The startup years
The establishment of the "Design System" at the Bovisa Campus
The Foundations of Design Research
Experimentation and Consolidation of the Teaching Project
The opening to internationalization
Research institutionalization
The leadership of the system.
30 years in a glance
30 years of "polytechnic history of design" condensed into some key moments. The most significant milestones of a journey that, from the first Italian degree program on design, lead to the creation of a comprehensive system for education, research, and innovation.
Curated by Paola Bertola, Agnese Rebaglio
The startup years
The initial steps: from its establishment in 1993 to the relocation to Bovisa in 1997
The initial steps: from its establishment in 1993 to the relocation to Bovisa in 1997
After a five-year experimental period of the study program in 'Industrial Design and Furniture' within the Faculty of Architecture, the Bachelor's Degree Program in Industrial Design was established in 1993. Registrations for the first year were opened for a planned number of 500 students.
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«We could reflect on the opportunity for design culture to become a contribution to the entire faculty; the function of the program is also to provide all students with the general cultural contributions that can be developed here. The school, at least this school, may not be able to provide all the professional operational tools, but it can provide all the cultural tools, which are also operational tools».
Raffaella Crespi, estratto da “Contributi alla formazione dell’Indirizzo di Laurea in Disegno industriale e arredamento”, 1984
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The establishment of the "Design System" at the Bovisa Campus
From the inauguration of the Bovisa Campus in 1997 to the establishment of the School, Department, Consortium, and the first National Design Coordination Network in 2004.
From the inauguration of the Bovisa Campus in 1997 to the establishment of the School, Department, Consortium, and the first National Design Coordination Network in 2004.
After the Bachelor's Degree Program moving to Bovisa in 1997 followed years of rapid construction of spaces for teaching and research. Most importantly, the Design System of the Polytechnic University of Milan took shape, capable of encompassing all dimensions of the university's mission: education, research, relationships with the local community, the social, cultural, and productive system.
1997 - present
The Industrial Design Course relocates to Bovisa
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In the industrial spaces of the former Ceretti Tanfani plant, still partially under construction, the first courses moved from the historic campus of Politecnico in Via Bonardi are held. In a short time, buildings on the former industrial site transform into a "Campus," accommodating not only classrooms and laboratories but also green and vibrant spaces for the growing number of students in Industrial Design, Architecture, and Engineering.
In the industrial spaces of the former Ceretti Tanfani plant, still partially under construction, the first courses moved from the historic campus of Politecnico in Via Bonardi are held. In a short time, buildings on the former industrial site transform into a "Campus," accommodating not only classrooms and laboratories but also green and vibrant spaces for the growing number of students in Industrial Design, Architecture, and Engineering.
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In 2011, the Design System of the Politecnico di Milano is now established in its current structure, including the Third Faculty of Architecture (later the Faculty of Design), the POLI.design Consortium, and the INDACO Department.
In 2011, the Design System of the Politecnico di Milano is now established in its current structure, including the Third Faculty of Architecture (later the Faculty of Design), the POLI.design Consortium, and the INDACO Department.
2000 - 2002
DI-LAbb Project: Experimental Laboratory System for Design Education.
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In the redevelopment project of the Campus Bovisa buildings, support laboratories for teaching and research are planned right from the beginning. These facilities have expanded over the years to the current 12,000 square meters of equipped spaces.
In the redevelopment project of the Campus Bovisa buildings, support laboratories for teaching and research are planned right from the beginning. These facilities have expanded over the years to the current 12,000 square meters of equipped spaces.
Il Progetto DI.LAbb
13/10/2004 - present
The National Design Coordination Network is established
In 2004, AUDI (the first Italian University Design Association) is founded, which was renamed "SÌ design, Società Italiana del design" in 2007 and eventually merged into SID, Società Italiana del Design. The National Conference of Deans of Design Faculties (currently CUID) was established in 2005.
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Logo della Conferenza dei Presidi, progettato da Mario Piazza
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The Foundations of Design Research
From the first National SDI Research in 1997 to the Compasso d'Oro for the DRM Research in 2008.
From the first National SDI Research in 1997 to the Compasso d'Oro for the DRM Research in 2008.
The contemporary approach to research is strengthened with the establishment of the Ph.D. program in Industrial Design in 1990 and, in the early years leading to the formation of the INDACO Department, with participation in national and international research projects that lay the foundations for advanced knowledge production in the field of Design. These years also mark a programmatic shift in the goals of European structural funds, emphasizing knowledge growth and environmental sustainability as prerequisites for development.
