2017

The course has a strong strategic and practical approach to branding, communication and marketing.
Acquiring competencies in these areas will strengthen the professional profiles developed through these Master’s programs. Therefore, branding and communication skills will support students in their future careers and enable them to adopt an autonomous and informed approach in these fields.

The aim of the course is to provide students with knowledge of the basics of marketing and communication, and, above all, to give them a method for managing and developing strategies and activities in these fields.

Course overview
The course is organized around three core modules through which students will explore the relationship between branding and organizational structures and areas, and the ways in which organizations should be positioned in the market to achieve their marketing and communication objectives and to increase their value.
The course adopts a strategic and practical approach to communication and marketing, with a particular focus on the development of (digital) go-to-market strategies. Its aim is to provide students with an understanding of the fundamentals of marketing and communication and, above all, a methodological framework for designing, managing, and evaluating strategies and activities in these fields.
Developing competencies in these areas will strengthen the professional profiles of the different Master's programmes. Branding and communication skills will support students in their future careers and enable them to approach these disciplines with autonomy and critical awareness.
Additional topics covered in the course include:
AI for strategic competencies
Digital strategy and digital marketing
> All details will be included in the course syllabus, and the lectures' schedule will be made available during the first class.
Course structure and fundamental rules
The course will include both lectures and practical activities, such as exercises, assignments, and group work.
This course is intended for both attending and non-attending students, but frequency is highly recommended, due to the extensive practical activities involved. A maximum of three absences will be allowed. Classes will not be recorded; however, students may attend remotely in exceptional circumstances.
Assignments must be submitted and presented on the dates specified in the course schedule. Late submissions or presentations will not be accepted.
Modules overview
MODULE 1: BRAND IDENTITY
An exploration of brand identity and brand value, with a focus on the essential pillars of brands and the design of their key assets, using the frameworks ST.EX Chart and ID.PO Chart.
MODULE 2: POSITIONING STRATEGY
A detailed analysis of strategic positioning and a practical method for developing positioning strategies, starting from real case studies.
MODULE 3: OMNICHANNEL COMMUNICATION & CONTENT STRATEGY
An introduction to digital and content strategy, with a focus on corporate communication, and digital marketing strategies. All the details will be included in the course syllabus, and the lectures calendar will be made available during the first lesson.

Prova orale obbligatoria
Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, di gruppo, con revisioni periodiche, con presentazione/discussione finale
Evaluation criteria | Attending Students
The course is organized around one main assignment and a series of practical group exercises, which will also be assessed.
In this way, students will have the opportunity to work with different teammates and i mprove their final grade, which will be calculated as the sum of the scores gained in each assessment (please, note that most of the points will be obtained through the main assignment)
The main assignment will consist of developing a complete positioning strategy. The project brief will be provided halfway through the course, and the final lesson (or the final two lessons, it depends on the number of enrolled students) will be dedicated to the pitch of the final project.
Note: students will have the opportunity to work on their projects during dedicated classes and to have reviews with the professor. However, individual work outside the classroom will also be required in order to respect the project deadlines.
Evaluation criteria | Non-attending students
Non-attending students are required to take an oral exam based on the course theory: mandatory readings (please check the bibliography) as well as the slides that will be uploaded weekly on WeBeep.

Jack Trout, Al Ries, Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind, Editore: McGraw Hill Education, Anno edizione: 2001, ISBN: 978-0-07137358-6
Marty Neumeier, The brand gap. How to bridge the distance between business strategy and design
Philip Kotler, Hermawan Kartajaya, Iwan Setiawan, Marketing 4.0: Moving from traditional to digital https://www.carmieubertis.it/en/il-modello-di-branding-ceu-0-6/
Note: In particular, chapters: 4,5,8
Philip Kotler, Gary Armstrong, Principles of Marketing (Global Edition)
Note: Chapter 1, pages 28-31 and 33-37, Chapter 8, pages 264-272, Chapter 17, pages 510-527, Chapter 18, pages 540-561.
Brands and Branding: Research Findings and Future Priorities - Kevin Lane Keller, Donald R. Lehmann https://business.columbia.edu/sites/default/files-efs/pubfiles/2673/740.pdf
Branding Model CEU - Carmi e Ubertis https://www.carmieubertis.it/en/il-modello-di-branding-ceu-0-6/
Marco Ronchi, Mariana Ciancia, Digital transformation. Metodi e strumenti per guidare l'evoluzione digitale delle imprese attraverso design, marketing e comunicazione, Editore: Franco Angeli, Anno edizione: 2019, ISBN: 978-88-917-8141-3 https://www.carmieubertis.it/en/il-modello-di-branding-ceu-0-6/
Elio Carmi, con il contributo di Elena Israela Wegher, Branding D.O. Progettare la marca. Una visione design oriented, Editore: Fausto Lupetti Editore, Anno edizione: 2023
Elio Carmi, Brand 111. Centoundici domande e risposte per sapere di più sulla brand e sul suo futuro, Editore: Fausto Lupetti Editore, Anno edizione: 2020
Philip Kotler, Hermawan Kartajaya, Iwan Setiawan, Marketing 5.0: Technology for Humanity

The course aims at guiding the learner on the theme of Circular Economy through a deliberate alternation of practical cases and application examples to a more theoretical view of the phenomenon. The core of the course is the design and evaluation of business models, either of established companies willing to embrace the new paradigm or of start-ups and new ventures born on a Circular Economy idea.
Particular attention will be paid to the pervasiveness of the paradigm, with examples and good practices relating to several business sectors.

Students will learn: (i) the core meaning of Circular Economy in business environment, being able to properly recognize and distinguishing circular business models from "green", "esg" or "sustainable" business models; (ii) the tools and frameworks to design and evaluate a circular business model, in different industries; (iii) the tools and frameworks to analyse the context and the ecosystem around a circular business model, with particular reference to the role of regulations and of digital technologies in enabling circularity.
Morevoer, students will be engaged in lively debates with entrepreneurs and managers in the field of Circular Economy, thus allowing also a deeper understanding of the enablers and barriers to the diffusion of the new paradigm.

The top 12 core topics of the course can be summarized as follows:
1. The Genesis of the Circular Economy concept, the main differences between Circular Economy and Linear Economy. Circular Economy and Sustainability
2. The basic frameworks for understanding Circular Economy: the butterfly model and the RESOLVE model
3. The CE Matrix (Upstream-Downstream-Full Circular) and the classification of Circular Economy business models.
4. Cases of adoption of Circular Economy in established companies and in start-ups
5. The “Circular” Business Model Canvas: designing a successful transition towards Circular Economy
6. Circular Business Models and Circular Supply Chain: Connecting Eco-Systems for Circular Economy
7. Measuring Circular Economy: methods and tools for assessing circularity
8. The enabling role of IT & IoT in the transition towards Circular Economy
9. The "platform" business models in the Circular Economy
10. Financing Circular Economy
11. The role of Policies in Circular Economy
12. Circular Cities: adopting a broader perspective for the diffusion of the Circular Economy paradigm
The course is intented to be based on lively discussions and participated classes. In-course team works will be required.
Teaching material consists in slides (ppt format) and case studies. Further references to complementary material (books, articles extracted from scientific journals, reports by research centers, other readings) will be provided during the classes.
Additional materials can be found at the Ellen Macarthur Foundation Learning Hub ( https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/explore )

Prova scritta obbligatoria, senza prove in itinere
Prova orale obbligatoria
Progetto/i - Elaborato/i facoltativo (a scelta dello studente), di gruppo, senza revisioni periodiche, senza presentazione/discussione finale
The course will be assessed with: (i) a written exam with open-ended questions and case-based questions, covering all the topics of the course; (ii) an oral exam, evaluating the understanding of the concepts and the ability to sustain a business discussion on Circular Economy.
The written exam will count for 50% of the total grade. It will be assessed on a scale up to 30/30. In order to be ammitted to the oral exam, students will have to pass the written exam with a minimum grade of 18/30.
The oral exam will count for 50% of the total grade. It will be assessed on a scale up to 30/30. It has to be sustained in the same call of the written exam. Students who fail the oral exam (grade below 18/30) or refuse the grade will have to retake the entire exam.
Cum Laude grade is assigned to those students who show a brilliant and well above average ability to sustain a discussion on the core topics of Circular Economy.

Davide Chiaroni, L'Impresa Circolare, Editore: EGEA, Anno edizione: 2022, ISBN: 978-88-238-3763-8

Questo corso si propone di raggiungere i seguenti obiettivi di apprendimento:

• LG1: Comprendere il contesto, le funzioni, i processi in un ambiente aziendale e industriale e l'impatto di tali fattori sulle prestazioni aziendali
• LG2: Identificare le tendenze future, le tecnologie e le metodologie chiave nel campo dell'innovazione sostenibile

The course aims to:

• Explore the different relationships between Communication Design and computation.
• Introduce conceptual and technical tools for approaching Communication Design in computational terms.
• develop skills in conceptualization, modeling, and abstraction, enabling students to formulate communication design projects as rule-based systems
• provide an overview of current computational approaches, tools, algorithms, and applications of computational design within the field of communication design

By the end of the course, the student:

• knows and understands the possible roles of computation in the communication design process and can recognize their potential application to different contexts;
• can critically assess the impact of automation and information technologies in the context of communication design.
• understands and can identify the main algorithmic principles and computational approaches relevant to communication design;
• can conceptualize, formalize and prototype a system of rules able to transform contents into dynamically generated communication design artifacts;
• can use code and AI-assisted coding tools as design instruments to turn concepts into functioning prototypes.

As digital platforms increasingly support dynamic content, interactive behaviors, and AI-driven adaptation, visual design is shifting toward more fluid, generative, and adaptive forms of expression that move beyond static representations. In the current media context, designers are increasingly called to conceive visual systems as rule-based processes, capable of generating flexible, context-aware, and responsive artifacts that adapt to diverse media environments and user interactions.
This course offers conceptual and technical tools for approaching communication design from a computational and AI-informed perspective. It aims to develop skills in abstraction, modeling, and system thinking, allowing students to articulate design strategies as structured sets of rules and behaviors, suitable for algorithmic and intelligent implementation. The course will critically examine the contemporary technological context and engage with case studies from a range of design domains, including brand design (generative identity systems), editorial design (rule-based layout engines), graphic design (dynamic visual systems), and experimental forms of AI-assisted visual communication.
The course introduces computational approaches such as parametric and generative design, covering fundamental principles of algorithmic thinking, rule-based systems, and creative coding, and providing an overview of the main computational approaches, algorithms, and concepts through case studies and focused explorations. In addition, it explores foundational architectures for generative AI (e.g. LLMs, Diffusion Models, GANs), key concepts (e.g. latent space, embeddings, tokens), and control modes (e.g. text-to-image, image-to-image), as part of a broader framework that integrates AI into computational design practice.
Alongside theoretical discussions, students will be guided through the development of a computational design project, from the conceptualization and formalization of design rules to the implementation of a functioning prototype that embodies the principles discussed.

Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, di gruppo, con revisioni periodiche, con presentazione/discussione finale
Valutazione continua obbligatoria
Grading is based on the work produced and the level of preparation achieved by the students. The ability to critically interpret the course contents and results in terms of design autonomy, thematic coherence, and innovation are all considered for assessment.

Helen Armstrong, Digital Design Theory: Readings from the Field, Editore: Chronicle Books, Anno edizione: 2016, ISBN: 978-1-61689-495-5
Andrew Richardson, Data-driven graphic design: creative coding for visual communication, Editore: Bloombury Publishing, Anno edizione: 2016, ISBN: 978-1-4725-7830-3
Demian Conrad, Rob Van Leijsen, David Heritier, Graphic design in the post-digital age: a survey of practices fuelled by creative coding, Editore: Onomatopee, Anno edizione: 2021, ISBN: 9789083270692 https://postdigitalgraphicdesign.com/
Karl Gerstner, Designing Programmes, Editore: Lars Müller Publishers, Anno edizione: 2007, ISBN: 978-3-03778-093-0
Frank Chimero, The Shape of Design, ISBN: 978-0-9854722-0-7 https://shapeofdesignbook.com/
Wardrip-Fruin Noah, Montfort Nick (Editors), The New Media Reader, Editore: MIT Press, Anno edizione: 2003
Golan Levin, Tega Brain, Code as Creative Medium: A Handbook for Computational Art and Design, Editore: MIT Press, Anno edizione: 2021, ISBN: 978-0-262-54204-3
Ulrike Felsing, Dynamic identities in cultural and public contexts, Editore: Lars Müller, Anno edizione: 2010, ISBN: 978-3-03778-163-0

Besides the knowledge of exemplary case studies within the design history from WWII to the present, the course aims at encouraging a critical approach towards the world of contemporary interiors, one that can interpret in an organic way the conception, the design and the use of the space.

Students:

• know and understand the role of avantgarde tendencies when criticising functionalism and prefiguring the contemporary city;
• develop a critical sense, learning to read the nature of the contemporary space;
• can understand the changes that have occurred in this sphere and the reasons that produced them.

The course offers a contemporary perspective on space and interiors, exploring the historical, cultural, social, and material transformations currently reshaping the discipline. Its structure unfolds through three interconnected areas: domestic interiors, hybrid interiors, and new perspectives on interior space.
The course will explore domestic and Italian interiors, contemporary forms of mobile living, and the impact of social and political transformations on everyday spaces. It will also address hybrid and informal environments (from nightlife and discos to retail design and shop windows) alongside the atmospheric, artistic, and material dimensions of interiors, focusing on how art, aesthetics, and materials shape new forms of spatial experience.
Historical references, contemporary case studies, research methodologies, and selected readings will be combined with contributions from distinguished guests working in interior design and related creative disciplines. The programme will also include collective discussions, research and editorial activities, and direct engagement with Milan through its architecture, domestic and retail interiors, informal venues, exhibitions, and art spaces. The program will be also enriched by testimonies from distinguished guests from the world of interior design or from other disciplines contiguous to design in its broadest and most intimate sense.

Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, di gruppo, con revisioni periodiche, con presentazione/discussione finale
For attending students, the course assessment consists of a group editorial project combining preliminary thematic research with a selection of case studies on contemporary interiors, supported by the study of selected readings that complement the lectures. Each group member will be responsible for researching and presenting one case study, which will then be integrated into a coherent editorial collective project. Dedicated review sessions will be scheduled throughout the course. At the first examination session, students will present their editorial project, explaining both the group’s overall approach and their individual contribution. The examination will also include an oral assessment of the course content (lectures + compulsory readings).
For non-attending students, assessment will consist of a written examination held during the second examination session. The test will include open-ended questions based on the compulsory readings assigned for each lecture and made available on WeBeep.

The course aims to illustrate, through the Case History, project development at different levels, dividing it into four thematic sections that are linked. An all-Italian skill able to deal with the complexity of the project, where the designer develops his way of action from the study and structure of territory (Master Plan) to the design of the architectural parts included in it, and then continue with the interior design and Product Design elements, technological ones and furnishing.
This course is proposed by the School as an optional teaching group with innovative education characteristics that support students as they acquire and strengthen their transversal skills.

Students:

• know and understand the instruments and methods for managing project complexity;
• can apply the instruments learnt during the whole design phase, defining an intervention plan;
• make design choices autonomously and in a group;
• can analyse the intervention context, strengthening their critical and analysis skills.

Designing Spaces for the Community
The course focuses on the design of spaces intended for collective use, exploring the relationship between interior architecture, functions, behaviours and the identity of places.
Through an applied design project, students will be guided in the development of a collective space, from the definition of the concept and the organisation of the layout to the selection of materials, finishes, furnishings and technical solutions. Particular attention will be given to the quality of the user experience, spatial flexibility, circulation flows, accessibility and the ability of the project to respond to the needs of different users.
The course will provide tools and methods for approaching a contract design project in a conscious and integrated way, combining creativity, functionality, feasibility and spatial quality. Theoretical lectures, case studies and design reviews will support students in the development of a coherent, distinctive and effectively represented proposal.
Basic knowledge of design, drawing and digital representation tools is required.

Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, individuale, con revisioni periodiche, con presentazione/discussione finale
The final examination will consist of the presentation of a project developed from a real case study. Students will be required to design a space intended for collective use, interpreting the functional programme, the characteristics of the site and the needs of different users.
The project must be presented through plans, furnished layouts, relevant sections and elevations, supported by a design concept, three-dimensional visualisations and indications concerning materials, finishes, furniture and technical solutions.
The assessment will consider the quality and originality of the proposal, the functional organisation of the spaces, the consistency between the concept and the design solutions, the feasibility of the project, and the clarity of the drawings and final presentation.

"This course aims at providing the fundamentals of creative thinking and its stimulation in order to optimize the use of natural resources (raw materials and energy) in design and decision making activities. To this purpose, the course includes the execution of exercises and other design activities that require the application of methods, tools and techniques for the analysis of technical problems and the synthesis of solutions. These will be generated by means of a holistic approach that considers the relationship between the technical solution and other social/biological/technical systems and aims at minimizing the potentially harmful effects on the environment during the whole life cycle of the solution. The hours of lectures will address the following topics:
1. Creativity and its dimensions
2. Systems Life Cycle fundamentals
3. Approaches for business process representation/description to support environmental analysis and creative design activities
4. Approaches to highlight problems of environmental sustainability
5. Technological opportunities (materials and processes) for the development of more sustainable solutions
6. Stimulation of creativity
7. Heuristics for the ideation and development of more sustainable solutions"

L'insegnamento fornisce strumenti per meglio comprendere l'articolazione che le tematiche di genere assumono nell'ambito del design. L'oggetto di studio viene affrontato a partire dal contributo disciplinare del Design della comunicazione e dei possibili spazi di relazione e integrazione tra i domini delle Culture visive (Design della comunicazione) e del Design e quello delle Scienze sociali, rappresentato dai Gender Studies (Culture di Genere). L'insegnamento consente allo studente di sviluppare capacità di analisi critica e strumenti a supporto di pratiche autoriflessive (Soft skills).

Lo studente:

• conosce e comprende gli strumenti necessari per approcciarsi a un progetto che tenga conto delle tematiche di genere assumono;
• è in grado di applicare gli strumenti del design di comunicazione per studiare la tematica di genere trovando spazi di applicazione progettuale;
• è in grado di sviluppare riflessioni critiche per indagare le forme di rappresentazione delle identità di genere;
• di effettuare analisi di contesto sia in modo autonomo, sia attraverso attività di gruppo.

