A degree course with Poly-technic roots
The educational offer as a laboratory of learning paths and skills
Teaching closely related to the professional world
Teaching in the laboratories for experiential learning
Teaching that engages with major themes of the contemporary world
Designing design education
The relationship between theory and practice, research and education has been key since the first Degree Program. A synthesis between inductive approach and cultural and scientific foundations that has solidified innovative and multidisciplinary programs.
Curated by Antonella Penati, Andrea Manciaracina, Agnese Rebaglio
A degree course with Poly-technic roots
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A fundamental aspect of the educational program is the multidisciplinarity that characterizes its deep polytechnic nature, where technical-scientific knowledge is combined with humanistic and artistic knowledge. In particular, the degree program is developed with the contribution of professors from the Department of Programming, Design, and Construction Production (PPPE), later INDACO Department, as well as numerous other departments of the Polytechnic University of Milan and other universities.
Rivista Politecnico n.4
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An interdepartmental polytechnic faculty
Teachers involved in the Degree Course in Industrial Design immediately come from many Departments of the Polytechnic of Milan, for multidisciplinary teaching. From 1993 to 2000: Bioengineering, Applied physical chemistry, Industrial chemistry and chemical engineering, Conservation and history of architecture, Industrial design and architectural technology (DI.Tec), Economics and production, Electronics and information, Electrotechnics, Energy, Structural engineering, Building and territorial systems engineering, Mathematics, Mechanics, Architectural design, Architecture and Planning, Transport and handling systems.
In addition, external professors from other universities are also included within teaching programs, such as: Istituto Universitario di Architettura di Venezia (IUAV); Politecnico di Torino; Università di Ancona; Università Bocconi di Milano; Università di Bologna; Università di Brescia; Università Cà Foscari di Venezia; Università di Cagliari; Università di Catania; Università di Chieti; Università di Ferrara; Università di Firenze; II Università di Napoli; Università Federico II di Napoli; Università di Palermo; Università di Parma; Università di Pescara; Università di Pisa; Università di Reggio Calabria; Università di Roma – La Sapienza; Università Roma III; Università di Siena; Università Statale di Milano; Università di Udine; Università di Verona.
«Unique in the Italian educational landscape and born from the polytechnic culture that has successfully combined humanistic knowledge with scientific expertise, the Industrial Design degree program at the III Facoltà di Architettura of Politecnico di Milano has managed to merge the contents of academic education with the pragmatism of profession. From the outset, it has engaged in educational experimentation and research activities, involving the corporate world as well as the most renowned figures in Italian and international design».
Dalla Proposta iniziale del progetto scientifico del nuovo Dipartimento INDACO, 2007
The educational offer as a laboratory of learning paths and skills
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The constant evolution of educational programs has interpreted, within the regulatory framework of the Italian University, the complexity and changes in the social, economic, and productive context that designers encounter, often anticipating their directions and needs.
1993: The first Industrial Design degree program activated at the Faculty of Architecture of Politecnico di Milano included the following study tracks from the second year onwards: Industrial Product Design; Product Strategy Design; Visual and Multimedia Communication Design; Industrial Environment Design; and starting from 1997; Lighting Design; Visual Design; and Interface Design.
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1998: The degree program is structured with a new order, which includes 4 specializations: Product, Interior, Communication, and Fashion.
2000: A second branch of the Industrial Design degree program is established in Como, which, starting from 2001, offers 2 specializations: Product-Furniture and Textile-Fashion.
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"Una Laurea per che cosa?" (A Degree for What?) 16/09/2003
2003: The Faculty of Design is established. In accordance with Ministerial Decree 509/99, the educational offering is structured into 3+2 programs, comprising 5 Bachelor's degree programs and 5 Master's degree programs, which further expand in 2004 and 2005.
Bachelor's and Master's degrees from 2003 onwards
Teaching closely related to the professional world
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Teaching at the School of Design has always been distinguished by the contribution of experience and practical knowledge brought into the classroom by designers, professionals, and men and women who are key figures in local and international industrial, cultural, and creative enterprises. Academic instructors have been complemented from the beginning by an extraordinary number of professionals in an integrated educational approach that combines multidisciplinary expertise.