1997 - 2000
SDI: The First National Research on the Italian Design System
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Funded by the MIUR (Ministry of University and Scientific and Technological Research) and conducted by seventeen operational units coordinated by the Department of Industrial Design and Technology (Di.Tec) at the Politecnico di Milano, it aims to investigate for the first time the complex nature of Italian design and its potential developments within the framework of globalization and localization phenomena that characterize contemporary society.
Funded by the MIUR (Ministry of University and Scientific and Technological Research) and conducted by seventeen operational units coordinated by the Department of Industrial Design and Technology (Di.Tec) at the Politecnico di Milano, it aims to investigate for the first time the complex nature of Italian design and its potential developments within the framework of globalization and localization phenomena that characterize contemporary society.
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18/05/2000 - 20/05/2000
INDACO Department organizes the international conference Design Plus Research.
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Sustainable everyday Scenarios of Urban Life
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2001 - 2004
INDACO Department coordinates the HiCS research: Highly Customized Solutions.
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2008
The "DRM DESIGN RESEARCH MAPS" research receives the Compasso d'Oro award.
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2004
"Design Multiverse: Notes on Phenomenology of Design" is published.
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2000 - 2006
POLI.design is the publisher of an extensive series of scientific texts delineating the research directions of the department and the increasingly open boundaries of the discipline.
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The publications by POLI.design
A. Penati, A. Seassaro, Didattica&Design : processi e prodotti formativi nell’università che cambia, 2000
R. De Paolis, E. Redaelli, Design & distretto tessile comasco : casi studio nel polo del lusso : cravatta, arredo, moda, 2000
S. Maffei, G. Simonelli, Il design per i distretti industriali, 2000
F. Celaschi, R. De Paolis, A. Deserti, A. Seassaro (prefazione di), Furniture e textile design : ricerca applicata e formazione come strategie per l'area comasca, 2000
G. Simonelli, F. Celaschi, L. M. V. Collina, Design for District. Progetti per un distretto, 2001
A. Penati, P. Bertola (saggi di), Giovane è il design : nodi contemporanei della didattica per il progetto, 2001
A. Deserti, P. Bertola (saggi di), A. Penati, Il sistema progetto : contributi per una prassi del design, 2001
V. Trapani (a cura di), M. R. Ferrari, Produzione, innovazione e design in Sicilia, 2001
P. Gambaro, Design e impresa in Liguria : l’avvio di una ricognizione, 2001
F. Trabucco, White design : innovazione di prodotto e innovazione di processo nel settore dell'elettrodomestico bianco, 2001
A. Vallicelli, Turismo ambiente design : l’ecoturismo come risorsa territoriale per l’impresa: il ruolo del design, 2001
G. Baule, Artefatti di transizione, 2001
M. Rossi, Realtà virtuale per il design : il progetto della luce nel laboratorio digitale, 2001
G. Baule, Materiali per la società dell’informazione, 2001
D. Moretti (a cura di), J. A. Pallabazzer, A. Rebaglio, MDM : Museo Design Milano : il museo in rete per la rete dei musei, 2001
F. Celaschi, L. Collina, G. Simonelli, Design for district : prodotto, comunicazione, strategia, 2001
A. Deserti, Il sistema progetto : contributi per una prassi del design, 2001
A. Ratti, S. Piardi, Materiali e tecniche innovative nel settore nautico : atti del corso di aggiornamento, Milano 13-14 Aprile 2000, 2001
P. Ciuccarelli, P. Innocenti, DesignNet. Knowledge e Information Management per il design, 2002
D. Bruno, Learning design by design eXperience : design strutturato, progettazione continua e itinerari cognitivi per la didattica del progetto, 2002
L. M. Collina, G. Simonelli, Designing designers, training strategies for the third millenium : International convention of University courses in Industrial Design, 2001 edition, 2002
A. Lombardi (a cura di), P. Lugo (editor), Learning by doing, 2002
N. Morrone, Progettare per una mobilità sostenibile : il car sharing a Milano, 2002
F. Costa, Health care design : il contributo del design nei processi di innovazione nel settore biomedicale, 2002
M. Turinetto, Moda e design : nuove trasversalità progettuali, 2002
M. Bertolo Design della comunicazione ipertestuale, 2002
S. Piardi, Il Design degli spazi abitativi : la cultura tecnologica della progettazione dagli spazi fissi agli spazi mobili, 2002
P. Bertola, A. Cappellieri, Ricerca, design e sperimentazione per l’innovazione di prodotto nel settore dell’accessorio moda : il caso Mangiameli: workshop progettuale, 2002
L. Collina, L. Crespi, F. Reinhart, Il design dell’ospitalità : la Sala delle feste dell’Hotel Hilton Milan : worksop progettuale Internazionale, 2002
P. P. Vidari, Tecnologie per i beni culturali, museografia e design dopo la rivoluzione informatica : considerazioni e tecniche oggi, 2002