Il corso ha l'obiettivo di fornire strumenti per meglio comprendere l’articolazione che le tematiche di genere assumono nell’ambito del design e per contrastare ogni forma di discriminazione di genere, rispondendo a quando dichiarato dagli obiettivi dell’Agenda Onu 2030 per lo Sviluppo Sostenibile ( SDG 5., Parità di genere ) e nello spirito della Risoluzione europea 8 marzo 2011, della Direttiva europea 113 del 2004 e della Cedaw (Convenzione sull’eliminazione di ogni forma di discriminazione contro le donne) adottata dall’Onu e ratificata da 185 Stati.
Si intende affrontare l'oggetto di studio a partire dal contributo disciplinare del Design della comunicazione e dei possibili spazi di relazione e integrazione tra il dominio delle Culture visive (Design della comunicazione) e quello delle Scienze sociali rappresentato dai Gender Studies (Culture di Genere).
Verranno sviluppati studi e riflessioni che nascono all’interno della disciplina e che permettono al Design della comunicazione di presentare, nel più ampio contesto di ricerca sul tema, un proprio specifico percorso per promuovere la responsabilità sociale del Design e del Design della comunicazione.
In particolare, se a livello teorico gli studi di genere analizzano la persistenza di un processo di stereotipizzazione della figura femminile nella società, una visione falsata del suo ruolo nella vita pubblica e privata, una distorsione delle modalità di rappresentazione della donna attraverso i media, le Culture visive possono dare un ampio contributo in termini di critica, sensibilizzazione, informazione e “costruzione visuale” dell’ambito sociale. A livello pragmatico, invece, attraverso il progetto di comunicazione, possono fornire delle risposte per un ripensamento dei formati e delle regole alla base degli artefatti.
Il corso intende sviluppare una capacità autoriflessiva, tesa a richiamare le corresponsabilità del designer nella produzione del flusso di immagini e di oggetti-immagine che definiscono il nostro quotidiano, tramite una riflessione sull’uso dei registri espressivi, dei modelli retorici, della costruzione registica.
Assumendo che le tematiche di genere si sviluppano e si intrecciano all’interno del Design, ci si concentrerà sull’individuazione di marche di genere nei prodotti della progettazione, nelle sue diverse specificità disciplinari, per indagare le intersezioni tra Design e Culture di genere.
Il corso si rivolge a futuri progettisti e progettiste per contribuire allo sviluppo di una consapevolezza intorno a questi temi, rafforzando gli strumenti espressivi e critici dei soggetti al fine di incrementare la sensibilità verso il tema della rappresentazione di genere.
Il corso si articola in tre fasi: la prima costituita da lezioni ex cathedra; la seconda dedicata ad attività di workshop che prevedono il coinvolgimento attivo degli/delle studenti al fine di esplorare, comprendere e contrastare i meccanismi alla base dei processi di stereotipizzazione dal punto di vista del design; la terza, di tipo seminariale, affonterà alcuni argomenti specifici tramite contributi disciplinari complementari.
Le lezioni verteranno sui seguenti argomenti:

• Coordinate quadro e riferimenti teorici: Gender Culture e Gender Studies
• Disparità di genere. Il mondo della formazione e del lavoro: ruoli e forme di riconoscimento
• Quadro normativo e quadro istituzionale
• Il luogo comune e la nozione di stereotipo
• Processi di stereotipizzazione nei media: la rappresentazione di uomini e donne e lo sguardo maschile
• Comunicazione sessista: manifestazioni, ricadute, azioni di contrasto
• Il linguaggio neutro e il maschile universale
• Gendered marketing
• Dal maschile al femminile e viceversa. Codici espressivi e processi traduttivi
• Androcentrismo grafico
• Bambini/bambine e stereotipi di genere: unconscious bias, condizionamenti, ricorsività visuali
• Violenza di genere ed enunciati iconici

Prova orale obbligatoria
Altro
Le valutazioni verranno formulate tenendo in considerazione i seguenti elementi: partecipazione all'attività del corso, risultati delle attività seminariali e preparazione bibliografica secondo modalità che verranno indicate all’inizio del corso.
È prevista la possibilità di sostenere l’esame da non frequentante; durante la prima lezione verranno fornite indicazioni dettagliate nel merito, così come verrà fornita la bibliografia per la prova d’esame.

Bucchetti, Valeria, Cattive immagini. Design della comunicazione, grammatiche e parità di genere, Editore: FrancoAngeli, Anno edizione: 2021
Bucchetti, Valeria (a cura di), Design e dimensione di genere. Un campo di ricerca e riflessione, Editore: FrancoAngeli, Anno edizione: 2015
Baule, Giovanni; Bucchetti, Valeria (a cura di), Anticorpi comunicativi, Editore: FrancoAngeli, Anno edizione: 2012
Cheng, Eugenia, X+Y. Un manifesto matematico per ripensare la questione di genere, Editore: Ponte alle Grazie, Anno edizione: 2021
Caratti, Elena, Rimediazioni Gender-Sensitive. Contributi e progetti per la formazione di un immaginario consapevole, Editore: FrancoAngeli, Anno edizione: 2015
Decataldo, Alessandra; Ruspini, Elisabetta, La ricerca di genere, Editore: Carocci, Anno edizione: 2014

The course aims to provide students with the principles to analyse existing products, services and systems and to design them through an inclusive perspective. The course will provide methods and tools to observe, understand and design artefacts that act inclusively in different contexts. Students will be guided in the development of skills to structure inclusive design through lectures, collaborative classes and laboratory activities.

Students will acquire the following competences

• knowledge and understanding: students know, understand and apply the principles of inclusive design (e.g. cognitive psychology, usability, accessibility, etc.)
• making judgements: students acquire the ability to evaluate current products, systems and services through the filter of design and inclusion, understanding the role of designers and their responsibilities in the development of inclusive solutions.
• communication skills: students develop the ability to collaborate in peer teams and to present and discuss their ideas with experts and communities of interest.

Course Objective
Design for Inclusion is a course that invites students to rethink the role of design in contemporary society: not only as a way to create functional and beautiful solutions, but as a practice capable of dialoguing with the diversity of people, cultures, needs, abilities, identities, and contexts that shape our everyday lives.
The objective of the course is to go beyond stereotypes and simplified narratives around inclusion, helping students develop a deeper awareness of the complexity of human diversity.
At its core, the course explores how design can create beauty that contains goodness: solutions that are aesthetically valuable, ethically grounded, and able to generate positive impact for individuals, communities, and society.
Method
This course aims to enhance students’ sensitivity and critical awareness, enabling them to make more informed design decisions and equipping them with tools to explore, ideate, and evaluate inclusive design scenarios.
Through the course, students will develop four fundamental skills:
Expanding their worldview
Unlearning assumptions and stereotypes
Training their perspective-taking abilities
Empathising with diversity
These skills will support students in designing inclusive solutions capable of dialoguing fluently with the diversity of society, using the inclusive design toolkit developed specifically for this course.
The course adopts a holistic approach, combining cognitive psychology, usability, accessibility, inclusion, and actionable design principles and tools. These perspectives will help students understand how to create solutions that can better respond to the needs, expectations, and lived experiences of diverse audiences.
Lectures will combine frontal lessons, collaborative workshops, debates, and projecxt works.
After the introductory theoretical modules, classroom sessions will mainly take the form of workshops. Each workshop will focus on a specific topic and include collaborative activities, simulations, or debates. Further study and homework may be assigned during the course as part of group activities and will contribute to the final evaluation.
Structure
The course is composed of three main parts.
Part 1 — Inclusive Design Principles and Tools
Developing the four core skills
This first part introduces the foundations of inclusive design and the tools needed to apply them. Topics include:
Design responsibility and inclusion
Biases and stereotypes
Tools to empathise with unconscious biases
Inclusive design across different fields
Inclusive team dynamics
Part 2 — Experiencing Diversity
Being inspired by real perspectives
Guest lecturers will share their personal and professional experiences through frontal lessons and collaborative activities. This part aims to expose students to different perspectives, helping them understand diversity through lived experiences and real-world applications.
Part 3 — Project Work
Applying knowledge through inclusive design practice
Students will work in groups to apply the principles and tools learned throughout the course. Each group will be asked to design an inclusive concept in response to an assigned design challenge.
Several exercises will be assigned as part of the project work to assess students’ understanding of the key topics addressed during the course.
Most of the project work will take place through collaborative workshops, guiding students through an ideal inclusive design process: from group formation and the definition of inclusive ways of working, to concept development, validation, refinement, and final presentation.

Prova orale obbligatoria
Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, di gruppo, con revisioni periodiche, con presentazione/discussione finale
Valutazione continua obbligatoria
Final marks will be obtained according to the following criteria:
CLASS PARTICIPATION - 40% of the final mark
This will be related to the student's participation during the lectures and the design reviews. Each team will receive a unique mark based on: class attendance, proactive class participation, quality/not quantity of questions/answers, and quality of case discussion.
80% class attendance is mandatory for this course because most of the project work will be done as collaborative activity during the lessons.
PROJECT WORK - 40% of the final mark
Each team will receive a unique mark based on: team player capability, application of unbiased ways of working, and number and quality of intermediate reviews. Evaluation of the Project will be based on the quality of project delivery: impact of your idea, briefing adherence, capability to apply the principles and tools learned, completeness of the exercise, correctness, creativity, and quality of teamwork.
INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE - 20% of the final mark
Each student will be evaluated based on the individual contribution to the group during the course (i.e. lectures, group exercises, workshops, etc.). The oral discussion will involve each group, with specific questions to the single members. In case of lack of engagement or participation in the group activities, the final mark of single group members can be decreased by 20%.

Il corso Design Futures guida lo studente a: familiarizzare con i concetti teorici chiave di Design Futures ed esaminare la loro rilevanza nel decifrare l'incertezza e la complessità del contesto contemporaneo; comprendere il ruolo dell'immaginazione, dell'anticipazione e della speculazione nella costruzione di narrazioni del futuro; ricercare e generare nuovi scenari possibili, valorizzando la dimensione esperienziale, creativa e visionaria applicata agli obiettivi di Sviluppo Sostenibile (SDG); saper leggere potenzialità e criticità connessi allo Sviluppo Tecnologico, Digitale e dell'Artificial Intelligence individuando gli impatti e le implicazioni sul lungo periodo; applicare una prospettiva anticipatoria attraverso diversi metodi, strumenti e tecniche nella progettazione orientata al futuro. Un processo intensivo che, con un approccio contemporaneo, mira a riposizionare le attività progettuali in un framework valoriale dove etica, responsabilità, sostenibilità e inclusività in senso lato rappresentano i pilastri del nuovo "fare design".

Il corso Design Futures guida lo studente a: familiarizzare con i concetti teorici chiave di Design Futures ed esaminare la loro rilevanza nel decifrare l'incertezza e la complessità del contesto contemporaneo; comprendere il ruolo dell'immaginazione, dell'anticipazione e della speculazione nella costruzione di narrazioni del futuro; ricercare e generare nuovi scenari possibili, valorizzando la dimensione esperienziale, creativa e visionaria applicata agli obiettivi di Sviluppo Sostenibile (SDG); saper leggere potenzialità e criticità connessi allo Sviluppo Tecnologico, Digitale e dell'Artificial Intelligence individuando gli impatti e le implicazioni sul lungo periodo; applicare una prospettiva anticipatoria attraverso diversi metodi, strumenti e tecniche nella progettazione orientata al futuro. Un processo intensivo che, con un approccio contemporaneo, mira a riposizionare le attività progettuali in un framework valoriale dove etica, responsabilità, sostenibilità e inclusività in senso lato rappresentano i pilastri del nuovo "fare design".

Il corso introdurrà una tipologia di sistemi costruttivi - leggeri, temporanei, minimali - che sono stati largamente trascurati dai libri di storia dell'architettura, ma che riteniamo sia giunto il momento di rivalutare poiché possiedono caratteristiche che si rivelano estremamente interessanti per i nostri stile di vita migratorio ma sempre più transitorio. Gli ambienti leggeri hanno la forma di costruzione di necessità; sono solitamente realizzati con materiali di facile reperibilità e movimentazione, come tessuti e altre materie prime sottili, per creare spazi adattabili, facilmente smontabili e trasportabili.

Il corso si pone i seguenti obiettivi:

• riconosce al design il ruolo strategico di disciplina di elezione nella valorizzazione dei beni culturali, superando il mero concetto di conservazione;
• fornisce una matrice operativa applicabile nei diversi contesti dei beni culturali;
• persegue l’elaborazione di un prototipo meta-progettuale calato nella realtà individuata da ciascun allievo di concerto con il Docente.
  I beni culturali: dalla conservazione alla valorizzazione
  Il ruolo del design strategico nei progetti culturali
  Da rigenerazione urbana a innovazione sociale
  Piano strategico territoriale

Sviluppare la consapevolezza della necessità di interventi coordinati e interconnessi in chiave cultural driven, attraverso un metodo e un linguaggio che aprono al designer la sfera del management della cultura.

Il corso fornisce un metodo di lavoro specifico, fondato su una matrice metodologica applicabile ai differenti ambiti territoriali, che propone una lettura critica e propositiva del contesto capace di concretizzarsi in un «prototipo» attuativo scalabile ed espandibile nel tempo e in un «manuale applicativo» di sintesi.
Il corso prevede:
A – parte introduttiva su caratteri generali del metodo e della matrice operativa
B – parte attuativa di esercitazione e sviluppo del prototipo di progetto di valorizzazione con workshop finale
C – contributi esterni da parte di esperti del settore
AA 2026-2027
La Lombardia è una delle regioni con maggiore varietà culturale e territoriale, con un sistema produttivo solido che generalmente è stato capace di integrarsi con il senso più profondo dei luoghi, al punto che quando le inevitabili trasformazioni produttive hanno prodotto dismissioni e vuoti, questi si sono trasformate in traumi difficili da superare che ancora oggi frenano nuovi sviluppi e visioni propositive.
Quest’anno il corso, partendo dai Beni Culturali, sarà quindi concentrato sulla valorizzazione territoriale della regione Lombardia e quindi sulla valorizzazione di Piazza Lombardia a Milano attraverso un sistema di promozione generale dei territori e le loro caratteristiche prevalenti.
Il processo metodologico si sviluppa su alcuni punti chiave nelle 12 province lombarde:
Analisi delle peculiarità territoriali;
Analisi delle peculiarità culturali;
Analisi delle peculiarità produttive;
Definizione di una tipologia di bene culturale comune – materiale o immateriale;
Costruzione di una relazione virtuosa tra bene culturale e sistema territoriale;
Definizione di focal-point del progetto nei musei civici locali;
Definizione di un processo di pratiche di valorizzazione sistemico: un percorso integrato che superi le convenzionali attività sequenziali per costruire un processo circolare attorno alla strategia definita e che generi economie stabili sui territori;
Strategia quindi come elemento guida delle azioni per il valore del brand territoriale: costruzione di valore e non mero posizionamento di MKT effettuato a posteriori;
Definizione di una installazione permanente – con contenuti a rotazione annuale – in piazza Lombardia;
Applicare i risultati ottenuti agli stand di presentazione della Regione Lombardia;
Costruzione di un sistema di relazione: piazza Lombardia/territori, capace di intercettare i mutamenti dei territori e valorizzare i suoi attori principali anche in relazione a un palcoscenico internazionale.
Il corso si svolgerà tra settembre 2026 e gennaio 2027 e prevede la presenza di alcune personalità di riferimento per il progetto: esponenti del mondo politico e istituzionale, esperti del settore, etc., che saranno di aiuto per inquadrare il rapporto tra progetto e politica, perché come dico sempre: il design senza politica si chiama marketing.
Stiamo lavorando affichè, al termine del corso, i risultati dei lavori di progetto possano essere presentati presso il Palazzo della Regione Lombardia.
Alcune delle lezioni si terranno presso ADI.

La valutazione finale si baserà su: presenza alle lezioni, partecipazione attiva alle verifiche in itinere, esercitazioni di esame.

C. Bishop, Museologia radicale, Editore: 2013
F. Bucci, A. Rossari (a cura di),, I musei e gli allestimenti di Franco Albini, Anno edizione: 2015
M. Cacciari, L'arcipelago, Editore: 1997
E. Canetti, Massa e potere, Anno edizione: 1990
E. Carmi, Branding design oriented. Progettare la marca. Una visione design oriented, Anno edizione: 2020
L.Carroll, Le avventure di Alice nel paese delle Meraviglie, Editore: 1865
Impresa Cultura: progettare e ripartire, 17° rapporto internazionale Federculture 2021 Lavoro e innovazione: le strategie per crescere, 18° rapporto internazionale Federculture 2022
L. Galimberti, Che razza di design, Anno edizione: 2011
L. Galimberti, Trentatrè piccole storie di design, Anno edizione: 2001
E. Manzini, Politiche del quotidiano,, Anno edizione: 2018
F. Caporale, La valorizzazione dei beni culturali-analisi giuridica delle trasformazioni in corso, Anno edizione: 2024
L. Galimberti, Angelo Cortesi - una vita nel progetto, Editore: ADIper, Anno edizione: 2024
Barbara Carnevali, Emanuele Quinz, Teorie del design in Italia 1954-1989, Editore: Einaudi, Anno edizione: 2026
Michele Kettmajer, La coscienza delegata. L'intelligenza artificiale sulla Terra, Editore: Luca Sossella Editore, Anno edizione: 2026

Sviluppare la conoscenza e la comprensione dei principi fondamentali del design digitale.
Promuovere la creatività e applicare concretamente gli strumenti del design nel processo di progettazione digitale.

Capacità di applicare i principi di design digitale per creare esperienze semplici, accattivanti e funzionali.
Abilità nel problem solving e nella gestione delle risorse nel contesto del design digitale.

