The Italian Design Mind

Lesson 1: The Roots – Genius Loci and the Culture of Beauty

• Exploration of the Italian concept of "Genius Loci" and its influence on design culture. The history of beauty as a social and everyday value. The great masters of Italian design and the emergence of early designers. The birth of the Made in Italy myth in the post-war era.
• Case Studies: Gio Ponti and his idea of the "Italian home," along with other emblematic contemporary examples.
• Objective: Provide historical and cultural foundations to understand the uniqueness of the Italian approach.

Lesson 2: The Design Method – Between Thinking and Doing

• Content: Analysis of the Italian creative process: balancing philosophical concepts with artisanal feasibility. The culture of detail, material selection, and the value of light. The designer as the orchestrator of a complex process involving artisans and industry.
• Case Studies: Achille Castiglioni’s method; Gaetano Pesce’s humanistic alchemy; Antonio Citterio’s poetic minimalism; Fabio Novembre’s narrative approach.
• Objective: Reveal the behind-the-scenes of design, showing how abstract ideas are transformed into tangible objects or spaces.

Lesson 4: The Bridge – Tradition and Innovation

• How Italian companies combine traditional craftsmanship with advanced technologies. The role of product and process innovation. Sustainability as the new frontier of craftsmanship.
• Case Studies: B&B Italia and the polymer revolution; Boffi and the integration of technology in kitchen design; Kartell and other recent examples.
• Objective: Demonstrate how tradition becomes a catalyst for innovation in contemporary design.

Lesson 6: The Essence – Designing the "Italian Lifestyle"

• Operational definition of the "Italian Lifestyle": conviviality, flexible spaces, indoor/outdoor living, domestic theatricality, comfort, and well-being. How to translate these values into design choices: layout, furniture, colors, textures, and atmosphere.
• Case Studies: Analysis of apartments and villas that embody this lifestyle. The role of aesthetic pleasure ("bel vedere") in interior definition.
• Objective: Provide conceptual and practical tools to interpret and apply the essence of Italian lifestyle in design projects.

Lesson 3: Final Project Presentation

• Instructors: Claudio Multari and Marcello Prina.
• Content: Official presentation of the final project brief. Detailed analysis of objectives, deliverables, and possible approaches. Clarifications on evaluation criteria.
• Objective: Ensure all students have a clear understanding of the expectations for the final project.

Lesson 5: Final Project Review (1st Session)

• First collective or small-group review session. Analysis of initial approaches, conceptual research, and preliminary sketches. Focus on alignment with the brief and interpretation of the "Italian lifestyle."
• Objective: Guide students toward proper project development, identifying and correcting initial critical issues.

Lesson 7: Final Project Review (2nd Session)

• Content: Second review session. In-depth development of the project: final layout, furniture selection, materials, color palette, and atmosphere definition. Verification of feasibility and concept coherence.
• Objective: Refine the project, guiding students toward a more mature and detailed definition.

Final Project

• Students will develop an Interior Design concept for a residential or contract environment, embodying the values studied during the course: Italian aesthetics, the bridge between tradition and innovation, and the essence of the "Italian lifestyle."

Final Exam (Online)

• Oral presentation of the final project (approximately 20 minutes) followed by a discussion with the committee, represented by Marcello Prina. Evaluation will consider alignment with the brief, depth of research, quality of concept, and effectiveness of presentation.