A. Meroni, Design e Innovazione di sistema nel settore alimentare : una ricerca progettuale, 2003
R. Trocchianesi, F. Celaschi, Designing designers : design for a local global world : International convention of university courses in design 2002 edition, 2003
L. M. Collina, G. Simonelli, Blue History : per non dimenticare, 2003
A. Fantoni De Antoni, Verso una modernità debole e diffusa, 2003
A. Branzi, A. Seassaro (prefazione di), Design e innovazione di sistema nel settore alimentare : una ricerca progettuale, 2003
A. Meroni, Quale qualità? : cosa si intende per qualità d’uso e come è possibile verificarla, 2003
L. Anselmi, GeDesign : identità, progetto e territorio della scuola genovese, 2003
M. B. Spadolini, CimbalImage : il movie design per la comunicazione d’impresa : un progetto per il gruppo Cimbali-Faema, 2003
M. Galbiati, A. Terranova, Metaprogetto : riflessioni teoriche ed esperienze didattiche, 2003
A. Deserti, Metodi di prototipazione digitale e visualizzazione per il disegno industriale, l’architettura degli interni e i beni culturali, 2003
M. Gaiani, Design & Beni Culturali. La cultura del progetto nella valorizzazione del bene culturale, 2004
L. M. Collina, G. Simonelli, Designing designers : design school as factories of knowledge : research through design education : International convention of University courses in design 2003 edition, 2004
P. Ciucarelli, P. Innocenti, Sistemi conoscitivi per il design : una proposta metodologica : il caso DesignNet, 2004
F. Tosi, Ergonomia & design, 2004
P. Bertola, E. Manzini, Design Multiverso. Appunti di fenomenologia del design, 2004
B. Casati, Creare impresa di design : processi, strumenti e attori per la generazione del business nel settore del design, 2004
F. Celaschi, R. Trocchianesi, Design & Beni Culturali : la cultura del progetto nella valorizzazione del bene culturale, 2004
G. Brugnoli, La progettazione web : il design per la rete dell’esperienza alle interfacce, 2004
M. Aureggi, M. Bertola, M. Pillan, E-content design : orizzonti di ricerca per la multimedialità interattiva, 2004
G. Guidi, J. A. Beraldin, Acquisizione 3D e moderazione poligonale : dall’oggetto fisico al suo calco digitale, 2004
A. Marano, Design e ambiente : la valorizzazione del territorio tra storia umana e natura, 2004
L. Rampino, Sapere, immaginare, fare : il design d’innovazione per l’elettrodomestico : formazione post-lauream per il design dei prodotti a media complessità, 2004
L. Collina, Il corpo delle cose : workshop progettuale curato da Santiago Miranda : Progettare partendo dai testi di Marosia Castaldi, 2004
F. Brevi, Il design delle superfici : i modelli digitali per il disegno industriale, 2004
S. Palmieri, Design at work : i workshop aziendali della Facoltà del design 2004, 2004
A. Ratti, La ricerca nello yacht design : processi di scambio tra Coppa America e produzione industriale : atti del seminario organizzato nell’ambito del MYD - Master in Yacht Design, 2004
L. M. Collina, F. Scullica, Designing designers: designing hospitality, visions, scenarios, systems, services, spaces and products : international convention of University courses in Design 2004, 2005
A. Cappellieri (a cura di), Design experience : Kérastase hairspace vision award, 2005
L. Collina, Design e metaprogetto : teorie, strumenti, pratiche, 2005
M. Galbiati, Movie design : scenari progettuali per il design della comunicazione audiovisiva e multimediale, 2005
F. Brevi, L'uso della falsa prospettiva come strumento di gestione degli spazi architettonici : la prospettiva nella scenografia di Europa riconosciuta, 2005
L. Crespi, Design e cultura tecnologica, 2005
A. Marano (a cura di), G. Di Bucchianico, Shoe design e competitività : guida all'innovazione del progetto calzaturiero, 2005
P. Bertola, G. M. Conti, Be different : il valore attrattivo del brand design nelle imprese moda, 2005
M. Turinetto, Moda e Design. Cross fertilization per l’innovazione, 2006
L. M. Collina, F. Scullica, Designing designers: design evolution by east & west : new ambients, new products, new designers : International convention of University courses in design 2005, 2006
E. Fiorani, Moda, corpo, immaginario : il divenire moda del mondo fra tradizione e innovazione, 2006
P. Bertola, E. Manzini, Design multiverso : appunti di fenomenologia del design, 2006
A. Meroni, Car design : innovazione progettuale e centralità dell’utente, 2006
F. Tosi, La rappresentazione riconfigurata : un viaggio lungo il processo di produzione del progetto di disegno industriale, 2006
M. Gaiani (a cura di), Creative Communities. People inventing sustainable ways of living, 2007
L. M. Collina, F. Scullica, Designing designers: unbranded design for new user expectations, in East and West : International convention of University courses in design 2006, 2007
V. Bucchetti, Packaging tra vista e tatto, 2007
P. Bertola, S. Maffei, Fashionplus : un' azione di valorizzazione guidata dal design per le PMI del territorio regionale emiliano, 2007
V. Bucchetti, Culture visive : contributi per il design della comunicazione, 2007
D. Ricco, M. J. De Cordoba, MuVi : Video and moving image on synesthesia and visual music : international exhibition of video, Granada, 28 April-1 May 2007, 2007