Per un approfondimento: https://youtu.be/16G2NXtcJ68?si=EQ3M-rxGtvRPoF2y
Digital Design Playground
Learning by Playing. Designing for the Real World.
Il Digital Design Playground è un corso esperienziale che trasforma l'apprendimento del Digital Design in un laboratorio immersivo, creativo e collaborativo.
Non imparerai soltanto a progettare interfacce, ma a comprendere persone, business e contesti per costruire esperienze digitali che generano valore.
Il percorso unisce Design Research, UX, Visual Design e Intelligenza Artificiale attraverso il metodo Learning by Playing: un approccio fatto di sperimentazione continua, sfide, simulazioni e progetti reali.
L'obiettivo è formare designer capaci di affrontare la complessità delle organizzazioni moderne, dove creatività, strategia, tecnologia e AI lavorano insieme.
Struttura del corso
🔍 Design Research & Strategy
Il design inizia molto prima del primo wireframe.
Impareremo a comprendere persone, processi e obiettivi di business trasformando dati e insight in opportunità progettuali.
Focus
User Research
Service Design
Business Understanding
Problem Framing
Opportunity Mapping
✏️ UX Design
Dopo aver compreso il problema, progetteremo esperienze semplici, utili e sostenibili.
Dall'architettura dell'informazione ai flussi utente, fino ai prototipi interattivi.
Focus
Information Architecture
User Flows
Interaction Design
Wireframing
Rapid Prototyping
🎨 Visual Design & Engagement
L'ultima fase consiste nel dare forma all'esperienza.
Interfacce, linguaggio visivo, design system e comunicazione diventano strumenti per creare prodotti digitali memorabili.
Focus
UI Design
Visual Systems
Design Systems
Motion & Micro-interactions
Emotional Engagement
Cosa imparerai
Comprendere prima di progettare
Il valore di un designer nasce dalla capacità di fare le domande giuste prima ancora di trovare le risposte.
Imparerai a:
osservare utenti e contesti
analizzare bisogni e opportunità
trasformare insight in decisioni progettuali
costruire una visione condivisa del problema
Progettare esperienze digitali
Tradurre bisogni e strategie in prodotti e servizi digitali.
Lavoreremo su:
UX Design
Information Architecture
Interaction Design
Wireframing
Prototyping
Design System
UI e Visual Design
con un approccio molto vicino al lavoro quotidiano dei team di design all'interno delle aziende.
Disegnare all'interno di un'organizzazione
Oggi un designer non lavora da solo.
Collabora con Product Manager, Marketing, Business, Sviluppo, Data e stakeholder differenti.
Durante il corso imparerai a:
presentare e motivare le scelte progettuali
facilitare workshop e attività di co-design
collaborare in team multidisciplinari
progettare considerando impatto, fattibilità e valore per il business
Utilizzare l'AI come acceleratore del Design
L'intelligenza artificiale entra in gioco dopo aver costruito una comprensione solida del problema.
Non sostituisce il designer.
Ne amplifica velocità, capacità esplorativa e qualità delle decisioni.
Imparerai a utilizzare l'AI per:
accelerare la ricerca e l'analisi di contesto
esplorare rapidamente alternative progettuali
generare concept e wireframe
validare ipotesi progettuali
produrre prototipi e contenuti
costruire workflow Human + AI realmente utilizzabili nei team di design
AI Playground
L'AI Playground è il laboratorio pratico dedicato all'utilizzo dell'Intelligenza Artificiale all'interno del processo di progettazione.
Ogni attività sarà costruita per comprendere quando utilizzare l'AI e quando invece è il pensiero progettuale umano a fare la differenza.
Il principio del corso è semplice:
Understand → Design → Collaborate → Accelerate with AI
Prima comprendi.
Poi progetti.
Successivamente collabori con il team.
Infine utilizzi l'AI per accelerare il processo.
Metodologia
Learning by Playing
Ogni lezione alterna teoria e sperimentazione pratica.
Gli studenti saranno continuamente coinvolti in attività individuali e di gruppo.
✅ Quiz Interattivi
Per consolidare competenze e verificare l'apprendimento in tempo reale.
⏱️ Pressure Test
Sfide progettuali, escape room, simulazioni e attività a tempo per allenare pensiero critico, decision making e collaborazione.
🛠️ Skill Test
Valutazione delle competenze progettuali e dell'utilizzo consapevole dell'AI.
🤖 AI Playground
Sessioni pratiche dedicate alla collaborazione tra designer e strumenti di Intelligenza Artificiale.
Design Challenges con Brand Reali
Durante il corso, nelle ultime lezioni dedicate, lavoreremo su casi concreti sviluppati insieme ad aziende partner.
Ogni challenge riprodurrà il modo in cui un team di design opera realmente all'interno di un'organizzazione:
Understand → Explore → Design → Validate → Present
Dalla comprensione del problema alla presentazione finale della soluzione.
L'AI accompagnerà il processo come acceleratore della ricerca, dell'ideazione e della validazione, senza mai sostituire il pensiero progettuale.
Perché partecipare
Imparerai come lavora oggi un Digital Designer nelle aziende.
Svilupperai un approccio progettuale orientato a persone, business e tecnologia.
Integrerai l'AI all'interno del processo creativo in modo consapevole.
Riceverai feedback continuo da professionisti e aziende partner.
Costruirai un portfolio basato su progetti concreti e casi reali.
Allenerai pensiero critico, collaborazione e capacità di comunicazione.
Il profilo del partecipante ideale
Cerchiamo designer curiosi, aperti al cambiamento e desiderosi di sperimentare.
Persone che vogliano costruire un metodo prima ancora di imparare nuovi strumenti.
Le qualità che ricerchiamo sono:
curiosità
spirito critico
capacità di osservazione
collaborazione
creatività
adattabilità
voglia di sperimentare
interesse verso il ruolo dell'AI nel Design
🎯 Una classe selezionata di circa 25 Hero Designers, pronti a mettersi in gioco e a progettare il futuro.
Informazioni pratiche
Partecipazione attiva e obbligatoria
Microlezioni disponibili prima delle attività in aula
Conoscenza approfondita della lingua italiana richiesta (terminologia tecnica e ospiti specialistici)
Sede: Politecnico di Milano
Docente
Giuseppe Montella
Designer, Innovation Strategist e docente.
Chief Marketing & Design Officer di altermAInd, supporta aziende e organizzazioni nella progettazione di prodotti, servizi ed esperienze digitali, integrando Design, AI e innovazione organizzativa.
LinkedIn:
www.linkedin.com/in/giuseppe-montella
Video delle edizioni precedenti
🎬 Digital Design Playground 2026
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16G2NXtcJ68
🎬 Intro ufficiale 2024
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H79nhe553YU
📺 Playlist completa
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPUFKMct_XhTPO3T7EaBY3kPIi36j-Y2f

Prova orale obbligatoria
Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, di gruppo, con revisioni periodiche, con presentazione/discussione finale
Valutazione continua obbligatoria
Gli studenti che frequenteranno il corso saranno valutati rispetto a:

• Lezioni, partecipazione e contributo alle Design Challenge.
  Qualità della partecipazione, anche ai quiz educational e a pressure test/skill test.
  Frequenza; proattività; qualità delle domande e delle esercitazioni in classe.
• Esame finale orale.
  Possibilmente contestuale agli show degli studenti
  Partecipazione obbligatoria.

L'obiettivo del corso è trasmettere agli studenti abilità e competenze per comprendere, progettare e sviluppare strategie digitali per la gestione degli utenti dei servizi e delle attività aziendali.

Attività didattica svolta all'estero riconosciuta per crediti a scelta dello studente.

Attività didattica svolta all'estero riconosciuta per crediti a scelta dello studente.

L'insegnamento ha come obiettivo quello di fornire una metodologia pratica e articolata per la progettazione completa di un evento inteso come 'fatto unitario e complesso' finalizzato a comunicare in forme e modalità diverse 'qualcosa a qualcuno' in relazione alle esigenze dei committenti ed ai budget disponibili.

Lo studente:

• apprenderà una metodologia per progettare un evento,
• sarà in grado di rispondere alle richieste della committenza nel rispetto dei vincoli indicati.

Brief, concept, progetto, budget, comunicazione, produzione e feedback rappresentano tutte le fasi del ciclo di creazione di un evento che verranno analizzate, approfondite e sperimentate durante il corso con lezioni teoriche, l'esperienza di chi lavora da anni nel mondo degli eventi e l'esercitazione pratica.
Il corso, alla sua decima edizione, prevede di fornire una metodologia pratica e articolata per la progettazione completa di un evento inteso come 'fatto unitario e complesso' finalizzato a comunicare in forme e modalità diverse 'qualcosa a qualcuno' in relazione alle esigenze dei committenti ed ai budget disponibili.
Il corso si svilupperà seguendo le reali modalità e tempistiche del ciclo completo della vita di un evento: dall'analisi delle esigenze del committente alle prime formulazioni creative, dalla definizione del concept alla prima analisi di fattibilità, dalla presentazione del progetto di massima alla stesura del budget di riferimento, alla verifica dei feedback.
Sopralluoghi, visite e ricerche, aiuteranno ad approfondire metodologie di progettazione dell'evento in ogni sua particolare espressione concettuale, comunicativa e pratica.
Il budget, strumento di previsione e controllo di gestione, sarà al centro dell'attività sia creativa sia esecutiva e fornirà utili e basilari indicazioni anche per la definizione in termini economici e gestionali del proprio personale business sia per i futuri liberi professionisti, dipendenti o collaboratori a vario titolo. Verrà affrontato il tema delle location, dei fornitori di beni, servizi e mano d'opera, della loro ricerca, selezione e gestione.
Gli studenti si troveranno a doversi confrontare con tutti gli aspetti economici relativi all'organizzazione di un evento dovendo contabilizzare le ore di lavoro, le consulenze, la mano d'opera e i materiali richiesti per la riuscita del progetto. In questo panorama sarà chiesto loro di assegnare un valore anche alle ore di lavoro personale da loro svolte e verranno forniti gli strumenti per farne una stima.
Per rientrare nei budget forniti si troveranno a dover trattare con sponsorizzazioni, found raising, e a dover valutare vantaggi in comunicazione e possibilità a lavorare sottocosto o l'opportunità di alzare il preventivo.
La struttura stessa della materia di studio e del corso prevede una forte componente di interdisciplinarietà. Nella progettazione di un evento risultano fondamentali componenti di comunicazione, servizi, allestimenti e prodotto, per questa ragione gli studenti vengono spinti a creare gruppi misti trovandosi così, per la prima volta, nella condizione sviluppare la capacità di gestire un team con competenze diverse e complementari. Verranno organizzati alcune ore di lezione in scambio con altri corsi (ad esempio: Allestimenti) al fine di fornire agli studenti una molteplicità di stimoli.
Viene, inoltre, considerata interessante la possibilità di avere nei team di lavoro studenti stranieri che risultano spesso in grado di portare esperienze e punti di analisi innovativi.
Nella prima parte del corso viene chiesto agli studenti di analizzare sul campo uno degli eventi top nel panorama Italiano.
Gli studenti sono portati a realizzare un elaborato, cartaceo e digitale, che dimostri in maniera sintetica l'osservazione di dettaglio e l'analisi con occhio critico dell'intero format.
Durante tutta la durata del corso viene chiesto, inoltre, agli studenti di sviluppare un progetto, applicando le strategie e metodologie apprese a lezione.
L'esercitazione risulta particolarmente stimolante poiché il Brief di progetto viene fornito e presentato da un'azienda secondo le reali necessità di mercato.
Parte non secondaria avranno le tematiche relative alla comunicazione e ai linguaggi, come anche alle tecnologie e alla sostenibilità; quest'ultima sarà oggetto di approfondimenti, ritenendola tema strategico e spesso in rapporto contraddittorio con il carattere effimero degli eventi.
Gli studenti si troveranno a dover affrontare il tema della sostenibilità a 360 gradi dovendo così porre particolare attenzioni agli aspetti economici, ambientali, etici e alle logiche di sistema che regolano il mercato.
Durante il corso verranno presentate agli studenti, direttamente dalla viva voce dei protagonisti che ne hanno curato il progetto, alcune tra le più interessanti case-history di 'design degli eventi'.
Il corso tiene in sempre più ampia considerazione l'ambiente digitale sia come terreno comunicativo a supporto ed in sinergia con la progettazione di un evento fisico, sia come ambiente di sviluppo per eventi interamente virtuali. In entrambi i casi vengono vagliate con occhio critico le possibilità fornite dalla tecnologia e dal web 2.0 al fine di creare una cassa di risonanza in grado di colpire i target sensibili in relazione al cliente, creare comunità o inserirsi in quelle esistenti rafforzando il proprio posizionamento.
La docenza risulta sempre disponibile ad organizzare revisioni, sia in presenza che in via telematica, sia in orario di lezione che fuori. Questa opportunità è stata sempre ampiamente sfruttata dagli studenti che hanno generalmente manifestato grande interesse nel corso e lo hanno trasmesso con una grande dedizione al progetto e con la produzione di elaborati di altissima qualità.

Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, di gruppo, con revisioni periodiche, con presentazione/discussione finale
Risultati di apprendimento previsti:
La completa padronanza delle sette fasi che compongono il ciclo dell'evento e una particolare attenzione analitica del contesto e degli eventi che l'esperienza quotidiana ci sottopone. Un buona base per intraprendere collaborazioni sul tema o sviluppare propri progetti.
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PROVA IN ITINERE: Esercitazione su Awards - I saloni e Fuorisalone
Durante la settimana del Salone del Mobile e del Fuorisalone agli studenti verrà chiesto di visitare e vivere il maggior numero di eventi possibile, di documentarli e di dare 21 premi ad altrettanti eventi.
La valutazione dell'esercitazione si baserà su tre giudizi: coerenza e pertinenza dei contenuti, qualità e sintesi del linguaggio comunicativo e ampiezza e varietà dei casi presi in esame e documentati.
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ESAME FINALE
Durante tutta la durata del corso viene chiesto agli studenti di sviluppare un progetto, applicando le strategie e metodologie apprese a lezione fino alla completa progettazione di un evento.
Il progetto risulta particolarmente stimolante poiché il Brief di progetto viene fornito e presentato da un'azienda secondo le sue reali necessità di mercato.
I risultati della progettazione, dopo frequenti revisioni in aula costituiranno il cuore dell’esame finale del corso e le valutazioni si baseranno su tre giudizi: coerenza e pertinenza dei contenuti in funzione di tutti gli obbiettivi, di comunicazione e budget, qualità,sintesi ed efficacia del linguaggio comunicativo e infine ampiezza e varietà dei casi presi in esame e documentati.
Verranno valutate anche le capacità espressive di ogni singolo studente.
Durante il corso saranno possibili revisioni periodiche del progetto.

Schede e relazioni fornite durante il corso
Note: Le schede e le presentazioni presentate durante il corso verranno messe a disposizione degli studenti, diventando così materiale didattico.
Saverio Monno, Organizzare eventi. Guida pratica, Editore: Edizioni Dal Sud, Anno edizione: 2013
F. Golfetto, Fiere e Comunicazione, Editore: Egea, Anno edizione: 2004
Roberta Cocco, La magia degli eventi
Accattino Alfredo, Dizionario degli Eventi
Varriale Luisa, L'organizzazione degli eventi
Cozzi Pier Giorgio, Eventi. Strumenti di comunicazione per le imprese del terzo millennio, Editore: Lupetti
Cercola Raffaele, Izzo Francesco, Bonetti Enrico, Eventi e strategie di marketing territoriale. I network, gli attorni e le dinamiche relazionali, Editore: Franco Angeli
Argano Lucio, Bollo Alessandro, Dalla Sega Paolo, Vivalda Candida, Gli eventi culturali. Ideazione, progettazione, marketing e comunicazione, Editore: Franco Angeli
Bistagnino Luigi, Design sistemico. Progettare la sostenibilità produttiva e ambientale, Editore: Slow Food
Anil Seth, Il cervello in 30 secondi, Editore: Logos Edizioni
Fernando Savater, Politica per un figlio, Editore: Laterza, Anno edizione: 2008
Daniel Goleman, Intelligenza emotiva, Editore: Bur Rizzoli, Anno edizione: 2013

The teaching is the conclusive moment of the study course, systematizing and verifying the knowledge acquired, applying it through the typical methods of a tender, developing an overall project in the spatial design ambit.
L'insegnamento si pone come momento conclusivo del corso di studi mettendo a sistema e verifiando le conoscenze acquisite applicandole attraverso le modalità tipiche del concorso siluppando un progetto complesso nell'abito dello spatial design

Students:

• are familiar with and understand the processes, methods and instruments required for interpreting in a critical manner the design themes in the widest context of cultural, social and technological transformation;
• know how to elaborate a design, with particular attention on the functional, typological, structural and technical aspects.
• operate and communicate the design choices made independently and in a team, developing an aptitude for negotiation, team building, leadership and conflict management
  Lo studente:
• conosce e comprende i processi, metodi e strumenti per interpretare in modo critico le tematiche del progetto nel piu ampio contesto delle trasformazioni culturali, sociali e tecnologiche;
• sa elaborare un progetto con particolare attenzione
  agli aspetti funzionali, tipologici, strutturali e tecnici.
• in autonomia e in gruppo opera e comunica le scelte progettuali effettuate, sviluppando attitudini alla negoziazione, al teambuilding, all'assunzione di leadership e alla gestione del conflitto

Inhabiting Today: mutazioni ed evoluzioni della cellula abitativa
Inhabiting Today: Mutations and Evolutions of the Housing Unit
[OPEN NEIGHBORHOODS. Per un'evoluzione genetica del metabolismo urbano]
Da alcuni anni i nostri Laboratori di Progetto si propongono di leggere, interpretare e rielaborare il valore specifico del “Design degli interni”, sondando il vasto campo “aperto” della ricerca progettuale relativa ai caratteri più profondi e mutevoli dell'abitare, inteso in tutte le sue estensioni, che sono all'origine delle modificazioni urbane.
Tale percorso di ricerca ha avuto nel tempo una costante matrice nello sviluppo, in diverse forme, prospettive e luoghi, del concetto di “rifunzionalizzazione” degli spazi interni ed esterni, in un quadro che abbiamo definito di “evoluzione genetica del metabolismo urbano”. Una visione progettuale questa che si fonda sull'analisi e l'innovativa lettura critica delle contemporanee (e prossime venture) condizioni dell'abitare nel fluire delle trasformazioni urbane.
Quest’anno intendiamo affrontare direttamente il nucleo essenziale del tema ABITARE, ovvero la cosiddetta CELLULA ABITATIVA, definita più comunemente e genericamente con il termine “CASA”. Naturalmente ricordandoci bene quanto aveva scritto Ernesto Nathan Rogers a completamento del titolo storico della rivista “Domus”, quando lui la diresse dal 1946 al 1948, ovvero “DOMUS – LA CASA DELL’UOMO”. E anche se immaginiamo fosse già ben sottinteso in quel sottotitolo, ci permettiamo di farlo nostro espandendo ancora più esplicitamente il senso, intendendo con ciò “la casa di tutti gli esseri”: donne, uomini, LGBTQIA+, malati, bambini e anziani, ecc. contemplando anche la presenza affettiva degli animali domestici. In tal senso la definizione “CELLULA” ci interessa particolarmente per l’evidente rimando al modello biologico associativo e rizomatico (con funzioni specialistiche, ma anche con proprietà plurifunzionali) oltre che di organismo sistemico vivo ed osmotico.
Con il fondamentale contributo di Giordana Ferri, docente invitata e rinomata esperta del tema Social Housing (nonché Direttore Esecutivo della Fondazione Housing Sociale), verranno individuati dei casi specifici e dei precisi modelli abitativi (alcuni già in essere, altri in fase di progetto) sui quali svolgere, con gli strumenti del design degli interni, delle ricerche “in vitro”, dove sperimentare nuove formule abitative, nuovi dispositivi per una più flessibile modificazione spaziale, dove verificare le possibili contaminazioni di varie culture abitative (geografiche, generazionali, sociali, ecc.) e le possibili interpolazioni e impreviste combinazioni dei vari modelli funzionali “standard” (living, soggiorno, cucina, bagno, corridoio, zona notte, zona giorno, esterni, ecc.), e ipotizzare proposte progettuali in grado di smontare e rimontare in maniera inedita e stimolante il grande tema dell’ABITARE contemporaneo e prossimo venturo.
A supporto della fase progettuale del corso si prevedono appuntamenti settimanali con diversi progettisti che hanno affrontato in maniera significativa e con vari approcci le molteplici forme del tema ABITARE, i quali attraverso incontri in aula o a distanza, moderati dai docenti del corso, offriranno una speciale occasione di approfondimento, di dialogo e di scambio collettivo.
Il laboratorio prosegue la sperimentazione avviata nei precedenti anni sul tema generale, ma è in fase di valutazione la sperimentazione su una differente tipologia di applicazione (edificio in linea o a torre), che sarà comunicata ad inizio corso.
PRESENTAZIONE LABORATORIO: Presentazione 4 sett 2025 low.pdf
Short summary in English:
This design studio explores the "housing unit" (cellula abitativa) as the essential core of inhabiting, building on the lab's ongoing research into the "genetic evolution of urban metabolism" and the repurposing of interior/exterior spaces. Moving beyond the generic idea of "house," the course frames dwelling as home for all beings — women, men, LGBTQIA+ people, the sick, children, the elderly, and pets — drawing on the biological metaphor of the "cell" as a rhizomatic, multifunctional, living system. With guest expert Giordana Ferri (Social Housing specialist), students will study existing and planned housing models through interior-design research, testing flexible spatial devices, cross-cultural contaminations, and unexpected recombinations of standard functional zones (living, kitchen, bathroom, sleeping/day areas, etc.). Weekly meetings with professors, tutors, practicing designers will support the design phase, continuing prior years' research while considering a shift toward a new building typology (linear block or tower), to be confirmed at the course's start.