Masters and professionals
From the academic year 1993-1994 to the academic year 2001-2002, the following individuals conducted teaching activities:
Alessandro Alessandri, Laura Ammaturo, Silvana Annichiarico, Gianluigi Arnaldi, Alessandro Arosio, Luigi Bandini Buti, Fabrizio Barbero, Daniele Baroni, Antonio Barrese, Gisella Bassanini, Matteo Bazzicalupo, Daniele Bedini, Luigi Bellavita, Guido Belli, Francesco Bellini, Mario Bellini, Antonino Benincasa, Francesco Bergonzi, Gianluca Bocchi, Lina Bonapace, Marco Bonetto, Roberto Boni, Mario Bonomo, Guy Bonsiepe, Davide Boriani, Aldo Bottoli, Andrea Braccaloni, Carlo Branzaglia, Stefana Broadbent, Maria Francesca Brunella, Federico Brunetti, Ampelio Bucci, Michael Burke, Luca Buttafava, Pietro Camardella, Mara Campana, Piero Capodieci, Michele Capuani, Stefano Cardini, Fulvio Carmagnola, Elio Carmi, Achille Castiglioni, Piero Castiglioni, Francesco Cavalli, Anxo Cerejio Roibas, Giovanni Cesareo, Aldo Cibic, Stefano Cinti Luciani, Antonio Citterio, Franco Clivio, Aldo Colonetti, Claudio Conio, Luciano Consolati, Angelo Cortesi, Luca Cosmai, Ermanno Cressoni, Corrado Crisciani, Silvano Custoza, Giovanni Cutolo, Giovanni Cutolo, Roberto Dadda, Toni D’Andrea, Antonio Davanzo, Peter Davis, Gillo Dorfles, Donato D’Urbino, Orio De Paoli, Silvio De Ponte, Walter De Silvia, Gabriele De Vecchi, Massimo Deutsch, Carmelo Di Bartolo, Ernesto Di Pietro, Maurizo Di Puolo, Elena Di Raddo, Maurizio Di Robilant, Dante Donegani, Gillo Dorfles, Donato D’Urbino, Diana Eugeni, Marco Fantoni, Ignazia Favata, Paolo Ferrari, Bruce Fifield, Eleonora Fiorani, Giorgio Fioravanti, Gianni Forcolini, Angelo Giuseppe Fronzoni, Luca Gafforio, Isabella Gagliardi, Marcello Galbiati, Daria Gallico, Augusto Garau, Claudio Gasparini, Bruno Gecchelin, Moreno Gentili, Giovanni Giacobone, Antonella Giardina, Roberto Giolito, Ernesto Gismondi, Giorgetto Giugiaro, Maurizio Gnot, Davide Groppi, Ian Grout, Carlo Guenzi, Alessandro Guerriero, Massimo Hachen, Makio Hasuike, Isao Hosoe, Giancarlo Iliprandi, James Irvine, François Jegou, Perry King, Edoardo Landi, Ugo La Pietra, Ettore Lariani, Ferruccio Laviani, Alberte Leclerc, Roberto Liscia, Paolo Lomazzi, Gianluigi Lombardi Cerri, Stefano Luciani Cinti, Italo Lupi, Giovanni Lussu, Antonio Macchi Cassia, Grazia Magrassi, Luca Mainetti, Tomàs Maldonado, Andrea Manfredi, Sara Mano, Alberto Mantegna, Maurizio Marian, Nicola Marras, Patrizia Marti, Stefano Marzano, Lucia Massarutto, Alberto Meda, Sergio Menichelli, Cesare Mercuri, Marco Migliari, Maurizio Milani, Maurizio Minoggio, Santiago Miranda, Girolamo Modenato, Pier Luigi Molinari, Pietro Montefusco, Francesco Morace, Augusto Morello, Silvio Morganti, Roberto Musante, Lorenzo Mussi, Franco Origoni, Paolo Orlandini, Michele Ottomanelli, Riccardo Nava, Bob Noorda, Michele Ottomanelli, Elena Pacenti, Paolo Padova, Angelo Pagani, Pietro Palladino, Clelia Pallotta, Lorenzo