M. Rossi, F. Scullica, Designing designers: light as an architectural matter : lighting design : international conference of university courses in Design 2007, 2008
F. Jegou, E. Manzini, Collaborative services : social innovation and design for sustainability, 2008
M. Rossi, Designing designers: where does light move to? : lighting design innovation scenarios : international conference of university courses in Design 2009, 2009
Experimentation and Consolidation of the Teaching Project
From Ministerial Decree 509/99 in 1999 to the activation of new Master's degree programs in 2005.
From Ministerial Decree 509/99 in 1999 to the activation of new Master's degree programs in 2005.
Following the first five years of the degree program, there are years of continuous experimentation in the field of education. The regulatory context (from DM 509/99 to DM 207/04) imposes measures that affect the structure of study programs and degree courses later on. However, it is inherent in the founding DNA of the emerging Faculty of Design to continuously update the training profiles with the activation of degree programs that often anticipate the needs of the professional and civil world.
01/2004 - 04/2004
The first website of the Faculty of Design is online
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2002 - present
The Master's program in Strategic Design is established
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2003 - present
The first Bachelor's and Master's degree programs in Fashion Design are launched
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2004 - 2010
Activation of the Master's degree program in “Disegno e Ingegnerizzazione del Prodotto” (later Design & Engineering) is initiated.
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2005 - 2008
The Master's degree program in Product Service System Design is established
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2005 - 2025
The Master's degree program in Naval and Nautical Design is inaugurated at the La Spezia campus
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2017 - present
Attivazione del Corso di Laurea Magistrale in Digital and Interaction Design
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The opening to internationalization
From joining international networks (Cumulus in 2000) to consolidating research networks and initiating the first Double Degree program (Tongji University, 2008).
From joining international networks (Cumulus in 2000) to consolidating research networks and initiating the first Double Degree program (Tongji University, 2008).
The establishment of the Relè Office in 1998 immediately initiated the construction of an extensive network of international relationships.
In the second decade, this vocation is consolidated and further developed. In education, paths of excellence and Double Degrees are activated, and an increasing number of visiting professors are welcomed. There is also a strengthening of participation in international networks, with involvement in research and conferences that position the Department and the School at the forefront of emerging topics.
Teaching
2001 - present
The Faculty of Design is among the promoters of the MEDes (Master of European Design Network) training program
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2004 - present
The Faculty of Design joins the GIDE (Group for International Design Education) network
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2008 - present
The first Double Degree program with Tongji University Shanghai is launched
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The first visiting professors
José Manuel Allard, Anne Boddington, Richard Buchanan, Elio Caccavale, David Delafosse, Jonhattan Antonio Edelman, Belen Hermida, Stephan Jung, Daniel Kaplan, Peter Gall Krogh, Victor Margolin, Norman McNally, Paul McNicoll, Marco Mencacci, Santiago Ortiz, Rui Miguel Ferreira Roda, Mark Roxburgh, King Chung Siu, Jakobus Sliggers, Kaja Tooming Buchanan, Mika Jouko Aleksi Tuomola
Networks
2001 - present
The Faculty of Design joins Cumulus
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2013 - 2019
Luisa Collina is the President of Cumulus, becoming the first woman to hold this position
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2000
Numerous editions of "Designing Designers," an international research event for education, are organized
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2004 - present
Participation in international networks like The Bureau of European Design Associations (BEDA) is strengthened
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Designing Designers
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Research
2004
Solution Oriented Partnership
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2006
Design Driven Toolbox
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2007
Creative Communities
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2008
Collaborative Services
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2010
Human Cities. Celebrating Public Space
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The first international research projects.