Prova orale obbligatoria
Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, di gruppo, con revisioni periodiche, con presentazione/discussione finale
Il lavoro (da svolgersi in gruppo) si articolerà in una fase di ricerca metaprogettuale (problem setting) volta ad analizzare la realtà urbana presa in causa, casi studio particolarmente significativi, volta inoltre ad individuare scenari innovativi per la fruizione della città e per la generazione di nuovi “comportamenti abitativi”.
Seguirà una fase di definizione del concept (problem solving) e la messa a punto del progetto in termini allestitivi e comunicativi.
Il Laboratorio prevede:

• una serie di lezioni ex cattedra tenute dai docenti del corso concentrate prevalentemente nella prima parte del semestre;
• seminari tematici con ospiti esterni;
• sopralluoghi area di progetto;
• verifiche in itinere;
• revisioni ai gruppi di lavoro sul tema di progetto;
• esame finale con consegna di tavole, book, modelli e presentazione video (maggiori specifiche verranno date nel corso del laboratorio);
• mostra finale.
  Come tutti i Laboratori in genere anche per questo è prevista la frequenza obbligatoria.

Ferri, G. e Scandurra, A., Casa Rebus, Editore: LetteraVentidue, Anno edizione: 2023
Lecce, C., The Smart Home An exploration of how Media Technologies have influenced Interior. Design visions from the last century till today, Editore: FrancoAngeli, Anno edizione: 2020
Bosoni, G., From Reclamation to Regeneration. Dal recupero alla rigenerazione / Lotus International, Anno edizione: 2019, Fascicolo: 169
Finessi, B. (a cura di), Stanze, altre filosofie dell'abitare, Editore: Marsilio, Anno edizione: 2016
Ferri, G. e Pacucci L. (a cura di), Realizzare housing sociale. Promemoria per chi progetta, Editore: Bruno Mondadori, Anno edizione: 2015
Bosoni, G., Architetture parassite / Parasitic Architecture, Modi e luoghi di un nuovo bricolage genetico del metabolismo urbano / Lotus International, Anno edizione: 2008, Fascicolo: 133
E. Elgani, M. Monchiero, INTERIORS IN THE AGE OF UNCERTAINTY. Future-proofing design practices, Editore: FrancoAngeli, Anno edizione: 2024, ISBN: 9788835165460 https://series.francoangeli.it/index.php/oa/catalog/book/1169

The teaching is the conclusive moment of the study course, systematizing and verifying the knowledge acquired, applying it through the typical methods of a tender, developing an overall project in the spatial design ambit.

Students:

• are familiar with and understand the processes, methods and instruments required for interpreting in a critical manner the design themes in the widest context of cultural, social and technological transformation;
• know how to elaborate a design, with particular attention on the functional, typological, structural and technical aspects.
• operate and communicate the design choices made independently and in a team, developing an aptitude for negotiation, team building, leadership and conflict management

MAIN TOPIC / NEW CULTURAL LANDSCAPES
The proposed studio-lab is not thematic, but methodological. In fact, the ultimate goal is not to respond to the demand for a specific theme/type/function, but rather to focus on the development of one's own design methodology. A highly experimental workshop, in which the ability to manage cultural inputs to be transformed into project elements will be particularly stimulated.

• The notion of Culture implies an artificial and anthropological action.
• Design itself is an artificial and anthropological activity.
• Every Design action inevitably implies a Cultural dimension.
  We propose a design research project focusing on a New Artificial Landscape: a Territory.
  The concept of ‘territory’ goes beyond the mere dimension of landscape, encompassing cultural, social and political elements, as well as their development over time.
  Territory: the etymology points to verbs denoting agricultural activities: terere, to plough; arare, to break up clods of earth; tauritorium, land tilled by oxen. However, the possible derivation from terreo, terrēre – to terrify, to frighten – is also of interest (suggesting a defensive/hostile connotation of territorialisation). The etymology of the term contains two constituent elements of the concept of territorialisation: 1) that linked to the primary activities which transform a geographical space into a space for habitation; 2) that which, in various senses (ethological, geopolitical), will be taken up in the sector-specific definitions of certain disciplines, and which connotes an idea of space that is appropriative, defensive or exclusionary.
  Within this complex context, we can include examples from the ‘Culture of Design’, such as Archizoom’s "No Stop City", Superstudio’s "Momento Continuo", Andrea Branzi’s "Agronica", Kisho Kurokawa’s "Agricultural City" and others.
  Final Output:
  Technical Book (A4)
  Mock-up (1:500)
  Video (90sec)
  Board of synthesis (A0)
  ZOOM / INTERIOR LANDSCAPING AND DESIGN STORYTELLING _Francesco Messori
  This course is a “design workout” aimed at releasing the muscles of the imagination, at training the tools of expression and visualization, at learning how to tell stories through the physical power of the spaces.
  How to design interiors out of the dominance of the cultural stereotypes. How to build a storytelling trough spatial composition, to touch the soul and the emotional attachment of the people who experience it.
  Design is art, and as music it is based on composition, storytelling and meaning, it is a discipline that need to be mastered in it’s processes, techniques and tools, it is time to experience it in its purest essence.
  The course will be totally analogic, the use of computers or digital devices will be accepted only to support research or as base for manual design or prints as a base for collages or referments.
  Every student will have a sketchbook to use for this experience.
  All the result could be digitalized into a presentation for communicative reasons.

Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, di gruppo, con revisioni periodiche, con presentazione/discussione finale
Le attività di laboratorio sono organizzate attraverso fasi di sviluppo del progetto che saranno valutate separatamente e concorreranno in modo proporzionale alla valutazione finale. Saranno valutate anche l'interazione con il corpo docenti, la proattività nello svolgimento del progetto e la continuità di presenza e impegno per la durata del laboratorio.
The studio is based on phases to develop the final outcome. These phases will be separately assessed and will proportionally be part of the final evaluation. Interaction with the teaching staff, proactivity when developing the project and engagement and commitment through the whole design studio will be assessed too.

Andrea Branzi, Weak and diffuse modernity, Editore: skira, Anno edizione: 2006
Ezio Manzini, design, when everybody designs, Editore: MIT press, Anno edizione: 2015
Victor Margolin, Design Discourse, Editore: university of Chicago press, Anno edizione: 1989, ISBN: 0226505146
I. Beka, L. Lemoine, The emotional Power of Space, Anno edizione: 2023
Yona Friedman, Architettura di sopravvivenza (the architecture of survival)
F. Trabucco, Design, Editore: Bollati Boringhieri, Anno edizione: 2015, ISBN: 9788833926636

The teaching is the conclusive moment of the study course, systematizing and verifying the knowledge acquired, applying it through the typical methods of a tender, developing an overall project in the spatial design ambit.

Students:

• are familiar with and understand the processes, methods and instruments required for interpreting in a critical manner the design themes in the widest context of cultural, social and technological transformation;
• know how to elaborate a design, with particular attention on the functional, typological, structural and technical aspects.
• operate and communicate the design choices made independently and in a team, developing an aptitude for negotiation, team building, leadership and conflict management

CityMatters: Elders and Elderly +
Agency, Integration, and New Hybrid Typologies and Models in Milan
The 2026 CityMatters Studio will design new ways of living in a connected, integrated, and comprehensive Milan. New housing typologies and models will be initiated and developed by each student group in the studio. Beyond interior and spatial design, the studio will integrate existing and new services, systems, products, landscapes, and urbanscapes that emerge in the processes of research and design over the duration of the studio. The interior and exterior spatial opportunities, with landscape and urban opportunities, will have a particular focus towards the elders and elderly.. but not in an exclusive way.
Rather, the studio, and the work of the studio, strives to make the city of Milano ever more open, connected, and inclusive.
The “elderly” are now the largest, and, at times, the most invested, wealthy, and proactive demographic in many nations. They are not a monolithic, homogenous group of people.
Many elders are established leaders in businesses and various professions, including the arts, entertainment, and sports. The “elderly” may also be the most vulnerable and underrepresented demographic.
Clearly, there are needs, obligations, and opportunities.
How do we act upon all of this?
How do we stop the isolation and abuses, and foster the abilities, skills, and potentials?
How do we increase care, connections, health, and well-being?
How do we engage the enormous opportunities and threats presented
by this demographic shift?
How do we respond, as designers, to our obligations and opportunities?
Initial Themes_ Studio Foundations_ Provocations:
*** Common theme for the studio and all groups:
_ New living and urban models/typologies/services + housing + systems + products: living and care, new or existing family concepts + integration and diversity, hybridity/innovation/invention, private/semi-private/semi-public/public housing and services + various scales and levels of the individual and the collective… within the context of underutilized buildings and locations in Milan.
Possible additional group themes as starting foundational points:
_ Movement and mobility: freedom, change, independence, and community… “La Passeggiata”
_ Nature + natural/urban environments: parks, people, and piazze integrated and connected, new natural and urban models or ecologies, gardens,and gardening…
_ Food: nutrition, production, diet + diversity, quality, access and distribution… “La Sagra”
_ Education: continuous, diverse, hobbies + new ventures, tutor vs mentor, teacher vs student (2-way relationships), new learnings and hybrid (art, technology, philosophy...)
_ Work: productivity, purpose, volunteering, contribution... 2-ways+
_ Play 1: leisure + entertainment, family/friends/community + storytelling, new models and rituals…
_ Play 2: formal and more institutional (theater/arena/museum/school/music/plays) + culture(s)…
_ Science and technology: biological, ecological, neurological, behavioral, etc... media (intelligent) + AI + robotics… change + process(es)/methodologies/systems… adaptive and generative systems
_ Agency and equity: voice, presence, choice, power, policies and legislation, security, safety…
_ Media and mediated environments/situations: social media, new media, experiences, new drivers + constituents, new topics/needs/desires/expectations, representation, voice, presence, change, new modalities (e.g. hybridity) + hybridity with the ‘physical’ world…
CityMatters has been addressing a serial body of themes and foundations over the years, such as:
_Interior and spatial design, inclusive of landscape and urbanism, and merging with product, service, and system design
_The city + paradigms, processes, components, etc...
_Open, diffuse, diverse… open, connected, and inclusive... transversal… lightness… hybrid
_Future Scenarios… vision, strategies, and tactics…
_Past, present, future… (time and time-based design + presence ++ motion, movement, and change)
_Change, flow, relations… dynamic, complex and adaptive systems… change over time…
_Comprehensive, responsible design
_Emergence and emergent processes... Starting points, process, and iterative work.
_New, innovative work... not predetermined and/or simply imported.
_Be careful and aware of potential stereotypes and prejudices: the "elderly" are not a monolithic, homogenous body. It is diverse and complex, like other demographic groups.
_Understand and design for 'access and distribution'… a true sense of equity and agency... openness...
_Dignity and care... be full of care, be careful... and don't be afraid of anything!
_Motion / movement... work, think, and design with motion and movement over time and space... motion graphics, animation, digital, and 3D models... it's the 21st century, challenge static ('paper') mediums.
Propriety… innovation… invention… novelty (the 'new')… humor (at least a sense of…)
_Trust and happiness are important... dancing too... do not worry, enjoy your work, and do your best...
_learn and produce... produce and learn...
“I like to call institutions availabilities. It is a better word than institutions.
We hear a lot about planning, but no one mentions that the real measure of a city is the nature and the character of its availabilities. It is not the traffic system, nor the services. It is the availabilities which a city gives. All other things only serve those availabilities.
I have seen a great deal of the order in city building, and there must be considerations for the services not to be isolated from each other. We need an order of services. You don't consider a traffic system without considering the order of movement.
There must be an order of movement, an order of winds, an order of light.”
Louis Kahn, The Words of Louis I. Kahn, 1986
Addressing the elderly population, inclusive of others, means addressing
how you will deal with your parents, your grandparents,
and yourself in the future.
And how your grandparents, parents, you, and future generations
will be engaged, accommodated, and treated in the future...
and how the city will meet you and others.
Our work today will influence what housing and living look like in the near future,
and how it can be a hybrid of typologies and forms that
incorporate nature and the city fluidly.
What new products, services, systems, and spatial conditions
will be the availabilities, affordances, rituals, actions, and institutions
in everyone's future.
Partial Bibliography:
Bachelard, Gaston The Poetics of Space. Boston: Beacon Press, 1969.
Berger, John, Ways of Seeing ”, London: British Broadcasting Corporation and Penguin Books, 1973.
Brooker G., Stone S., Re-readings: Interior Architecture and the Design Principles of Remodeling Existing Buildings, London: RIBA Enterprises, 2004.
Calvino, Italo, Invisible Cities. New York: Harvest/Harcourt & Brace, 1972.
Lynch, Kevin, The Image of the City. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press, 1960.
Lyndon, Donlyn and Moore, Charles, Chambers for a Memory Palace. Cambridge, Massachusetts: MIT Press, 1994.
Norberg-Schulz, Christian, Genius Loci: Towards a Phenomenology of Architecture. New York: Rizzoli, 1980.
Pallasmaa, Juhani, The Eyes of the Skin: Architecture and the Senses. Academy and John Wiley & Sons. 1995/2005.
Pierini, Orsina Simona and Isastia, Alessandro, CASE MILANESI: 1923 – 1973. Milano, Italia, 2017.
Rasmussen, Steen Eiler, Experiencing Architecture. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press, 1964.
Sennett, Richard, The Craftsman. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2008.
Sherwood, Roger, Modern Housing Prototypes. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1978.
Venturi, Robert, Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture. New York: Museum of Modern Art, 1966.
Woodham, Jonathan, Twentieth-Century Design. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1997.
Wrede, Stuart and Adams, Willaim Howard, ed., Denatured Visions: Landscape and Culture in the Twentieth Century. New York, NY: The Museum of Modern Art, 1991.

Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, di gruppo, con revisioni periodiche, con presentazione/discussione finale
The structure of the course includes lectures, self-directed and guided research, on-site visit and direct interactions with key partners and constituents, possible co-working/co-creating sessions, iterative design work, group tutorials, formal presentations and graded reviews (at least three), with additional lectures and participation from external professionals and relevant community/industry members.
This is a semester-long project and will be done in phases that will sequentially facilitate the research and design work. The students will work, collaborate, and compete in groups. The student groups will have the opportunity to work at different scales and in various typologies. All students in all groups must be active participants and consistent contributors to the group and the studio.
The requirement for the work to speak for itself will proceed hand in hand with the requirement of short, precise verbalization of the design work that will be reduced over the semester to its elimination for the last review/final exam. The design intentions and the design work must ultimately be clear and articulate… and must be communicated visually through drawings, models, prototypes, diagrams (including motion graphics), images, videos, sketchbooks, keywords, key images, renderings, text, titles, graphs, labels, etc. The work must speak fully for itself. The structure of the studio is designed in sequential phases.
Readings, lectures, in-situ visits, case studies, prototyping, and iterative design work will be combined with photography, video, animation, sketching, diagramming, writing, drawing, and modeling. “Modeling” will include, as relevant for the articulation of the research and design work, immersive digital (still and moving) images, physical scale models, prototypes, and diagrams. “Drawing” will include sketches, diagrams, and scaled plans, sections, and elevations. All will serve to articulate the ideas and programmatic intentions of the proposals, and should exhibit the expression and understanding of scale, mood, concept, emotion, intention, material, context, etc… As always, and of course, the students are asked to be creative, curious, inventive, innovative, opportunistic, entrepreneurial, productive, and generous...!

The teaching is the conclusive moment of the study course, systematizing and verifying the knowledge acquired, applying it through the typical methods of a tender, developing an overall project in the spatial design ambit.
Specifically, the course X-HABITAT aims to explore the design of adaptive and resilient spatial systems for human dwelling in extreme environmental conditions. Drawing inspiration from flexible dwelling paradigms, students will develop advanced design strategies capable of responding to spatial, environmental, and technological constraints. Students will critically engage with the challenges posed by conventional design methods in extreme environments and will be guided toward creating holistic spatial solutions that combine functionality, aesthetics, and environmental performance.

Students will be able to:
familiarize with and understand the processes, methods and instruments required for interpreting in a critical manner the design themes in the widest context of cultural, social and technological transformation;
know how to elaborate a design, with particular attention on the functional, typological, structural and technical aspects;
operate and communicate the design choices made independently and in a team, developing an aptitude for negotiation, team building, leadership and conflict management;
Develop innovative spatial strategies for dwelling in extreme environmental contexts, integrating performance-based thinking into spatial and interior design processes and translating environmental constraints into creative design opportunities;
Apply interdisciplinary knowledge – from material science to environmental systems – to inform spatial design;
develop planning soft skills on problem setting and problem solving and communication soft skill on working in multicultural groups and manage interpersonal conflicts.