Palmeri, Maria Antonella Pansera, Mauro Panzeri, Luigi Paracchini, Paolo Parlavecchia, Diego Pasinato, Gianni Pasini, Sandro Pasqui, Marinella Patetta, Terry Pecora, Enrica Pero, Manuela Perugia, Angelo Perversi, Antonio Petrillo, Bruno Piccoli, Matteo Piccoli, Roberto Pieraccini, Ruggero Pierantoni, Sergio Pininfarina, Enza Pisano, Massimo Pitis, Pietro Polato, Anna Poli, Marco Poma, Piero Pozzi, Costanza Pratesi, Alberto Prina, Giampaolo Proni, Daniela Puppa, Giancarlo Quartieri, Franco Raggi, Marco Raimondi, Claudia Raimondo, Patrizia Ramadori, Renate Ramge Eco, Francesco Rampichini, Enrico Redaelli, Matteo Ricotti, Paolo Riolzi, Giorgio Riva, Michael Robinson, Rodrigo Rodriguez, Paolo Rosa, Rosa Sacchetto, Marc Sadler, Pierluigi Salvadeo, Alberto Salvati, Giovanni Salvati, Sonia Sancassani, Francesco Schianchi, Clelia Pallotta, Denis Santachiara, Erminia Scarazzini, Anna Maria Scevola, Raimondo Schettini, Piero Scotti, Narciso Silvestrini, Gianni Sinni, Anna Steiner, Harald Stetzer, Maria Giovanna Strada, Hiroko Takeda, Andrea Terranova, Gianfranco Torri, Ambrogio Tresoldi, Matteo Tresoldi, Clino Trini Castelli, Gabriele Troilo, Jorn Tornquist, Daniele Turchi, Claudio Valent, Andries Van Onck, Giorgio Valentini, Maria Grazia Varisco, Alberto Veca, Marcello Vecchi, Pierparide Vidari, Giorgio Vignati, Massimo Vignelli, Maurizio Vitta, Hans von Klier, Daniel Weil, Marco Zanuso, Michele Zini, Renzo Zorzi
1998
Total number of professors: 284; Percentage of adjunct professors: 62%.
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2003
Percentage of adjunct professors: 79%
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2013
Percentage of adjunct professors: 70%
2023
Total number of professors: 505; Percentage of adjunct professors: 63%
Workshops
Conceived as a form of intensive education, conducted with real clients and under the guidance of professional designers, workshops have always been a privileged opportunity for students to gain practical professional experience.
Numerous companies, organizations, and both for-profit and non-profit entities have brought their needs, expertise, and briefs into the classroom, allowing students to engage with them. This has allowed students to simulate professional practices in various ways and timeframes, as well as experiment with different approaches to design projects.
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Curricular internship
Curricular internship is considered an integral part of a designer's education from the very beginning and is a mandatory activity for all fifth-year students starting from the academic year 1997/1998. From the academic year 1997-1998, the Industrial Design degree program managed internships directly through the RAP - Rapporti Aziende Professionisti (Relations with Companies and Professionals) service. The program selected companies, professional studios, and institutions for internships.