HiCs Highly Customerised Solutions (2001-2004)
E-VAN European Value Network (2003-2005)
EMUDE - Emerging User Demands for sustainable solutions (2004-2006)
Human Cities - Celebrating Human Space (2008-2010)
Research institutionalization
In the last decade, the Department has solidified its position in research, and since 2018, it is included among the Departments of Excellence in Italy.
In the last decade, the Department has solidified its position in research, and since 2018, it is included among the Departments of Excellence in Italy.
Over the past decade, research activities in design have gained increasing recognition in national and international competitive grants. The growth in the number of faculty members and researchers (from 92 to 122) is accompanied by the promotion of significant scientific events and increasingly extensive research networks. The "Design for Systemic Change" project (2023-2027) reconfirms the Department of Design, which was already selected in the previous five-year period, among the "Departments of Excellence" in Italy.
2013 - present
The Department adopts the new name "Department of Design”
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22/06/2011 - 25/06/2011
The DPPI - Designing Pleasurable Products and Interfaces Conference
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03/06/2015 - 07/06/2015
CUMULUS The Virtuous Circle
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2013 - present
The Italian Society of Design (SID) is established.
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2014 - present
DESIS (Design for Social Innovation and Sustainability) Network is founded as a non-profit cultural association
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2018 - present
An international network of the PhD program takes shape
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2021
The new headquarters of the Department of Design
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2018 - 2023
The "Dipartimenti di Eccellenza” (Departments of Excellence) project.
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2023 - present
The "Design for Systemic Change" project
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Seven Years of Design Research at Politecnico di Milano
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The leadership of the system.
Deans of the Faculty and School of Design
2000 - 2010
Alberto Seassaro is Dean of the Faculty of Design
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2010 - 2016
Arturo Dell'Acqua Bellavitis is Dean of the Faculty of Design (from 2012 School of Design)
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2016 - 2022
Luisa Collina is Dean of the School of Design
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2022 - 2025
Francesco Zurlo is Dean of the School of Design
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Directors of the INDACO and Design Department
2001 - 2003
Flaviano Celaschi is Head of the INDACO Department
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2003
Marco Gaiani is Head of INDACO Department
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2004 - 2010
Arturo Dell'Acqua Bellavitis is Head of INDACO Department
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2010 - 2020
Silvia Piardi is Head of INDACO Department (from 2013 Department of Design)
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2020 - present
Alessandro Deserti is Head of the Department of Design
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Presidents and Directors of the POLI.design Consortium
20/07/1999 - 11/03/2004
Alberto Seassaro is President of POLI.design
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20/07/1999 - 11/03/2004
Flaviano Celaschi is Head of POLI.design
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11/03/2004 - 15/05/2020
Giuliano Simonelli is President of POLI.design
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11/03/2004 - 23/02/2009
Francesco Zurlo is Head of POLI.design
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23/02/2009 - 21/05/2020
Matteo Ingaramo is Head of POLI.design
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15/05/2020 - 23/04/2022
Francesco Zurlo is President of POLI.design
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24/04/2022 - 27/04/2023
Matteo Ingaramo is President of POLI.design
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28/04/2022 - present
Cabirio Cautela is CEO of POLI.design
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27/04/2023 - present
Anna Barbara is President of POLI.design
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Coordinators of the PhD program in Industrial Design
1990
Raffaella Crespi is Dean of the PhD in Industrial Design
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1990 - 1997
Tomás Maldonado is Coordinator of the PhD in Industrial Design
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1997 - 2009
Ezio Manzini is Coordinator of the PhD in Industrial Design
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2009 - 2015
Francesco Trabucco is Coordinator of the PhD in Design
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2015 - 2017
Luca Guerrini is Coordinator of the PhD in Design
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2017 - 2022
Paola Bertola is Coordinator of the PhD in Design
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2022 - present
Lucia Rampino i Coordinator of the PhD in Design
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Narratives—30 years in a glance
An archive on the history of teaching and design research at the Politecnico di Milano
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