Topics Covered
Extreme, emergency and humanitarian contexts, from maritime rescue operations to land-based structures, are a paradigmatic example of extreme design environments: limited space, mobility or rapid deployment, healthcare requirements, and complex operational conditions converge under situations of uncertainty and urgency. Rescue vessels and reception facilities are no longer conceived solely as functional infrastructure; they are increasingly required to provide temporary accommodation and primary care for displaced people over extended periods, in response to shifting geopolitical scenarios and growing political pressures. The studio investigates these emergency environments, in their maritime and terrestrial forms, as laboratories for innovation, exploring how spatial and interior design can improve safety, dignity, well-being, and operational efficiency in highly constrained settings.
The course will cover the following topics:
Spaces of rescue and care: emergency and first-aid environments, whether aboard vessels or on land.
Reception and accommodation: temporary community and medical structures for displaced or rescued people.
Flexible dwelling concepts: modularity, transformability, and reversibility under spatial and operational constraints.
Human factors in extreme and humanitarian environments: ergonomics, psychology, and well-being under conditions of urgency and confinement.
Material innovation and technologies: lightweight structures, prefabrication, and rapidly deployable systems.
Narratives and empathy: storytelling and testimony as tools for grounding design in lived humanitarian experience.
Approach & Methodology
A multidisciplinary approach is essential for the creation of new professionals capable of speaking different design languages and managing science and beauty, as well as technology and sustainability, according to human needs.
Exploring extreme environments offers students the chance to think outside the box and the opportunity to increase their ability to imagine and design new habitats capable of protecting people from hostile environments and offering a high level of comfort, expressed in the details of the construction elements and furnishings that compose the living landscape.
Through the Usage Gesture Design (UGD) methodology, designed specifically for Space and extreme environments, interior design is not limited to the creation of architecture and environments, but also involves the ability to “predict” behaviours and gestures in relation to the use of the designed architecture and environments.
The Final Synthesis Design Studio includes:
Lectures by the course instructors, primarily concentrated in the first part of the semester
Thematic seminars with invited external guests
Regular project critiques and mentoring for each design group
A final exam including submission of design boards, physical or digital models, a comprehensive project book, and a video presentation (specific requirements will be detailed during the course)
A final public exhibition of selected work
A multidisciplinary approach is essential for the creation of new professionals capable of speaking different design languages and managing science and beauty, as well as technology and sustainability, according to human needs.
Engaging with the theme of emergency spaces offers students the opportunity to design environments that must protect people in conditions of extreme vulnerability, across different settings and scales, while maintaining functional efficiency and a high level of care, expressed in the spatial organization, materials, and details of the designed environments.

Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, di gruppo, con revisioni periodiche, con presentazione/discussione finale
Valutazione continua obbligatoria
Student will be evaluated on the results of class activities and class interaction as well as on final presentation of the developed projects (in groups). Knowledge acquired during frontal lectures will be monitored through in class feedback session.
The course evaluation will be structured around a group project, which unfolds through multiple phases aimed at developing a comprehensive and context-aware design proposal. These phases will be separately assessed and will proportionally be part of the final evaluation (specific studio structure will be detailed at the beginning of the semester). Interaction with the teaching staff, proactivity when developing the project and engagement and commitment through the whole design studio will also be considered.
Attendance is mandatory and active participation is an essential component of the studio. Grades will be for single student.

Heingartner, D., Mobile Homer, Editore: Artbyte, Anno edizione: 2001
Kronenburg, R., Architecture in motion: the history and development of portable building, Editore: Routledge, Anno edizione: 2013
Roke, R., Mobitecture: Architecture on the move, Editore: Phaidon, Anno edizione: 2017
Siegal, J., Mobile: the art of portable architecture., Editore: Princeton Architectural Press
Schwartz-Clauss, M., & Vegesack, A. V., Living in motion: design and architecture for flexible dwelling., Editore: Weil am Rhein, Anno edizione: 2002
Siegal, J., Mobile: the art of portable architecture., Editore: Princeton Architectural Press, Anno edizione: 2002
UNHCR Shelter and Settlement Section. (2016). Shelter Design Catalogue. UNHCR.
Murphy Jr, M. P., & Ricks, A, Beyond shelter: architecture and human dignity, Editore: Metropolis Books, Anno edizione: 2013
Ksamija, A., Majzoub, R., & Philippou, M., Design to live: Everyday inventions from a refugee camp, Editore: MIT Press., Anno edizione: 2021

Il corso intende offrire agli studenti gli strumenti per comprendere una delle trasformazioni più significative del design italiano contemporaneo: il passaggio dal progetto inteso come produzione di oggetti al progetto come sistema di relazioni, ricerca, comunicazione, esperienza e innovazione.
Attraverso l'incontro diretto con i protagonisti di questa stagione, gli studenti saranno guidati a leggere criticamente i diversi modi di interpretare il mestiere del designer, comprendendone il metodo di lavoro, i processi creativi, il rapporto con le imprese, la costruzione del linguaggio progettuale e le strategie attraverso cui ogni autore ha saputo confrontarsi con i cambiamenti economici, tecnologici e culturali del nuovo millennio.
Il corso si propone inoltre di collocare questa generazione all'interno della storia del design italiano, evidenziandone il rapporto con i grandi Maestri del Novecento. Non una semplice continuità, ma un dialogo critico capace di trasformare l'eredità ricevuta in nuove forme di ricerca, sperimentazione e innovazione.
Particolare attenzione sarà dedicata all'ampliamento dei confini disciplinari del progetto. Gli studenti saranno invitati a osservare come il design abbia progressivamente esteso il proprio campo d'azione verso il digitale, la comunicazione, i servizi, la moda, il food, gli allestimenti, l'innovazione sociale e la cultura d'impresa, acquisendo un ruolo sempre più trasversale nella società contemporanea.
L'obiettivo finale non è soltanto trasmettere conoscenze storiche, ma sviluppare uno sguardo critico sul progetto contemporaneo. Attraverso il confronto con esperienze e percorsi professionali differenti, gli studenti saranno chiamati a costruire una propria capacità di interpretazione, riconoscendo nel design uno strumento di lettura della realtà e di trasformazione del futuro.

Lo studente:

• sa individuare elementi di significato e simbolici corrispondenti a specifici contesti di riferimento per il progetto che si andrà a sviluppare;
• sa analizzare autonomamente e in maniera critica i contesti di riferimento;
• sa come orientarsi nell'approfondimento critico di specifici argomenti.

Design italiano.
Eredi_Eretici_Esploratori
Una generazione del progetto italiano (1965–1975)
Ogni epoca riconosce i propri Maestri. Esiste però un momento in cui una nuova generazione entra in scena senza poter più essere definita "giovane" e senza appartenere ancora alla storia. È la generazione che raccoglie un'eredità, mette in discussione le regole ricevute e apre nuovi territori del progetto.
Dopo il primo ciclo Maestri, dedicato ai protagonisti del design italiano nati tra il 1935 e il 1955, questo corso è rivolto ai progettisti nati fra la metà degli anni Sessanta e la metà degli anni Settanta: designer che hanno ridefinito il significato del progetto nell'età della globalizzazione, della rivoluzione digitale e della contaminazione tra discipline.
Tre parole ne sintetizzano il profilo: Eredi, perché raccolgono il patrimonio culturale del design italiano; Eretici, perché ne mettono in discussione linguaggi e gerarchie; Esploratori, perché conducono il design oltre il prodotto industriale, aprendolo ai servizi, alla comunicazione, al digitale, alla moda, al food, agli allestimenti, all'innovazione sociale e ai nuovi sistemi produttivi.
Tra la fine degli anni Novanta e i primi Duemila questa generazione emerse con forza, trovando una prima ricognizione nella mostra The New Italian Design (2007). A quasi vent'anni di distanza, quei progettisti possono essere riletti come gli autori che hanno costruito il lessico del design contemporaneo, conquistando una riconosciuta autorevolezza internazionale.
La loro affermazione coincide con una profonda trasformazione del progetto: il design non è più soltanto oggetto industriale, ma processo, esperienza, ricerca, comunicazione e sistema di relazioni. Pur seguendo percorsi differenti, questi protagonisti condividono un rapporto libero e maturo con i grandi Maestri del Novecento, assunti non come modelli da imitare ma come patrimonio da reinterpretare criticamente.
Il corso offrirà agli studenti l'opportunità di incontrare direttamente questi progettisti, comprenderne il metodo di lavoro, il rapporto con le imprese e i processi creativi, collocando il loro contributo in una prospettiva storica.
Ogni incontro prevede un'introduzione critica della docente, una lectio magistralis dell'ospite e un dialogo finale con gli studenti. Durante il semestre ciascun partecipante realizzerà un Diario, strumento personale di osservazione e riflessione critica che accompagnerà l'intero percorso.

Prova orale obbligatoria
Progetto/i - Elaborato/i facoltativo (a scelta dello studente), individuale, senza revisioni periodiche, con presentazione/discussione finale
La frequenza è obbligatoria. Il corso si fonda sull'incontro diretto con i protagonisti del design italiano contemporaneo: ogni lezione è un'occasione di confronto tra docente, autore e studenti. L'ascolto delle testimonianze, il dialogo e la partecipazione attiva costituiscono parte integrante del percorso formativo e non sono sostituibili con il solo studio individuale.
Esame
L'esame si svolgerà in forma orale e prenderà avvio dall'approfondimento critico di due autori scelti dallo studente. A questa parte si affiancherà, a scelta, un elaborato progettuale da svolgere singolarmente o in gruppo: 1) progetto/metaprogetto ispirato a uno dei designer del corso; 2) progetto curatoriale di una mostra dedicata a cinque autori, definendone concept, percorso espositivo e criteri di selezione.

Il corso si propone di sviluppare un approccio etnografico inteso come mezzo per sviluppare competenze di comprensione della città attraverso l'osservazione, la descrizione, l'interpretazione e la rappresentazione dello spazio urbano nelle sue configurazioni e trasformazioni materiali e sociali. Obiettivo principale del corso è sviluppare competenze nella ricerca, interpretazione e descrizione attraverso testi e reportage fotografici del funzionamento degli spazi urbani.

L'insegnamento ha obiettivi molto concreti, vale a dire far apprendere agli studenti:

• come lavorare con la luce artificiale;
• come progettare delle installazioni urbane luminose;
• come confrontarsi con realtà aziendali e con sponsor;
• come realizzare i progetti ed esporli a Sanremo e a Verona.

Gli studenti saranno in grado di:

• conoscere il linguaggio della luce;
• utilizzare la luce artificiale, ricorrendo alle sue potenzialità;
• capire come l’illuminazione può cambiare la qualità di un progetto;
• progettare una installazione urbana;
• confrontarsi con il contesto urbano;
• spettacolarizzare la proposta progettuale, in modo da aumentarne l’impatto.

PARTECIPAZIONE FESTIVAL DI SANREMO. PROGETTO. Tema del corso è la partecipazione al Festival di Sanremo 2028 con una festa di luce, vale a dire una serie di installazioni luminose collocate nella città e accanto al Teatro Ariston, durante la settimana in cui si svolgerà la rassegna di canzoni, trasmessa da RAI 1. Alcuni studenti dell’A.A 2022-23 hanno già esposto i loro progetti al Festival 2024, con un’ampia visibilità da parte dei media e la partecipazione della RAI. E nel febbraio 2027 verranno esposte le installazioni progettate durante lo scorso anno accademico.
SI tratta di un'occasione unica per dei giovani, che avranno la possibilità di veder realizzato un loro progetto e di mostrarlo a migliaia di persone in loco e a un pubblico pressoch infinito, approfittando di un "palcoscenico" di grande visibilità e grazie alla presenza della RAI, con cui stiamo collaborando.
Gli studenti dovranno progettare una installazione urbana luminosa (in una strada o in una piazza), in cui la luce sia protagonista e che sia concretamente realizzabile. I progetti degli studenti saranno seguiti via via dal gruppo docente, in modo da fornire loro tutto il supporto tecnico e artistico di cui potranno avere necessità.
Il corso è diviso in due parti:
a) nella prima parte, più teorica, le lezioni saranno indirizzate a spiegare il significato di illuminazione urbana e spettacolare e di luce come momento di valorizzazione e di festa, e come procedere per un progetto di questo tipo (utilizzeremo soprattutto immagini, spezzoni di film, video-clip musicali etc.);
b) nella seconda parte, gli studenti svilupperanno i loro progetti e, ogni settimana, faremo delle revisioni per seguire via via il lavoro, in modo dettagliato.
Durante il corso sono in calendario, come attività didattica:
1) un sopralluogo a Sanremo; ( martedì 22 settembre);
2) una visita alla Biennale di Venezia; (martedì 29 settembre);
3) una visita allo show room di iGuzzini, a Milano, per mostrare agli studenti gli apparecchi illuminanti di ultima generazione.
Verrà fornito un calendario con date e argomenti delle lezioni e degli incontri.
E’ possibile la partecipazione, a due lezioni, di due docenti esterni.
BIBLIOGRAFIA
Sono convinto che, per imparare a “progettare” la luce, non servano testi specifici: il mestiere si impara lavorando e, soprattutto, osservando con attenzione. Dunque, i soli due testi che vi propongo servono a farvi capire le enormi potenzialità della fantasia e la necessità di non limitarla; e anche ad usare bene la lingua italiana (i due autori sono quelli che utilizzano la lingua più bella della letteratura italiana).

• Carlo Collodi, LE AVVENTURE DI PINOCCHIO, Giunti, Firenze, Milano;
• Italo Calvino, LE CITTA’ INVISIBILI, Mondadori, Milano.
  FILMOGRAFIA
  Importantissimo, per acquisire sensibilità verso la luce e per capire i suoi infiniti utilizzi, la visione (piacevole) di questi film, scelti fra i i capolavori della storia del cinema e fra quelli in cui la luce gioca un ruolo fondamentale.
• Charlie Chaplin, IL MONELLO (USA, 1921)
• Charlie Chaplin, LA FEBBRE DELL’ORO (USA, 1925)
• Joseph von Sternberg, L’ANGELO AZZURRO (Germania, 1930)
• Charlie Chaplin, LE LUCI DELLA CITTA’(USA, 1931)
• Jean Vigo, L’ATALANTE (Francia, 1934)
• Charlie Chaplin, TEMPI MODERNI (USA, 1936)
• Ernst Lubitsch, ANGELO (USA, 1937)
• Walt Disney, FANTASIA (USA, 1940)
• Roberto Rossellini, ROMA CITTA’ APERTA (Italia, 1945)
• Alfred Hitchcock, NOTORIUS (USA, 1945)
• Vincente Minnelli, UN AMERICANO A PARIGI (USA, 1951)
• Stanley Donen, CANTANDO SOTTO LA PIOGGIA (USA, 1952)
• Federico Fellini, LA STRADA (Italia, 1954)
• Luchino Visconti, SENSO (Italia, 1954)
• Alfred Hitchcock, CACCIA AL LADRO (USA, 1955)
• Luchino Visconti, LE NOTTI BIANCHE (Italia, 1957)
• Jacques Tati, MON ONCLE (Mio zio) (Francia, 1958)
• Vittorio de Sica, LA CIOCIARA (Italia, 1960)
• Michelangelo Antonioni, LA NOTTE (Italia,1960)
• Federico Fellini, LA DOLCE VITA (Italia, 1960)
• Walt Disney, LA CARICA DEI 101 (USA, 1961)
• Federico Fellini, LE TENTAZIONI DEL DOTTOR ANTONIO, da BOCCACCIO ‘70, (Italia, 1962)
• Pier Paolo Pasolini, MAMMA ROMA (Italia, 1962)
• Francois Truffaut, JULES ET JIM (Francia, 1962)
• Federico Fellini, OTTO E MEZZO (Italia, 1963)
• Damiano Damiani, LA NOIA (Italia, 1963)
• Luchino Visconti, IL GATTOPARDO (Italia, 1963)
• Jacques Demy, LES PARAPLUIES DE CHERBOURG (Francia, 1964)
• Franco Zeffirelli, ROMEO E GIULIETTA (Gran Bretagna, Italia, 1968)
• George Dunning, YELLOW SUBMARINE (Gran Bretagna, 1968)
• Stanley Kubrick, ARANCIA MECCANICA (Gran Bretagna, 1972)
• Franco Zeffirelli, FRATELLO SOLE, SORELLA LUNA (Italia, 1972)
• Norman Jewison, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (USA, 1973)
• Francois Truffaut, EFFETTO NOTTE (Francia, 1973)
• Stanley Kubrick, BARRY LINDON (Gran Bretagna, 1975)
• Steven Spielberg, INCONTRI RAVVICINATI DEL TERZO TIPO (USA, 1977)
• Ingmar Bergman, FANNY E ALEXANDER (Svezia, 1982)
• Andrej Tarkovskj, NOSTALGHIA (Italia, 1983)
• Jerry Kramer, JACKSON’S THRILLER (USA, 1983)
• James Ivory, CAMERA CON VISTA (Gran Bretagna, 1985)
• Federico Fellini, INTERVISTA (Italia, 1987)
• Ettore Scola, LA FAMIGLIA (Italia, 1987)
• Robert Zenneckis, CHI HA INCASTRATO ROGER RABBIT? (USA, 1988)
• Walt Disney, IL RE LEONE (USA, 1994)
• Wim Wenders, LISBON STORY (Portogallo, 1994)
• Eric Rohmer, RACCONTO D’AUTUNNO (Francia, 1998)
• Wong Kar-wai, IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE (Cina, 2000)
• Jean Pierre Jeunet, IL FAVOLOSO MONDO DI AMELIE (Francia, 2001)
• Kim Ki-duc, PRIMAVERA, ESTATE, AUTUNNO, INVERNO… E ANCORA PRIMAVERA (Corea del Sud, 2003)
• Phyllida Lloyd, MAMMA MIA (USA, 2008)
• Quentin Tarantino, BASTARDI SENZA GLORIA (USA, 2009)
• Anne Fontaine, COCO AVANT CHANEL (Francia, 2009)
• Michel Hazanavicius, THE ARTIST (Francia, 2011)
• Martin Scorsese, HUGO CABRET (USA, 2011)
• Paolo Sorrentino, LA GRANDE BELLEZZA (Italia, 2013)
• Damien Chazelle, LA LA LAND (USA, 2016)
• Bong Joo-ho, PARASITE (Corea del Sud, 2019)
• Bradley Cooper, E’ NATA UNA STELLA (USA, 2018)
• Greta Gerwig, BARBIE (USA, 2023)
• David Frankel, IL DIAVOLO VESTE PRADA 2 (USA, 2026)
• Antoine Fuqua, MICHAEL (USA, 2026)

Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, di gruppo, con revisioni periodiche, con presentazione/discussione finale
Il corso prevede frequenza obbligatoria.
Saranno valutati i progetti finali. La valutazione terrà conto dell'idea di partenza, dello sviluppo progettuale, della realizzabilità e della presentazione su tavole grafiche.