In 1998, the first companies that offered internships included: Nel 1998 le prime aziende che offrono tirocinio sono: A.b.m. Victoria S.p.a., Adgroup, Adi, Agape S.r.l., Alberico & Giachetti Architett Associati, Aldo Biasi Comunication Srl, Alterstudio S.a.s., Andrea Branzi Architetto, Andrea Matricardi - Daniela Franzosi, Anee Ass. Naz. Editoria Elettronica, Anver, Arch. Caliari, Arch. Favata Ignazia/Studio Joe Colombo Arch. Giuliano Galeazzi Artemide S.p.A., Artestampa di Angelo Ballerio, Artsana S.p.A., Associazione Donatella Gazzola, Associazione Promozione Iniziative Culturali, Azienda Ospedaliera Ospedale di Circolo, B. De Carli Grafica & Pubblicita, B.C.F. Studio S.r.l., Benzoni Claudio, Bernardini Paolo, Besanopoli S.a.s., Boccardi Alberto, Bocconi Comunicazione S.r.l., Bonetto Design, Bonfanti Lorenzo, C.E.A.S.T. S.p.A., C.R.M. S.r.l., Calligaris S.p.A., Carma S.r.l., Cartelli Segnalatori S.R.L., Cavallini Linea C S.n.c., Centro di Cultura Scientifica A. Volta, Centro Metid, Centro per la Grafica Informatizzata, Cerea Chiara, Cesvit S.p.A, Clac - Centro Legno Arredo Cantù S.r.l., Cocito Gabriele, Comunita Montana Valganna Valmarchirolo, Creativbureau, Crosa & C. S.p.A., Dedalo, Dieffebi S.r.l., Ditec S.p.A., Dna Information Technology Srl, Domenico Neri S.R.L., Dorigo Design S.a.s., E. A. La Triennale di Milano, E. Camilla Masciadri Arc., Effepizeta S.R.L., Electrolux Euroclean Italia S.p.A., Elisabetta Elli - Pubblicità e Immagine, Enzo Mari Associati S.A.S., Erba Giovanni & C. S.N.C., Esseblu, Exper S.a.s., Faber S.p.A., Fabrica S.p.A., Ferreri Marco, Fiat Auto S.p.A., Film Master Clip, Fioravanti S.r.I., Fonzo & C. S.n.c., Forcolini Carlo, Fumagalli Srl, Furlani-Fcm S.P.A., G. Gervasoni, Galgano E Associati, Gandalf Interactive Media S.r.I., Gansow Elektrobau GmbH -Succ. per Italia, Gir 8 Industrie Grafiche S.r.I., Girmi S.p.A., Globe Designs S.r.l., Graffiti S.a.s., Herz S.r.l., Horm S.r.l., 1.M. S.r.l., Ikona Studio Immagine, Iliprandi Associati, Infogroup S.p.A., Ino Chisesi & Associati S.n.c., Inside Out S.n.c., Interpark S.r.l., Ipothesi, Irsap S.p.A, Jorge Arcuri, King-Miranda Associati, La Palma S.N.C., Laboratorio di Fotografia Politecnico, Liceo Scientifico Stat. Vittorio Veneto, Living Divani S.r.l., Lo Studio S.n.c., Losi Luigi, Lugli Carrelli Elevatori spa, Manconi & C Sri, Maria Grazia Fiocco-Studio Industrial D., Martini Michela, Matsushita Electrik, Mazzer Mario, Mca & Partners Sas di A. Petrillo & C., Megliomilano, Mh Design S.r.l., Microsoft, Mip - Consorzio Universitario, Momo Design S.r.l., Mondialforni S.R.L., Moroso S.p.A., Mr&D S.r.l, N.Gi.C. Medical Equipment, Nagest S.r.l., Naos Design, Nice Communication S.r.l., Novello S.R.L., Novolegno S.p.a., O-Nami Product Design, Olpidurr S.p.A., Orton Srl, Pagni E Zamperetti - Studio D.R.D., Paolo Di Vita-Visual Design Paul Casalini & C. S.r.l., Pico Design S.r.l., Pino Mengoni Communications, Polywood S.p.a., Promoplay srl, Publiem S.r.l., Quattrocchio S.r.l., Record S.P.A., Rondine Italia S.P.A., S.E.A. Società di ergonomia applicata, Sabatino Studio, Schirolli Contract S.r.l., Sergio Coppola Designer, Sistem Costruzioni S.r.l., Studio 2A, Studio Alessandri, Studio Arch. Contract S.r.l., Studio Arch. Edoardo Brambilla Studio Azzurro Produzioni S.r.l., Studio Bartoli Architetto Carlo, Studio Blue Design, Studio Chigiotti, Studio Cierreci, Studio De Ponte, Studio di Architettura Megaron, Studio DoppioUni S.n.c., Studio Fedra Design, Studio Livio S.r.l., Studio Marco Piva, Studio Mc Kimm S.s., Studio Rota, Studio TRP, Syn S.r.l., Tangram Strategic Design, Tecnofirma Spa, Titan Bagno, Ubis S.n.c., Udacanturio Design di Cappelletti e Pozz, Uesseti Sas, Unifor S.p.A., Urbis S.r.l., Vendramin Studio, Ventomatic S.p.a., Videopaint EFX sas, Villani Giovanni, Vortice Elettrosociali S.p.A., Whirlpool Europe Spa/2, Studio Arch. Contract S.r.l., Studio Arch. Edoardo Brambilla Studio Azzurro Produzioni S.r.l., Studio Bartoli Architetto Carlo, Studio Blue Design, Studio Chigiotti, Studio Cierreci, Studio De Ponte, Studio di Architettura Megaron, Studio DoppioUni S.n.c., Studio Fedra Design, Studio Livio S.r.l., Studio Marco Piva, Studio Mc Kimm S.s., Studio Rota, Studio TRP, Syn S.r.l., Tangram Strategic Design, Tecnofirma Spa, Titan Bagno, Ubis S.n.c., Udacanturio Design di Cappelletti e Pozz, Uesseti Sas, Unifor S.p.A., Urbis S.r.l., Vendramin Studio, Ventomatic S.p.a., Videopaint EFX sas, Villani Giovanni, Vortice Elettrosociali S.p.A., Whirlpool Europe Spa/2.
