Compasso d’Oro for the Department of Design and the School of Design

The essence of the project lies in observing Milanese design as a complex cultural, urban and economic phenomenon, one that stands clearly apart from other international fairs and design weeks. The two editions of the Report, developed in partnership with the Salone Observatory, have made it possible to build an interdisciplinary framework capable of connecting data, territories, cultural practices and social transformations. It is in the synergy between the economic activities that sustain the event — the Salone del Mobile.Milano —, its system of stable and proactive resources — the Sistema Design Milano — and the informal model of diffused creativity, that a unique and original Milanese identity once again emerges. The city’s ecosystem fully participates in this collective added value, generating an interconnection that calls for increasing attention to environmental aspects, accessibility — physical and beyond — and urban liveability: dimensions to be explored in accordance with a logic of shared responsibility. A further significant element is the activation of an organisational mechanism capable of fostering dialogue among the various stakeholders in the ecosystem, who often lack the moments, spaces and opportunities for exchange needed to support truly sustainable growth of the ecosystem itself.

Francesco Zurlo and Stefano Maffei

Through this collective effort, the Observatory has made legible a body of data that had until now been scattered: data generated by the Salone and data made available by city-based data holders. The result is a clearer picture of the Sistema Design Milano - its capacity to attract, its vulnerabilities, and the relationships that sustain its evolution in an increasingly competitive and rapidly evolving international landscape. The next steps will move towards ever more in-depth analyses, complementing the research with concrete design initiatives aimed at sharing best practices and strengthening the ecosystem.

Susanna Legrenzi, Curator, Salone del Mobile. Milano Observatory

It was created to help organisations, researchers and creative practitioners imagine alternative futures and transform them into concrete design visions - explains the professor - By integrating art, futures thinking and design, the method activates new forms of collaboration capable of interrogating emerging technologies and transforming them into innovation with cultural, social and strategic impact.

Marita Canina

This identity project was developed as a mechanism capable of generating participation, recognition and a sense of belonging. It must therefore be considered a founding component of the design process of the overall Milano 0.18 system. From the very beginning, the involvement of children and young people was central to building an open, inclusive and contemporary language able to transcend the conventional codes of institutional communication. The ADI Special Mention recognises the role of communication design in redefining the relationship between public administration and younger generations, making them active participants in the construction of their own social identity.

Valeria Bucchetti, Scientific Director of the project

It is always a source of great satisfaction to see the quality of the projects developed by the students of our School recognised through the Compasso d’Oro, together with the professors who guided them. The Compasso d’Oro Young and the five Special Mentions reflect the image of a design practice capable of identifying new opportunities for innovation across various aspects of everyday life, offering pragmatic and intelligent responses that are equally attentive to the quality of experience. Through themes that run across daily life - from garment care to living, from cooking to wellbeing - the projects outline design approaches capable of uniting technological innovation, sustainability and sensitivity to contemporary behaviours.

Anna Meroni, Vice-Dean of the School of Design at Politecnico di Milano