Carlo Collodi, Le avventure di Pinocchio, Editore: Giunti
Italo Calvino, Le città invisibili, Editore: Einaudi

Questo corso insegna i concetti fondamentali, i quadri teorici e i casi esemplari per comprendere l'innovazione e la gestione dell'innovazione nell'assistenza sanitaria e sociale. Gli studenti acquisiranno familiarità con le sfide peculiari di (i) generare nuovi prodotti e servizi, (ii) raccogliere prove attraverso diversi studi clinici per convalidarli e (iii) commercializzare queste innovazioni attraverso modelli di business originali. Gli studenti svilupperanno una comprensione approfondita delle principali sfide affrontate dalle parti interessate più rilevanti nell'ecosistema sanitario e sociale (ad esempio, MedTech e aziende farmaceutiche, operatori sanitari, dirigenti ospedalieri, agenzie regolatorie, ecc.) che sono coinvolti nelle diverse fasi del processo di innovazione.
La teoria sarà sempre abbinata alla pratica e, in questa prospettiva, senior manager e professionisti, esperti internazionali parteciperanno alle lezioni per condividere le loro esperienze e pensieri sull'assistenza sanitaria e sociale di prossima generazione. Dopo aver introdotto gli studenti a una comprensione preliminare dell'ecosistema sanitario e dell'assistenza sociale, le lezioni copriranno tre argomenti principali: (i) sfide dell'innovazione e della gestione dell'innovazione nell'assistenza sanitaria e sociale; ii) valutazione dell'innovazione dell'assistenza sanitaria e sociale da un approccio multiprospettico; e (iii) strategie go-to-market per l'innovazione dell'assistenza sanitaria e sociale con particolare attenzione ai modelli di business istituzionali, out-of-pocket e basati sui dati (piattaforme). Le competenze sviluppate in questo corso saranno preziose per tutti gli studenti, che sono interessati a praticare l'innovazione in contesti professionali, ad alta intensità di conoscenza e regolamentati.

Il corso "Proprietà Intellettuale e Brevetti nell'Innovazione" fornisce competenze teoriche e pratiche per guidare e coordinare le attività di R&S&I. Più in dettaglio, si compone di due parti complementari: la prima riguarda lo sfruttamento dei brevetti come fonte di informazioni tecniche per l'intelligence competitiva e l'estrazione di informazioni a supporto delle attività di innovazione. Questa parte del programma copre i fondamenti della Proprietà Intellettuale e i criteri di brevettabilità; fornisce competenze teoriche e pratiche per la ricerca e l'analisi brevettuale, sia attraverso strumenti manuali sia informatici. Particolare attenzione è dedicata alle risorse nel campo delle "Green Technologies". La seconda parte del modulo è dedicata a un'indagine sui principali meccanismi che caratterizzano la concorrenza tra tecnologie alternative, i principali modelli che descrivono le dinamiche di innovazione e una rassegna di metodologie di previsione tecnologica. Il corso fornisce anche competenze applicative per supportare l'analisi del panorama tecnologico mediante indagini brevettuali.

Il tirocinio, mediante la pratica di lavoro, permette di verificare e completare gli insegnamenti teorici e metodologici ricevuti nell' ambito della formazione. Le attività didattico-formative previste all'interno dei Corsi di Laurea e Laurea Magistrale prevedono conoscenze utili per l'inserimento nel mondo del lavoro e volte ad agevolare le scelte professionali, mediante la conoscenza diretta del settore lavorativo cui il titolo di studio può dare accesso.

Il tirocinio, mediante la pratica di lavoro, permette di verificare e completare gli insegnamenti teorici e metodologici ricevuti nell' ambito della formazione.
Le attività didattico-formative previste all'interno dei Corsi di Laurea e Laurea Magistrale prevedono conoscenze utili per l'inserimento nel mondo del lavoro e volte ad agevolare le scelte professionali, mediante la conoscenza diretta del settore lavorativo cui il titolo di studio può dare accesso

To introduce the Italian Design way and explain our method to develop furniture design products for the company we work with.

The capability to develop a furniture design project in group and argue the choices.

The course “Italian Design Way, An Introduction”, aim to introduce the reasons of the success of the Italian System in Furniture Design. During the lessons, the students will know some insights about Design History, the Use of Materials, the Special Relation between Entrepreneurs and Designers. The second part of the course is focused on the Development of a Furniture Product. There are several lessons to drive every student in the project development.

Prova scritta obbligatoria, con prove in itinere
Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, di gruppo, con revisioni periodiche, con presentazione/discussione finale
The Course is structured in 14 lessons. The first six lessons aim to introduce the reason of the uniqueness of Italian Design, how and why Milan became the world wild capital of furniture design. The role of entrepreneurs, designers, the cultural debate, the beginning and the growth of Milan Furniture Fair. The evaluation of the first part is based on individual assignments. This assessment will make up 70% of the total grade. The second part of the course is dedicated to the development of a product of furniture design. The students will work in groups. The eight lessons of project development will have the continuous collaboration between the teacher and the different groups in order to follow the development of the project step by step. At the end of the course, the exam will be based on the project presentation. This assessment will make up 30% of the total grade.

This teaching examines landscape design through the lens of evolving historical and contemporary processes and their interactions with people and communities. It also raises critical questions concerning widespread, planetary-scale human practices and the extent to which they may be considered sustainable or unsustainable. A critical perspective will constitute a foundational component of the course. Students will also be invited to participate in a specially curated online lecture series developed in collaboration with metaLAB (at) Harvard.

By the end of this teaching, students will be able to analyse and understand the complexity of contemporary public landscapes, ecosystems, regenerative ecological processes, and emerging approaches to ecology. Students will complete the course having developed an independent and informed critical perspective on landscape design.

Evolving Landscapes
The course aims to provide students with a critical understanding of the complexities involved in landscape planning and of the environmental challenges currently affecting the planet. Particular attention will be devoted to the analysis of public landscape projects, history of gardens and natural and anthropic ecosystems from different parts of the world. Human-made and human-altered open spaces—including squares, parks, streets, abandoned sites, historic gardens, and installations—as well as natural landscapes and ecosystems will be examined across a wide range of geographical contexts, including Europe, North, Central, and South America, Africa, Indochina, and Australia. These examples will be analysed in order to identify the visible and invisible dynamic systems that shape landscapes over time.
The course also seeks to stimulate the development of visionary approaches to landscape design capable of fostering stronger human relationships, supporting land conservation, inclusivity, advancing non-anthropocentric perspectives, encouraging co-existences, improving interspecies interactions, and creating distinctive ecological identities within public spaces.
Topics for the Digital Works
Sustainable? _Nature: The New Rebel Citizen_Urban Landscape and Feelings_New Public Coexistences.
Students will be encouraged to engage in open discussion and to develop bold, visionary ideas or strategies for public spaces and communities.

Prova orale obbligatoria
Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, di gruppo, senza revisioni periodiche, con presentazione/discussione finale
Students Attending the Course.
Assessment will consist of a group-based final discussion addressing the content of the online lectures, together with the production of two digital works: ONE A3 MANIFESTO; ONE SHORT MOVIE, with a maximum duration of three to five minutes.
Students Not Attending the Course.
Assessment will consist of an individual final discussion based on: TWO BOOKS OR ESSAYS selected by the student on contemporary or historical landscape design or architecture; ONE SHORT MOVIE, with a maximum duration of three to five minutes.

L’insegnamento esamina le variabili di avvio e gestione di un progetto di Licensing, esaminando le relazioni sempre più stringenti con le attività di Brand Extension, Contract, Merchandising, Brand Protection, aree e attività oggi interconnesse con un obiettivo comune: perseguire la crescita del business attraverso la valorizzazione del brand in tutti gli ambiti e settori merceologici. Nel corso verranno approfonditi i rapporti di partnership tra PMI (Piccole e Medie Imprese) italiane e i grandi brand internazionali nel realizzare nuovi prodotti.

L’insegnamento fornisce gli strumenti atti a potersi esprimere nel campo del lavoro, da subito, a buoni livelli professionali.
Lo studente alla fine dell’insegnamento sarà in grado di:

• Costruire la catena del valore del brand attreverso il merchandising, la brand-extension, il licensing, la brand-protection.
• Progettare lo sviluppo delle licenze peri brand attraverso il Marketing, la strategia, la comunicazione, la distribuzione.

High-level training course to develop specific competencies on Brand Extension, licensing, franchising and merchandising in fashion and upper class.
The educational setting of seminar is innovative and interactive. It takes the covered topics with synergy and cross-reference, correlating them in a sort of “direction” enabling the student to check through the educational path the combined learning of a different subjects, directly putting into practice with the partnering Companies, different stages of creativity.
Traditional classes are integrated with case studies, interviews with well known entrepreneurs, group sessions and exercises, Company visit.
The subjects included in this course, will be developed crossing application classes into different research fields such us: the brand value chain, the brand communication values, the brand extension (vertical and horizontal), from third partying to partnership, creativity and licensing, product personalization, retailing identity, the brand as an asset. During the project work, in particular, the participants, thanks to the extensive use of small working teams supervised by a tutor, can test and implement the knowledge and the teamwork skills so far developed.

• - - - - - - - -
  I perchè di questo Corso
  Il desiderio di offrire un Corso sul tema della Brand-Extension e del Licensing, ha l’ambizione di nascere in un panorama economico in continua evoluzione.
  Il Corso esamina le variabili di avvio e gestione di un progetto di Brand Extension, analizzando le relazioni con le attività di Licensing, Franchising e Merchandising, aree e attività con un obiettivo comune: ricercare la crescita del business. Un accesso privilegiato a un network di eccellenza incontri e dibattiti con imprenditori e manager di successo.
  Valore aggiunto del Corso è offrire agli studenti le linee guida per comprendere l’interesse ad approfondire temi legati alla Brand Extension. Offriamo agli studenti gli strumenti per comprendere se vogliono intraprendere una carriera di Brand Manager o Brand Extension Manager. Vogliamo trasmettere ai “futuri manager” una sensibilità al design e allo stile e, al tempo stesso, fornire ai futuri designer la capacità manageriale per sviluppare progetti sostenibili economicamente.
  La formula didattica utilizzata è fortemente orientata alla gestione pratica del lavoro grazie a workshop svolti in collaborazione con importanti brand in cui si studieranno e progetteranno le strategie più innovative.
  L’impostazione didattica è di tipo innovativo e interattivo, in quanto affronta in modo sinergico e trasversale i temi trattati, e li correla tra loro tramite una sorta di “regia”.
  Lo studente avrà la possibilità di legare tra di loro diverse materie, mettendo in pratica i diversi ambiti di creatività anche grazie alla partecipazione e agli interventi delle aziende partner.
  Durante il Corso si ascoltano le testimonianze di professionisti e top manager per iniziare ad avere un’overview sul mondo di riferimento con testimonianze da tutto il mondo.
  Alle lezioni tradizionali si alternano discussioni di casi, incontri con esponenti del mondo imprenditoriale, esercitazioni e lavori applicativi:
  · Company Visit: attività sul campo per valorizzare sul campo le competenze acquisite;
  · One Day Challenge: veri e propri progetti commissionati dalle aziende e da presentare ai top manager aziendali che daranno il loro giudizio

Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, individuale, con revisioni periodiche, con presentazione/discussione finale
Valutazione continua obbligatoria
Il Corso si compone di lezioni frontali con testimonianze di operatori del settore in cui verranno approfondite le diverse tematiche. A supporto di queste si svilupperanno project work applicativi direttamente con le aziende partner.
La frequenza è obbligatoria (con un monte-ore minimo pari all'80% del totale).
I project-work saranno individuali
La valutazione sarà la media dei voti riferiti ai project-work sviluppati durante il corso.

Marco Turinetto, Idee in Movimento: il valore economico dell'innovazione, Editore: Lupetti, Anno edizione: 2018, ISBN: 978-88-8391-278-8
Marco Turinetto, From Italy: l'unicit  del saper pensare e fare italiano, Editore: Lupetti Editore, Anno edizione: 2012, ISBN: 978-88-8391-366-2
Marco Turinetto, From Italy: Value as an Attitude, Editore: Lupetti Editore, Anno edizione: 2014, ISBN: 978-88-8391-332-7

The course will develop some lessons about the Italian fashion system, compared to other countries. A workshop will be held, with the aim of developing a collection.

The student will understand the chromatic choices of the fashion world and how to develop a collection linked to new values like social and enviromental sustainability.

Fashion brands are redifining their business models through planning new strategies and ways of offering their goods, underlining new experiential and innovative solutions in order to reach new kinds of costumers while facing the expectations of a new global market which is getting more and more transverse. So brands are moving towards a concept based on lifestyle which at the beginning is affecting the fashion area and then extending to design brands.
This evolution requires a deep knowledge of a system of goods planned around symbols, values and knowledges which put together management, art and crafts skills inspired by art which is typical of the excellence of Made in Italy, that is little by little switching to Lifestyle branding and Italian lifestyle.
In this perspective textile companies besides exploring technological innovations in order to be competitive with companies from countries where the cost of labour is much lower, must find new areas of business like, as an example, the area of interiors.
The course will develop some lessons on the Italian fashion system compared to other countries and then there will be a workshop developing a collection planned for different areas like as an example transports, community spaces, private environments planned for differents cultural areas. Through the workshop the student will understand the chromatic choice of the fashion world, how to develop a collection linked to new values like social and enviromental sustainability.
In fact sustainability isn’t any longer a temporary trend but a new approach to the product and a new way of thinking company links with the world around.
It’s getting more and more a new strategic asset to be developed in order to discover different ways of producing goods deeply linked to a systemic vision where greater and greater care is given to service design.

Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, di gruppo, con revisioni periodiche, con presentazione/discussione finale
At the beginning of the course a full brief will be provided. The final test will be based on a group project.

L'obiettivo dell’insegnamento è di individuare tecniche di modellazione top-down per superfici utili alla realizzazione di modelli CAD tridimensionali che uniscano qualità estetiche espressive alla fattibilità a livello industriale.

Lo studente:

• Conoscenza e capacità di comprensione (knowledge and understanding): conosce e comprende tecniche di modellazione top-down per superfici utili alla realizzazione di modelli CAD tridimensionali
• Autonomia di giudizio (making judgements): in autonomia sa integrare nello sviluppo dei modelli anche le conoscenze acquistite anche da altri contributi disciplinari.

Nel corso, gli studenti saranno valutati attraverso la produzione di un elaborato finale creato usando SolidWorks e Rhinoceros, nei rispettivi ambiti: progettazione di un cinematismo e di scocche estetiche. I parametri quantitativi e qualitativi di valutazione includono precisione delle misure, complessità geometrica, ottimizzazione dei materiali, qualità estetica, funzionalità del meccanismo, integrazione tra forma e funzione, e innovazione. Il voto finale sarà determinato in base alla qualità del progetto finale e della partecipazione in aula.
Durante il corso, gli studenti approfondiranno le tecniche avanzate di modellazione di prodotti a elevato contenuto estetico, con un focus particolare sull'uso di metodi di progettazione parametrica e generativa. Sarà posta grande enfasi sulla modellazione Top-Down, un approccio che permetterà di integrare in modo efficiente sia gli aspetti meccanici e di cinematismo che quelli estetici. Gli studenti impareranno a gestire con precisione la progettazione di sistemi complessi, sviluppando pattern sofisticati su superfici a doppia curvatura, ottenendo così un controllo ottimale delle forme e delle funzionalità del prodotto finale.

Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, individuale, con revisioni periodiche, senza presentazione/discussione finale
Il corso prevede un progetto finale diviso in due moduli, una per ogni software propsoto (SolidWorks e Rhinoceros3D) finalizzate all'ottenimento di un progetto finale che riunisca le due attività precedentemetne svolte.
La prima esercitazione si svolgerà attraverso l'utilizzo del software Solidworks con lo scopo di progettare e prototipare un cinematismo di un utensile o similare.
L'obiettivo del modulo è di consolodiare l'utilizzo degli strumenti avanzati di SW per arrivare alla progettazione funzionale di un assieme con sistema cinematico.
Il secondo modulo, sviluppato con Rhinoceros, tratterà invece della progettazione estetica e di dettaglio dell'utensile utilizzando il meccanismo progettato nella prima esercitazione come base schematica per lo sviluppo di un oggetto ad elevato valore estetico.
Il voto finale sarà media del voto ottenuto nello sviluppo dei due moduli incrementato, o ridotto, dalla partecipazione alle lezioni, frequenza, complessità del tema proposto.
Principali parametri Quantitativi che verranno valutati:
Precisione delle Misure: Grado di accuratezza nel rispetto delle dimensioni e delle tolleranze indicate nel progetto finale.
Completezza del Sistema Cinematico (SolidWorks): Numero e correttezza dei componenti e dei vincoli cinematici realizzati per garantire il corretto funzionamento dell'assieme.
Numero di Iterazioni di Prototipazione: Numero di versioni prototipate e revisionate durante il processo di progettazione del cinematismo.
Complessità Geometrica del Design (Rhinoceros): Numero di superfici complesse o doppia curvatura integrate nel design estetico finale.
Ottimizzazione dei Materiali: Valutazione dell’efficienza nell’utilizzo dei materiali, con particolare attenzione a ridurre gli sprechi e migliorare la sostenibilità del progetto.
Principali parametri Qualitativi che verranno valutati:
Qualità Estetica del Design (Rhinoceros): Valutazione dell'appeal visivo, coerenza stilistica e innovazione estetica nel design finale dell'utensile.
Funzionalità e Efficienza del Meccanismo (SolidWorks): Valutazione dell’efficacia del meccanismo progettato, con particolare attenzione alla fluidità e affidabilità del movimento.
Integrazione tra Forma e Funzione: Capacità di integrare il meccanismo funzionale con un design estetico che valorizzi sia l’usabilità sia l’aspetto del prodotto finale.
Innovazione e Originalità: Grado di innovazione nelle soluzioni proposte sia a livello di meccanismo sia a livello di design estetico.
Coerenza del Processo Progettuale: Valutazione della coerenza e logica seguita nel processo progettuale, dalla concezione iniziale alla realizzazione finale.

Obiettivo dell'insegnamento è quello di sviluppare la sensibilità del futuro progettista nei confronti delle tecnologie e dei materiali più innovativi per il settore del design e in particolare delle nanotecnologie e dei materiali funzionali in un’ottica di sviluppo sostenibile ed economia circolare.

Lo studente:

• Conoscenza e capacità di comprensione (knowledge and understanding): conosce e comprende le tecnologie e i materiali più innovativi per il settore del design e in particolare delle nanotecnologie e dei materiali funzionali;
  -Conoscenza e capacità di comprensione applicate (applying knowledge and understanding): sa integrare nanotecnologie e materiali funzionali nel processo di sviluppo di nuovi prodotti.