Progetto Tirocinio - Il tirocinio obbligatorio del Corso di Laurea in Disegno Industriale
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1998
Number of companies/organizations offering internships: 182
2022
Number of companies/organizations offering internships: 750
Teaching in the laboratories for experiential learning
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Laboratory teaching has benefited from the immediate establishment and subsequent development of a high-profile technical-scientific infrastructure system serving students, teachers, and researchers. The classroom space is integrated, from the beginning, with laboratory spaces open to experimentation, skill development, based on an idea of inductive, reflective, and collaborative teaching.
The technical laboratories "Design Labs"
In 1999, the following laboratories were established:
Model Making Laboratory (Head: Francesco Trabucco)
Photography Laboratory (Head: Alberto Seassaro)
Special Graphic Techniques Laboratory (Head: Giovanni Anceschi)
Lighting Engineering Laboratory (Heads: Alberto Seassaro, Giorgio Longoni)
Color Laboratory (Head: Attilio Marcolli)
Product Analysis Laboratory (Heads: Alberto Seassaro, Giuliano Simonelli, Flaviano Celaschi)
As of 2023, the Design Labs occupy an area of approximately 12,000 square meters, supporting educational activities and providing internal and external services in various design fields.
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Teaching that engages with major themes of the contemporary world
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The final year of the Bachelor's degree program includes, from the beginning, a comprehensive and structured educational module consisting of multidisciplinary contributions. In this module, students who are nearing graduation engage in design work related to cutting-edge themes. These themes are renewed every year through the visionary efforts of teams of both internal and external teachers, who challenge the students creatively.
1997-98
Work
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School
Mobility
Cultural heritage
Healthcare
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Urban ecology
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1998-99
Dressing the space, furnishing the body
Places of interaction
Livability, usability, and habitability of healthcare spaces
Design for learning
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Design of control and command
Information: threads of thought in complex spaces
Leisure time
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The “Final Synthesis” Laboratories 1999-2003.
Cold, Heat, Light; Design and Local Production Systems; Design for Collective Spaces; Artifacts for Microenvironmental Comfort; Communicating the Product, Producing Communication; The Smart City; Vehicle in Progress; The "Light Laboratory"; Places of Interaction/Interface Design; Design and Management of Cultural Heritage; New Publishing; Value-Based Design; Communicating the City; The Museum of Design; Vehicle Design; Waterfront; The Image of the City; Selling and Buying in the Era of Access and Sustainability; Trends, Products, and Strategies for Fashion; District Museum for Italian Design; Designing and Communicating Information Processes; Transportation Design; Extreme Design; Major Transportation; Projects and Strategies for a Light Laboratory; The Knowledge System; Cultural Design; New Housing Scenarios; Territories of Communication; Movie Design; Around Bodies; Design in Motion; Strategies and Products for Furniture; For the City of Fashion; Communicating Institutions; The Future of Communication; Strategies, Communication, and Events for the Fashion System; Projects for the Body; Places of Hospitality.
Andrea Branzi, the Lifelong Education
Timeline
Design System
Education and Training
Research and Innovation
Narratives—Designing design education
Alberto Seassaro. The demiurge
The beginnings
30 years in a glance
Design Convivio
Designing design education
Research trajectories
Beyond the borders
Echoes from alumni
An archive on the history of teaching and design research at the Politecnico di Milano
Ruota il dispositivo
