L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2025 www.italoamericano.org 24 L'Italo-Americano I talian Design Day was celebrated in San Francisco on Febru- ary 12th, highlighting t h e c r u c i a l r o l e o f h i g h - q u a l i t y d e s i g n i n addressing and mitigating inequalities and reducing their impact on daily life. This annual global event, launched in 2017 with the support of the Italian Ministry of For- eign Affairs, aims to showcase the excellence and distinctive qualities of Italian design worldwide. Italian Design Day brings together a diverse network of "ambassadors" — architects, designers, and industry pro- fessionals — who participate in conferences, exhibitions, and meetings to promote Ital- ian design on an international stage. The initiative fosters collaboration between public and private entities, including businesses and educational institutions, strengthening the global reputation of Ital- ian design. Its inaugural edi- tion successfully engaged approximately 20,000 partic- ipants in celebrating both established and emerging Italian talent. The 2024 edition focused on Manufacturing Value – Inclusiveness, Innovation, and Sustainability, while the 2025 events align with the theme of the upcoming Uni- versal Exposition at Trien- nale Milano, Inequalities: how to Mend the Frac- tures of Humanity, set to open in May. Continuing a tradition established in previ- o u s y e a r s , t h e e x h i b i t i o n L i f e t i m e A c h i e v e m e n t Photography: a Tribute by Italian Photographers to the Compasso d'Oro Masters of the Last 25 Years will once again be fea- tured. O n t h e c l o s i n g d a y o f Genio Toscano, an exhibition organized by the Tuscany R e g i o n a n d h o s t e d a t I N N O V I T , A l b e r t a L a i , Director of the Italian Cultural Institute in San Francisco, welcomed local Italian design leaders for a three-way conversation on how innovation in design can enhance quality of life from multiple perspectives. Caterina Falleni, a sea- soned Product Design Leader a n d s t a r t u p m e n t o r , h a s spent years specializing in Accessibility and Inclusive Design, playing a pivotal role in developing equitable and inclusive solutions. Elena Pacenti recently joined the California College of the Arts (CCA) in San Francisco as the new director of the Grad- u a t e P r o g r a m ( M D e s ) i n Interaction Design. After earning her PhD at the Poly- technic University of Milan, she spent most of her career at Domus Academy in Milan, a prestigious institution for postgraduate education. In 2013, she relocated to San Diego to establish the School of Design at the NewSchool of Architecture & Design. Manuela Zavattaro, an expert in product design, f o c u s e s o n t r a n s f o r m i n g c o m p l e x t e c h n o l o g y i n t o seamless user experiences. Working at the intersection of design, technology, psy- chology, and economics, she demonstrates how thoughtful UX can simplify financial d e c i s i o n - m a k i n g a n d empower users. A c c o r d i n g t o D i r e c t o r Pacenti, "The idea of design- ing for better lives implies that designers play an impor- tant role in solving complex p r o b l e m s . T h e s c o p e o f design has evolved — from shaping physical environ- ments, interiors, and tangible products to developing digi- tal solutions interconnected across systems." She contin- ued, "What we design today are complex systems — digi- tal products and services that require new methodologies." The panelists all agreed that modern designers must be highly interdisciplinary, leveraging their understand- ing of human psychology, behavior, and quality of life. M o r e t h a n e v e r , b e i n g a d e s i g n e r r e q u i r e s s t r o n g research skills, the ability to identify underlying prob- l e m s , a n d a d e e p u n d e r - standing of what people truly need. O v e r h e r t w o - d e c a d e career, Manuela Zavattaro has encountered exclusion as a woman on multiple occa- s i o n s . H o w e v e r , s h e n o w feels optimistic about the col- lective effort to bridge the gap by ensuring that all voic- e s a r e h e a r d . " T h e f i r s t mobile phone was designed b a s e d o n a m a n ' s h a n d . Then, companies like Apple realized that wasn't the right approach, and more women were brought onto design teams to solve that problem. I n n o v a t i o n c a n d r i v e progress for everyone and empower groups that tradi- tionally haven't had a seat at the table. As a leader, I create space for my team so that everyone feels free to bring their authentic self and chal- lenge ideas—because without that, building truly inclusive solutions becomes difficult." Inclusivity and disability often go hand in hand, some- t h i n g C a t e r i n a F a l l e n i learned firsthand through her work. "When we think about disability, we often pic- ture someone who is blind or deaf. But in reality, there are many types of disabilities, including temporary and sit- uational ones. If I break my arm, I experience a tempo- rary disability that limits how I interact with my environ- ment — whether it's carrying g r o c e r i e s o r h o l d i n g m y child. Situational disabilities occur when, for example, I'm walking on a bright sunny day, glance at my phone, and struggle to see the screen. As designers, we must account for all these scenarios." Many aspects of daily life that we take for granted are the result of years of innova- tion. "Speaking in terms of numbers," Falleni continued, "the World Health Organiza- tion reports that one in six people worldwide has a dis- ability. We need to create opportunities for open dis- cussions and design applica- tions that stem from a deep u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f u s e r s ' needs." Director Pacenti couldn't help but highlight some of the remarkable initiatives taking place in the social labs at CCA, raising the question: can design truly find solu- tions that benefit people? On a similar note, design- er Falleni embraces a per- spective that industry profes- sionals are not just a drop in t h e o c e a n b u t r a t h e r t h e ocean in a drop. This mind- set encourages industry lead- ers to fully adopt a human- centered approach—ensuring that, regardless of the app they design or the type of work they do, they continue moving in that direction, even when faced with chal- lenges. F o r t h e s e r e a s o n s , t h e p a n e l i s t s , i n r e s p o n s e t o audience questions, agreed that a coordinated system with sufficient resources is the most effective way to support and celebrate Italian design. SERENA PERFETTO From left to right, Vice Consul Davide Corriero, Caterina Falleni, Elena Pacenti, IIC Director Alberta Lai, and Manuela Zavattaro (Photo: Luca Capponi) Italian Design Day: experts explore the role of design as a force for equality SAN FRANCISCO ITALIAN COMMUNITY

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