Il programma affronta le innovazioni e l'evoluzione nei materiali e nelle tecnologie industriali. Il corso analizza le soluzioni ingegneristiche e nanotecnologiche più innovative — tra cui sol-gel, leghe a memoria di forma e materiali fotocromici — con particolare focus sui materiali funzionali e sulle loro applicazioni concrete nel mondo del design.
I partecipanti acquisiranno competenze chiave sugli aspetti associati alla sostenibilità, attraverso la trattazione di argomenti quali biopolimeri, materiali da valorizzazione di scarti, ma anche di active e smart packaging.
Le varie tematiche verranno trattate integrando casi studio recenti attraverso una discussione attiva con la classe sulle performance ingegneristiche, caratteristiche estetico-sensoriali e proprietà di fine vita.
Il corso integra una parte relativa a basi metodologiche per la ricerca scientifica, il reperimento delle fonti e la redazione di elaborati tecnici e accademici, a supporto del raggiungimento dei risultati di apprendimento attesi.
L’insegnamento si articola in lezioni frontali, seminari e incontri con aziende ed esperti del settore, e una sessione laboratoriale. Sarà possibile organizzare visite presso realtà industriali e/o presso istituzioni rilevanti per l’innovazione nei materiali (es. ADI Design Museum).

Prova scritta condizionata (a scelta del docente), senza prove in itinere
Prova orale condizionata (a scelta del docente)
Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, di gruppo, con revisioni periodiche, con presentazione/discussione finale
Durante il semestre sono previste esercitazioni facoltative, utili per supportare la preparazione.
Tutti gli studenti, frequentanti e non frequentanti, svolgeranno un lavoro di approfondimento obbligatorio, preferibilmente in gruppo. L’elaborato risultante verrà valutato considerando la capacità di organizzare le conoscenze acquisite in un testo coerente, sviluppare e comunicare un pensiero critico, nonché comprendere e integrare le innovazioni nel processo di sviluppo di nuovi prodotti.
Studenti frequentanti:
Al termine delle lezioni, verrà proposto un quiz finale di valutazione. Qualora studenti e studentesse frequentanti otterranno valutazione sufficiente ad almeno il 70% dei quiz proposti, verranno esentati/e dall’esame scritto. La media dei voti del quiz costituirà il 50% del voto finale.
Il lavoro di approfondimento obbligatorio peserà per il 40% del voto totale.
Studenti e studentesse frequentanti presenteranno il lavoro di approfondimento sotto forma episodio di podcast alla fine del corso. Quest’ultimo peserà nella valutazione per il rimanente 10% del totale.
Studenti NON frequentanti:
Secondo il calendario stabilito dalla Scuola, è previsto un esame scritto composto da domande aperte e quiz a scelta multipla, relativi agli argomenti trattati durante il corso. Le prove, atte a verificare la conoscenza e la comprensione, peseranno per il 35% e 15% sul voto finale, rispettivamente.
Similarmente a studenti e studentesse frequentanti, il lavoro di approfondimento obbligatorio peserà per il 40% del voto totale. Il lavoro verrà presentato in sede di esame mediante una presentazione con slide e peserà nella valutazione per il rimanente 10% del totale.

Asbhy, M.F., Materials and sustainable development, Editore: Butterworth-Heinemann, Anno edizione: 2022
Daniel L. Schodek, Paulo Ferreira, Michael Ashby, Nanomaterials, Nanotechnologies and Design, Editore: Elsevier Science & Technology, Anno edizione: 2009
Addington, M., Schodek, D., Smart Materials and Technologies, Editore: Elsevier, Anno edizione: 2005
Ritter, A, Smart materials in architecture, interior architecture and design, Editore: Birkh¤user Verlag AG, Anno edizione: 2007
Ashby, M., Johnson, K, Materiali e Design, Editore: CEA Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, Anno edizione: 2010
Note: edizione italiana a cura di M. Levi, MP. Pedeferri, B. Del Curto, V. Rognoli
Del Curto B., Nanotecnologie e materiali funzionali. Strumenti per una nuova progettualità, Editore: Epitesto, Anno edizione: 2008
Del Curto B., Fiorani E., Passaro C., La pelle del design. Progettare la sensorialitÂ, Editore: Lupetti, Anno edizione: 2010
Eric. H. Cornish N., Materiali progetto industriale e design, Editore: Hoepli, Anno edizione: 1992
Pacchioni, G., Materiali fantastici e come crearli. Dal grafene al computer quantistico, le nanotecnologie che ci cambiano la vita, Editore: Zanichelli, Anno edizione: 2023

The course aims to equip students with the ability to design Employee Experiences that are aligned with organizational culture, a competency that is increasingly relevant in contemporary organizations.
The course includes a collaboration with a partner company, which will be presented as a case study.
Students will learn how to analyze and map existing organizational culture through the company’s processes and will acquire methods and tools to design new Employee Experiences aligned with a desired cultural vision.
Students will work in teams on the company brief and will have the opportunity to interact directly with company representatives, as well as to explore the organizational context as part of their research activities.

By the end of the course, students will be able to:
analyze and map the Employee Experience
analyze and map the key elements of organizational culture
design effective cultural interventions, including the definition of distinctive behaviors and nudging strategies
apply behavioural design principles to support the design process

Organizational Culture Design is a course grounded in the principles of Service Design, aimed at exploring its application within the domain of Organizational Culture. Specifically, the course focuses on how Service Design and Design Thinking methods and tools can be applied to design the key elements that shape organizational cultures.
The course introduces the main phases of the Employee Experience, understood as the lifecycle of an employee within an organization, and provides students with techniques to design effective and meaningful processes and experiences.
Students will explore the core components of a Cultural Manifesto, including its underlying values, and will be guided in designing the distinctive behaviors that embody these values, making organizational culture tangible and coherent.
In addition, the course introduces the fundamentals of Behavioural Design and Nudging as key approaches to support behavior design.

Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, di gruppo, con revisioni periodiche, con presentazione/discussione finale
Valutazione continua obbligatoria
Students will be evaluated based on assignments given during the course.
The final evaluation of the student will be the result of the sum of the different evaluations.
There will be individual and group assignments.

Serena Leonardi, Martina Rossi, Eleonora Valè, Organizational Culture Design, Editore: Guerini Next, Anno edizione: 2025
Schein, E.H. and Schein, P.A., Organizational Culture and Leadership, Editore: Wiley & Sons, Anno edizione: 2017
Martina Rossi, Human Resource Design, Editore: Springer
Daniel Kahneman, Thinking Fast and Slow
Thaler, R. H., & Sunstein, C. R., Nudge, Editore: Penguin, Anno edizione: 2009

The objective of the course is to present the main technologies and methods for generating a digital 3D model acquiring a real scene. This possibility can be used in different applications in the Design field, for example digitalising a physical model that represents a “concept” developed manually; render a real digitalized object in a synthetic 3D scene and viceversa; produce the reverse modelling of an old industrial product to restyle it, etc. At the end of the course, students will be able to select the most suitable technology for the different project purposes, use it considering the inevitable size artefacts, and carry out the creation and post-production of a polygon model starting from a cloud of measured 3D points.

Students:

• applying knowledge and understanding: know the 3D modelling and reverse modelling software for creating digital prototypes;
• making judgements: can use the software studied, making suitable technological choices;
• communication skills: can build digital prototypes using 3D modelling and reverse modelling, useful for project representation and visualisation.

Theoretical introduction
Overview on fields of application, case histories
General information on 3D measurement methods, with and without contact.
Nature of light.
Light-matter interaction.
Taxonomy of non-contact systems based on different forms of radiant energy.
Passive and active 3D sensing techniques.
Active 3D sensors
Active systems based on triangulation:
Laser scanner with single spot, single light plane, multiple light planes;
Full-field measurement based on fringe projection.
Active systems based on measurement of distances:
Time of Flight (TOF) measurement;
Phase Shift measurement on sinusoidally modulated light (PS);
Phase Shift on frequency-modulated light (FM-CW).
Principles of 3D metrology
Characterization of the errors of a range device.
Study of the possible artifacts generated by an active sensor.
Construction of polygonal models from acquired data
Topological concepts.
Working pipeline: draft project; acquisition, meshing; alignment; Iterative Closest Point (ICP) algorithm; merge; optimization; editing.
Passive 3D sensors.
Principles of photogrammetry.
Camera calibration.
Structure from motion, image matching, generation of dense 3D clouds.
Creating models from images.
Editing and re-texturing.
Standard software packages for achieving the entire Reverse Modeling process with active and passive techniques.

Prova scritta obbligatoria, con prove in itinere
Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, di gruppo, con revisioni periodiche, con presentazione/discussione finale
The overall evaluation will be based on:
1 multiple choice theoretical test, based on the contents illustrated in class and the bibliography texts (individual evaluation);
1 exercise with active and/or passive acquisition techniques (individual or group evaluation, based on the number of students attending the couse);
A critical presentation of the work carried out at the end of the course.
Attendance at in-person classes is mandatory.

Lecture slides https://webeep.polimi.it/
Gabriele Guidi and Fabio Remondino, 3D Modelling from Real Data, Editore: Intech, Editore: Catalin Alexandru, Anno edizione: 2012, ISBN: 978-953-51-0012-6
Luhmann, Thomas; Robson, Stuart; Kyle, Stephen; Boehm, Jan, Close-Range Photogrammetry and 3D Imaging, Editore: De Gruyter, Anno edizione: 2014, ISBN: 978-3-11-030278-3
Gabriele Guidi, Michele Russo, Jean-Angelo Beraldin, Acquisizione 3D e modellazione poligonale, Editore: McGraw-Hill,, Anno edizione: 2010, ISBN: 9788838665318

La semiotica è un approccio ampio all'analisi del significato, del ragionamento, della cultura. L'insegnamento esamina questioni teoriche sul modo in cui il design di un messaggio o di un prodotto influenza il suo significato. Gli studenti applicheranno gli strumenti semiotici all'analisi di un caso studio.

The course aims at providing the students with computational tools for the generation of images and objects with a focus on shape, texture and color. In this context the purpose of the mathematical description of objects and transformations is not merely descriptive, but most of all creative since, thanks to parametrization, we can easily explore multiple different realizations. The ability to devise algorithms and code them in a programming language is a key ingredient in this process. To follow the course effectively a basic knowledge of trigonometry and vector geometry is beneficial.

The sudent:

• knows and understands the mathematical and computer tools for the generation of images and objects;
• is able to apply the aforementioned tools;
• is able to choose the best tools to develope a project.

The course is intended to provide the mathematical and computer tools for the generation of images objects focusing on shape, texture and color. In particular the following topics will be addressed

• Elaboration of raster images as matrices of pixels
• Image recognition by neuraul networks: a quick overview
• Generation of color palettes
• Parametric representation of curves
• Parametric representation of surfaces, with a focus on generation from curves
• Mapping of patterns and creation of textures on surfaces
• Geometric affine transformations and their application to the generation of complex patterns
• Particle systems
• Freeform curves and surfaces, and their application to vector graphics (e.g. the description of fonts)
• Creation of shape by means of interaction and recursion
• Creation of shape and color from sound
  The course will introduce the basic concepts of object oriented programming, with a focus on the Java language which is at the basis of Processing, a programming language for visual arts. In particular we will address:
• the concept of variable and memory occupation
• conditional instructions
• loops
• functions
• recursion
• containers (static and dynamic)
• classes and objects.

Prova orale obbligatoria
Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, individuale, senza revisioni periodiche, con presentazione/discussione finale
Presentation and discussion of a aproject developed by the student during the semester. The topic is agreed upon with the teacher, and it is possible to work in small groups of two-three people. The development of the project and its discussion aim at verifying:

• the ability of the student to translate an idea into algorithms, formulas and eventually code
• the knowledge of the mathematical and computer tools for the description of images, shapes and objects
• the ability to use these tool independently to solve original problems.

Hartmut Bohnacker, Benedikt Gross, Julia Laub, Claudius Lazzeroni, Marie Frohling, Generative Design: Visualize, Program, and Create With Processing

This course aims to equip students with critical and practical tools to consider the social implications of current spatial and economic transformations in the city.

Students are expected to improve their skills in the following ways:
1. To reach a specialised, updated knowledge of the issue at stake based on the study of the proposed literature and collective discussion in class; to develop a critical, individual approach to this literature
2. To develop a good capacity to understand different theoretical approaches: to be able to write a short written report on such literature
3. To develop the capacity to study a specific urban issue and make subjective judgements on the relevance/implications of the results; to be able to present the study results through oral presentation in class
4. To be able to recognise what they have learned and how these new skills can be used in their future academic career.

The course is based on the contribution of urban and economic sociology to understand the characteristics, problems and dynamics of contemporary cities. It does not require any previous knowledge in sociology. The course mobilises multi-disciplinary contributions in order to provide a comprehensive understanding of the issues at stake, which is preliminary to policy and planning intervention. Students are asked to enrich their theoretical knowledge through specific readings and are optionally invited to carry out a specific deskwork.
Current social and economic changes redefine the configuration of contemporary cities and raise new concerns about socio-spatial inequality. Urban policy plays a crucial role in the creation of spaces and opportunities for social integration. The aim of the course is to give the student some critical instruments to consider the social impact of recent and current transformations of the city.
The course will be focused on the analysis of the social and economic transformations taking place in many cities in the last century and space related impacts. A specific focus will be on dynamics of segregation and gentrification processes.
The course will be organized in three parts. First, we will review the basic concepts elaborated by sociology to understand urban changes. The second part will be focused on urban segregation, and the third one on gentrification.
The active participation of students throughout the course will be encouraged and evaluated. Students will be asked on a voluntary basis to prepare a short individual presentation (10 minutes) to be given in class by addressing one of the themed issues presented in the syllabus. Up to three presentations will be allowed to be given for each class, under reservation. The presentation will be evaluated with additional 0-2 points (according to its quality).

Prova scritta obbligatoria, con prove in itinere
For attending students the evaluation will consist in:
a written exam based on the indicated bibliography, the professor’s lectures and students’ oral presentations
the individual presentation eventually given in class (0-2 additional points)
Students have two options for the exam:

• they can opt for three intermediary short written exams, to be done mid-October, mid-November and mid- December. The program covered in each exam will include all the topics, readings and presentations already considered in class, which means that the exam contents won't be split in three parts. Students choosing this option won't have to take any additional exam in January. Anyway they can discuss the final mark with the teacher.
• they can opt for one final comprehensive long written exam to be done in the exams' dates.
  The bibliography will consist in a collection of readings of the course. Students are invited to s ee the syllabus – that will be uploaded on Beep – for the list of book chapters and journal articles to be prepared.
  For non attending students the evaluation will consist in:
  a written exam on the indicated bibliography.
  The bibliography will consist in a collection of readings of the course and a textbook of Urban Sociology (see bibliography)

Various authors, Readings of the course
Note: These reading are compulsory for all students, both attending and non attending. See the syllabus for the detailed list
Abrahamson, M., Urban Sociology: A Global Introduction, Editore: Cambridge University Press
Note: only for non attending students

Course topics:

• Circular economy, systemic design thinking and sustainable business
• History of the scientific discoveries and systemic thinking that led to the concept of circular economy
• Examples of regenerative city projects and circular business solutions
• Mapping the life cycle of fossil fuels and plastic applications
• Mapping the life cycle of water from oceans to air and land, including urban sewage systems, their contextualisation in different geographical areas and current issues
• Mapping of supply chains and life cycles of foods, fabrics and consumer goods
• Exploring the differences in user experiences between linear and circular economies
• EU Green Deal and recent sustainability regulations
• Scope I, II, III analysis and circular economy certifications

Through this course, students will be able to deepen their knowledge of the circular economy and the systemic approach, to eliminate externalities and waste by design, learn to minimise waste in production processes, prevent resources from becoming waste and pay greater attention to the aspects social and environmental impact of company operations.

Nations around the world have identified goals to decarbonise their economies by 2050, to keep global warming below 1.5-2°C above pre-industrial levels. To decarbonise we need two big changes in our industries: eliminate fossil fuels by switching to renewable energy sources and convert our linear economies into circular economies, infinitely more efficient in the use of resources.
Our current production system is based on a linear model that transforms productive resources into waste within a few days, months, years: these resources could instead be used for much longer and reused as separate products or materials, significantly limiting their ecological and social impact, while providing alternative sources of revenue and customer loyalty for the company.
Through this course, students will be able to deepen their knowledge of the circular economy and the systemic approach, to eliminate externalities and waste by design, learn to minimise waste in production processes, prevent resources from becoming waste and pay greater attention to the social and environmental impact of company operations.
Regenerative design is the practice of designing along with the Planet and not against it, starting from common goods, from what is available now and from what can be sustainable in the future, regenerating ecosystems compromised by human activities, restoring the balance between man and nature.
Part of the course will be dedicated to the analysis of historical climate achievements, global cooperation on climate, future climate scenarios and limits to growth. The course will integrate systems thinking with design forecasting.
Student work:

• Analysis and understanding of systemic design tools
• Exploring a topic of interest, contextualised in a specific geography and city, and understanding the issues related to the topic in a linear economy
• Analysis of the environmental and systemic impacts of the explored solution and the design variables from a systemic perspective
• Analysis of the future scenarios and opportunities related to the explored topic
• Final presentation
  Suggested reads:
  Limits to Growth by Donella Meadows, Dennis Meadows et al., Club of Rome https://www.clubofrome.org/publication/the-limits-to-growth
  Limits and Beyond by Club of Rome http://www.clubofrome.org/ publication/limits-and-beyond
  Gaia by a James Lovelock https://global.oup.com/academic/product/ gaia-9780198784883
  Silent Spring by Rachel Carson https://www.rachelcarson.org/silent- spring
  Drawdown edited by Paul Hawke https://drawdown.org/the-book
  The Whole Earth Discipline by Stewart Brand https:// www.theguardian.com/books/2010/jan/09/whole-earth-catalog-book- review
  Climate Capitalism by Akshat Rathi https://akshatrathi.com/book
  The Climate of History in a Planetary Age by Dipesh Chakrabarty https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/C/ bo8642262.html
  The Doughnut Economics by Kate Raworth https:// www.kateraworth.com
  Suggested websites:
  Project Drawdown https://drawdown.org
  The Ellen MacArthur Foundation https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org
  Climate trace, backed by Al Gore https://climatetrace.org
  Circle Economy https://www.circle-economy.com
  Plastic Free https://plasticfree.com/
  Our World in Data https://ourworldindata.org/
  Other contents:
  Circularity in Europe strengthens the sustainability of the global food system https://www.nature.com/articles/s43016-023-00734-9
  Circular Economy Action Plan - European Commission https://environment.ec.europa.eu/strategy/circular-economy-action-plan_en
  Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation - European Commission https://commission.europa.eu/energy-climate-change-environment/standards-tools-and-labels/products-labelling-rules-and-requirements/sustainable-products/ecodesign-sustainable-products-regulation_en
  Green Claims Directive - European Commission https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/circular-economy/green-claims_en

Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, di gruppo, con revisioni periodiche, con presentazione/discussione finale
Valutazione continua condizionata (a scelta del docente)
Students will develop a project that will test their knowledge of design for regeneration, the circular economy and future climate scenarios. The project could be focused on a specific city or company. Students will be assessed on:

• use of systemic design tools (provided by the teacher with a template on Miro, possibly also printed)
• understanding of the circular economy and its business models, learned during the course
• involvement in the classroom and during project sessions
• creativity and feasibility in the development of your project
  Students will be assessed on their final project and potentially with an individual in-person exam. Their abilities to conduct research and systemic analysis will be the focus of the evaluation, together with the outcomes of the final project.

Teaching is concentrated on the planning of temporary solutions for a host city, in close contact with local realities. Through a multi-disciplinary approach, opportunities will be explored for improving the sense of belonging to the neighbourhood, implementing social innovation and producing scenarios that can transform temporariness into permanence.
This course is proposed by the School as an optional teaching group with innovative education characteristics that support students as they acquire and strengthen their transversal skills.

Students:

• know and understand the specifications for producing a temporary installation;
• can analyse the reference context to find project solutions that are coherent with the project brief;
• autonomously and in a group make project choices, developing skills for the creative solution of problems, team building and leadership.

Cities and territories are experiencing continuous transformations driven by social, environmental, cultural, and technological change. In this evolving landscape, designers are increasingly called to engage with complexity, uncertainty, and diversity by imagining new ways of living together and activating more inclusive, resilient, and regenerative futures.
Temporary and Inclusive Urban Solutions (TIUS) explores how design can act as a catalyst for positive territorial change through situated, participatory, and systemic approaches. Rather than designing fixed solutions, the course investigates how temporary interventions, collaborative processes, and strategic actions can generate long-term social, spatial, and environmental value.
Students will work in real contexts, engaging with local communities, stakeholders, and places to understand existing dynamics and identify opportunities for transformation. Through field research, mapping, co-design activities, prototyping, and testing, they will develop interventions that activate spaces, services, interactions, and collective practices capable of fostering inclusion, participation, care, and shared responsibility.
The course introduces methods and tools from participatory design, systemic design, service design, and spatial design, encouraging students to move across different scales—from objects and services to ecosystems and territorial networks. Emphasis is placed on experimentation, iteration, and learning through action, enabling students to critically reflect on the social and environmental implications of design while translating research into tangible interventions.
TIUS is conceived as an experimental design studio where collaboration, dialogue, and direct engagement with real-world challenges become the foundation for designing more inclusive and sustainable urban futures.

Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, di gruppo, con revisioni periodiche, con presentazione/discussione finale
The course is based on continuous assessment and active participation throughout the semester. Students are expected to attend all studio sessions, contribute to group discussions, and actively engage in collaborative design activities. Assessment will be based on:
Intermediate group assignments, consisting of progressive design exercises and project deliverables developed throughout the course. These outputs will be discussed and reviewed during scheduled studio sessions with lecturers and tutors, providing continuous feedback on both the design process and the quality of the proposed solutions.
Final group presentation, during which students will present the overall design proposal, illustrating the research process, methodological approach, design development, and expected impact of the intervention.
Evaluation will consider not only the final outcome but also the evolution of the project throughout the semester, including the ability to critically engage with feedback, apply the course methodologies, collaborate effectively within the group, and communicate design decisions clearly through visual, verbal, and written formats. As the course is studio-based and highly participatory, attendance and active in-class participation are essential and constitute an integral part of the learning and assessment process.
The course will take 1 half day a week from February to May/June. The course is organized around 3 blocks that composed the final evaluation: RESEARCH, CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT AND CO-DESIGN, and PROJECT DEVELOPMENT. Each block includes a specific assignment designed to consolidate the concepts and skills introduced. The final course grade will be calculated as the weighted average of all assignment grades.

Davide Fassi, Temporary Urban Solutions, Editore: Maggioli, Anno edizione: 2012, ISBN: 8838761256
Ezio Manzini, ABITARE LA PROSSIMITA'. IDEE PER LA CITTA' DEI 15 MINUTI, Editore: Egea, Anno edizione: 2021, ISBN: 9788823838208
Laura Galluzzo and Ambra Borin, Post-pandemic Scenarios and Design Strategies for Public Space Transformation, Editore: InMATERIAL, Anno edizione: 2021
Ambra Borin and Laura Galluzzo, Designing the "threshold" in Resiliency Cities, Editore: Springer, Anno edizione: 2023
Laura Galluzzo, The Interior Legacy, Editore: Maggioli, Anno edizione: 2018
Laura Galluzzo and Salvatore Di Dio (Eds.), Designing Hybrid Spaces. Envisioning Plural Ecosystems and Socio-Cultural Practices for Regenerative Urban Futures, Editore: FrancoAngeli, Anno edizione: 2025, ISBN: 9788835183594
Annalinda De Rosa, S+S Spatial Design + Service Design, Editore: Maggioli Editore, Anno edizione: 2022, ISBN: 8891656124 https://dx.doi.org/10.1145/3789493.3797293
Robert Temel, Florian Haydn, Temporary urban spaces, Editore: Birkhauser, Anno edizione: 2006
Anna Meroni, Creative Communities. People inventing sustainable ways of living, Editore: Polidesign, Anno edizione: 2007 www.sustainable-everyday.net
Anna Meroni, Daniela Selloni, Martina Rossi, Massive Codesign. A proposal for a collaborative design framework, Editore: FrancoAngeli International, Anno edizione: 2018
Ezio Manzini, Francois Jegou, Quotidiano sostenibile - Scenari di vita urbana, Editore: Edizioni Ambiente, Anno edizione: 2003 www.sustainable-everyday.net
Ezio Manzini, Francois Jegou, Collaborative services. Social innovation and design for sustainability., Editore: Polidesign, Anno edizione: 2008
Ezio Manzini, Design, When Everybody Designs: An Introduction to Design for Social Innovation (R. Coad, Trans.), Editore: Mit Press, Anno edizione: 2015
Richard Florida, Cities and the Creative Class, Anno edizione: 2005
Pierluigi Nicolin, Architettura e beni comuni, Fascicolo: 153, Editore: Lotus interantional, Anno edizione: 2014
Elena Caratti and Laura Galluzzo, Designing ethically in a complex world. Multiple challenges within design for public and social systems, Editore: FrancoAngeli, Anno edizione: 2024, ISBN: 9788835167907
Elena Granata, Placemaker. Gli inventori dei luoghi che abiteremo, Anno edizione: 2021, ISBN: 9788806249007
Corubolo, M.; Baroncelli Torretta, N.; Hanmant Mahamuni, R.; Borin, A., Engaging in Peace, Dialogue, and Coexistence, Anno edizione: 2026 https://dx.doi.org/10.1145/3789493.3797293
Note: PDC '26: Proceedings of the 19th Participatory Design Conference 2026, Vol. 3: Workshops, Situated Actions, and PDC Places

The course aims to explore the cultural, creative and commercial aspects of exhibition design by leading the student in project activities related to real cases.

The student:

• knows and understands cultural, creative and commercial aspects of exhibition design as well as aspects related to the visitor experience;
• is able to manage the design process of a space dedicated to exhibitions;
• makes design choices, ​independently and in groups, sharing and communicating the design choices made.

The course explores the cultural, creative and commercial aspects of exhibition design, helping students in developing different concepts. Therefore all the project activities will be based upon real examples and a wide range of existing best practices that will also be theoretically analyzed. From the choice of a suitable location to the definition of displays, captions and possible launch events, the overall visitor's experience will be considered.

Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, di gruppo, con revisioni periodiche, con presentazione/discussione finale
Valutazione continua facoltativa (a scelta dello studente)
The students shall deliver a concept for the design of an innovative exhibition design. At the beginning of the course a detailed brief will be provided.

Morganti, Lorenzo, Experience and Interaction in Exhibition Displays and Their Contexts, Editore: ONCURATING.org, Anno edizione: 2026
Staniszewski, Marie Anne, The Power of Display: a History of Exhibition Installations at the Museum of Modern Art, Editore: Mit Press, Anno edizione: 1998
Annicchiarico, Silvana, Triennale Design Museum. Volume 1: il museo mutante, Editore: Electa, Anno edizione: 2018, ISBN: 978-88-918168-6-3
Miles, R.S., The Design of Educational Exhibits, Editore: Routledge, Anno edizione: 1988
Locker, Pam, Exhibition Design, Editore: AVA Academia, Anno edizione: 2011, ISBN: 978-29-404-1138-2

Course content
The course focuses on the intrinsic characteristics of objects – essentially their shapes, colours and modes of operation, where these are immediately understandable from their very form – which enable such objects to communicate with potential users without the need for intermediaries or words; in other words, to be more appealing than others precisely because of this quality, and to enjoy a competitive advantage in terms of commercial success and widespread popularity.
The course is built around a typological taxonomy of these communicative characteristics and analyses their outcomes. Each lesson examines one or more typologies, defining their characteristics and offering a series of concrete examples. It then focuses on a specific case, inviting the designer and/or the manufacturing company to present it — its genesis, its production process, and, where available, an overview of its reception (where possible, including the sociological and geographical differences in that reception).
Examination Assessments
A mid-term written assessment is scheduled for Lesson 7, covering the six lessons delivered to date. This mark will account for 50 per cent of the final mark; that is, it will be added to the mark obtained in the final assessment, and the result will be divided by 2. Any fractional marks (e.g. mid-term result 24, final assessment result 27; sum of the two 51; divided by 2 = 25.5) will be rounded up or down based on commitment and participation in lessons, at the lecturer's discretion.
Course programme
The course consists of 12 lessons. The first serves as a general introduction to the course and lays the foundations for the subsequent lessons. The other lessons, apart from the mid-term assessment, examine 10 categories of Talking Artefacts. Each lesson features a guest designer or company who comes to present a project that falls within the category covered in that lesson.
Lesson 1
Introduction to the course: definition of the "Communicative Power of the Artefacts" and "Talking Artefacts". Overview of modes of communication according to Jakobson and Peirce.
Lesson 2
History and glory. Formal citation — historical references
Lesson 3
The masters. Formal citation — references to recognisable authors
Lesson 4
Revivals and rebirths / The immortals
Lesson 5
Borrowings. References to other forms/objects
Lesson 6
Naturally. Organic forms — empathy
Lesson 7
Mid-term assessment
Lesson 8
Human pareidolia. Human forms — empathy
Lesson 9
Use me like this. Obvious ergonomics
Lesson 10
Second lives. Reuse in other ways
Lesson 11
Short circuits. Paradox/design provocation
Lesson 12
The impostors. Fakes // Summary in preparation for the final assessment

Prova scritta obbligatoria, con prove in itinere
Students must demonstrate their understanding of the concept of Talking Artefacts and their communicative power by answering five multiple-choice questions, each worth 1/30. The remaining 25/30 will relate to the proposal of an Artefact (object, architecture, project) which, in the student’s opinion, falls into one of the categories outlined, accompanied by:

• Images of the chosen Artefact.
• Images useful for demonstrating which category the Artefact belongs to.
• A text explaining the rationale, of no fewer than 1,200 characters including spaces.

Il laboratorio di sintesi finale rappresenta un'esperienza completa di progetto che raccoglie molteplici contributi disciplinari e guida gli studenti alla scelta e allo sviluppo della tesi di laurea.

The aim of the course is to provide students with the conceptual tools to read and interpret the phenomena of cultural and social change, as well as their consequences on individual and collective behaviour. Through lectures and application exercises, it provides students with a theoretical and methodological basis to identify trends and catch emerging phenomena that may influence innovation in different fields.
The course is proposed by the School within an option group of innovative didactics to support students in acquiring or strengthening their transversal skills.

Students:

• can grasp and decode social change through the observation of cultural phenomena;
• know how to use tools and methods to monitor society's behaviour and expressions in order to anticipate social change and design for innovation.

The purpose of the course is to study the process behind industry actions and people’s behaviours, in order to identify evolution and opportunities for various business sectors.
During the semester students will have the opportunity:

• To observe reality and contexts, getting inspiration from people (not simply consumers and users) behaviours and life occasions, applying the principles of cult searching.
• To give interpretation of the socio-cultural trends emerging from different business sectors, being introduced to research materials and findings that will be delivered to them as part course’s lecture materials.
• To translate relevant insights into opportunities for design development, using the right design methods and tools proposed during the course for doing so.
  Students will have to:
• Carry out desk research and cool hunting, offline and online.
• Be involved in hands on exercises and group assignments, familiarising with the variety of lecture materials presented in class.
• Work proactively with different methods and techniques arising from design, management and social sciences, and should become used into handling both traditional research techniques and experiment with new approaches.
• Originate new concepts and business ideas, giving evidence of a good understanding of trend application in project development

Prova scritta obbligatoria, senza prove in itinere
Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, di gruppo, con revisioni periodiche, con presentazione/discussione finale
The exam consists in:

• One group project work to deliver and present in 2 separate research phases
• End of semester written exam with 2 open ended questions
  The final grade that will be registered on POLIMI is the sum of Research Project (50%)+
  Exam grade (50%)

The course aims to provide students with the tools and mindset needed to transform early-stage business ideas into viable entrepreneurial ventures.
Through a design-driven, hands-on approach, students will learn how to identify real-world problems, validate user needs, design and prototype innovative solutions, and define sustainable business models.
The course supports students in developing their entrepreneurial potential within multidisciplinary teams, culminating in the preparation and delivery of a compelling pitch to a panel of experts and investors.

By the end of the course, the student:
knows how to apply a design-driven approach to explore and validate entrepreneurial ideas;
is able to identify user needs, define a value proposition, and prototype solutions accordingly;
understands how to structure and evaluate a business model based on real-world feedback;
is capable of working within multidisciplinary teams to develop and communicate an entrepreneurial project;
can pitch a venture idea effectively to a panel of experts and potential investors.

Do you have an entrepreneurial idea you believe in? Are you part of a motivated team ready to take it to the next level?
This course is made for you.
Venture Design is a brand-new startup accelerator course designed for students who want to turn their ideas into real entrepreneurial ventures. Over the course of one semester, teams will receive dedicated support to develop, test, and strengthen their ideas—step by step—until they’re ready to pitch them in front of a panel of investors and experts.
What will you do?
Throughout the course, your team will:

• Identify and validate the problem you want to solve,
• Deeply understand user needs,
• Design and prototype your solution,
• Define your business model,
• Build and deliver a compelling final pitch.
  A unique opportunity across two top universities
  The course is co-designed and co-taught by faculty from Politecnico di Milano and MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology).
  It is based on an original design-driven methodology, developed jointly by the two institutions.
  The focus is on understanding real-world problems, identifying user needs, and designing solutions that matter—placing design at the heart of innovation.
  The course will be held in English.
  Who can apply?
  The course is open to student teams with an early-stage business idea. To be eligible:
  Each team must include at least one student enrolled in a Master's Degree Course of the School of Design of the Politecnico di Milano.
  Other team members can come from different academic backgrounds or universities (all team members must be regularly enrolled students - Bachelor’s or Master’s level - at a university in Italy or abroad, and must retain student status until at least July 2027). Other team members will have the possibility to participate in the course!
  Why should you participate?
• Gain access to a unique learning experience, guided by faculty from Politecnico di Milano and MIT
• The whole team will have the possibility to participate in the course (which will be held every Tuesday afternoon during the second semester)
• Work hands-on with real tools and methods, validate your idea, and get ready to pitch
• Collaborate in a multidisciplinary and international environment, where design is the driver of innovation
  Access to the course is subject to a call for startups that will be managed by the School of Design before the deadline to submit the study plan. Check the website of the School of Design under ‘News and notices’ to see the call for applications which will be available from the end of July (https://www.design.polimi.it/en/school/news)

Prova orale obbligatoria
Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, di gruppo, con revisioni periodiche, con presentazione/discussione finale
The final grade will be based on the overall performance of each team and individual contributions throughout the course.
Assessment will include:
Evaluation of the team development process during the semester;
Quality and effectiveness of the final pitch;
Active individual participation during sessions and team activities;
Peer evaluation.
Given the innovative and project-based nature of the course, students are required to participate regularly and continuously throughout the teaching activities. Attendance is mandatory for all enrolled students.

T.H Byers, Technology venture, Editore: Mc Graw Hill
A.Osterwalder, Y. Pigneur, Business Model Generation, Editore: John Wiley & Sons Inc., Anno edizione: 2010

The course aims to provide students with theoretical knowledge and practical skills for the design, development, and evaluation of virtual, physical, and hybrid prototypes in the context of interaction design for products and digital applications.
Particular attention is given to the role of prototyping as a design method for exploring, testing, and communicating interactive experiences across digital, augmented, and simple physical environments.
The course also introduces Artificial Intelligence as a support tool within design and prototyping workflows, with emphasis on its critical and responsible use.

By the end of the course, students should be able to:

• distinguish among different forms of prototyping in interaction design for products and digital applications;
• analyze and structure the architecture of prototypes for products or applications;
• design and prototype interactive experiences across digital, augmented, and physical touchpoints, using Unity, Vuforia and Arduino boards;
• use AI tools to support concept generation, scenario building, interaction logic, code generation, critique, and process documentation;
• test and iteratively refine prototypes on the basis of observation, feedback, and reflection;
• communicate design processes and outcomes effectively, including transparent reflection on the use of AI.

Main topics include:
foundations of the design and prototyping process: concept generation, user scenario, interaction flow, prototype development, testing, and presentation;
user experience as a design lens in prototyping;
sensory interaction and multisensory experience in interactive systems;
digital technologies for prototyping: Extended Reality (VR/AR/MR);
foundations of AI for design and prototyping: generative AI, large language models, prompts and prompt refinement, strengths and limitations of AI, and human responsibility in AI-supported workflows;
digital prototyping methods and tools;
virtual/augmented reality prototyping with Unity and Vuforia;
introductory physical computing with Arduino;
hybrid physical-digital prototyping through Arduino-Unity integration;
testing, critique, iteration, and communication of prototype-based design work.

Progetto/i - Elaborato/i obbligatorio, di gruppo, con revisioni periodiche, con presentazione/discussione finale
Valutazione continua condizionata (a scelta del docente)
Student assessment is based on the quality of the design process, the development of prototypes, the ability to test and evaluate solutions, and the clarity of communication and reflection.
Assessment may include: in-class exercises; development of digital, augmented, physical, or hybrid prototypes; project proposed by the professor; final presentation and discussion of the developed project; process documentation, including reflection on the use of AI tools where relevant.

Bordegoni M., Caulli M., Spadoni E., Prototyping User eXperience in eXtended Reality, Editore: Springer, Anno edizione: 2023, ISBN: 978-3-031-39682-3
Burdea G.C., Virtual reality technology, Editore: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Anno edizione: 1996
Innovation in Product Design - from CAD to Virtual Prototyping, Editore: Bordegoni M. and Rizzi C. Eds., Springer, Anno edizione: 2011
Haller M., Billinghurst M., B. Thomas, Emerging technologies of Augmented Reality - Interfaces and Design, Editore: Idea Group Publishing, Anno edizione: 2007
Scateni R., Cignoni P., Montani C., Scopigno R., Fondamenti di Grafica tridimensionale interattiva, Editore: McGraw-Hill, Anno edizione: 2005