L'Italo-Americano

I n Los Angeles, where distances reshape the way space is experi- enced every day, talk- ing about "regenera- tion" takes on a particular meaning, while still remaining true to the core idea behind Italian Design Day: starting with listening to places and communities. It is precisely from this premise that the dia- l o g u e b e t w e e n D a m i a n o Gullì, curator of contempo- rary art and the public pro- gram at Triennale Milano, and j o u r n a l i s t a n d a u t h o r F r a n c e s A n d e r t o n took shape, on the occasion of Ital- ian Design Day 2026, which took place in West Hollywood on April 23. Promoted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs a n d I n t e r n a t i o n a l Cooperation, Italian Design Day is a global platform that involves more than 100 cities w o r l d w i d e e a c h y e a r . Following last year's theme, "Inequalities – Designing for a Better Life," this year's edition continues to focus on sustain- a b i l i t y : " R e - D e s i g n . Regenerating spaces, objects, ideas, relationships." "Redesigning means engag- ing with sustainability and adopting a different way of looking at design and architec- ture, where context and com- munity are interconnected, and where the circulation of ideas and projects becomes an integral part of the process," Gullì explains. This year's theme cuts across objects, architec- ture, and communities. Can you give examples for each area? For objects, I can mention designer Martino Gamper, w h o i n 2 0 0 6 c r e a t e d 1 0 0 Chairs in 100 Days: a project in which he collected chairs or parts of chairs from flea mar- k e t s , d i s m a n t l i n g a n d reassembling them. The result was one hundred different chairs, one hundred design possibilities. This approach, at the intersection of craftsman- s h i p , a r t , a n d i n d u s t r y i s something Gamper has con- tinued to develop. In later pro- jects, such as Sitzung, chairs also become tools for interac- tion: the public can use them, move them, and redefine the space. The object is no longer just something to be looked at, it becomes active, contributing to the transformation of the e x h i b i t i o n s p a c e i n t o a dynamic, constantly reconfig- urable social environment. A n d i n t h e f i e l d o f architecture and collabo- rative design? I can mention the work of the architecture collective Orizzontale, which always starts from listening to terri- t o r i e s a n d c o m m u n i t i e s . Based in Rome, they inter- vene in spaces through par- ticipatory processes, directly involving those who inhabit t h e m a n d w o r k i n g w i t h shared urban spaces. This is a crucial approach because one of the risks of urban regener- ation is designing without truly considering the end users. At the same time, their work pushes the boundaries of the architectural practice, turning the project into a shared field of experimenta- t i o n . P r o j e c t s l i k e C i v i c o Civico, developed in 2020 in Riesi, in the Caltanissetta province, in a space confiscat- ed from the mafia, show how dialogue with the community can transform a place into a shared and vibrant space. Moreover, the collective's very name reflects a broader c h a n g e : t o d a y , w o r k i s increasingly horizontal, mov- ing beyond the figure of the single 'star architect' in favor of collective and interdiscipli- nary processes. A n d w h a t a b o u t t h e community dimension? T h e t h i r d e x a m p l e i s linked to the Italo-Brazilian artist Giulia Mangoni, whose work lies at the intersection of art, craftsmanship, and community. After training in London, she chose to live in Isola del Liri, in the Ciociaria region, where she developed a practice deeply connected to t h e t e r r i t o r y . H e r w o r k s emerge from dialogue with local artisans and often incor- porate traditional materials and techniques: woven bas- kets, objects made from local raw materials, elements that become integral parts of the artworks. But her work goes even further, engaging with the different forms of knowl- edge embedded in the territo- ry – from craftsmanship to farming, from agronomy to historical memory – bringing them into dialogue with artis- tic practice. In this way, art becomes a tool to narrate and enhance a place, but also to reactivate it, creating new connections between commu- nities, local knowledge, and contemporary practices. H o w c a n o n e m o v e from a local scale to a broader, global one? Local practices can become broader models. As Andrea Branzi argued, design lives in a constant tension between industrial production and non-standard practices, that is, everything that is experi- mental, artisanal, and non- standardized. These are not s e p a r a t e o r c o n f l i c t i n g w o r l d s , b u t s y s t e m s t h a t dynamically feed into each other. This relationship also concerns the circulation of ideas: what emerges in local contexts can enter a wider system of cultural and design exchange. It is within this movement that an important part of contemporary design is built. D o e s t h i s a p p r o a c h also work in a city like Los Angeles, where there is a tendency to demolish and rebuild rather than reuse? We're clearly dealing with d i f f e r e n t s c a l e s , a n d t h i s greatly affects the way one works. Los Angeles, for exam- ple, has a geography and an urban sprawl that are com- pletely different from the European or Italian context. Every place has its own spe- c i f i c c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s , s o a m o d e l c a n n o t b e a p p l i e d directly or mechanically. One must always interpret the social, economic, and cultural dynamics of a place. In this sense, I think, for example, of the work of Theaster Gates in t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s . H i s approach goes beyond urban regeneration, it involves the c r e a t i o n o f r e a l c u l t u r a l ecosystems: spaces where art, music, architecture, and com- munity coexist and activate one another. You also work on pub- lic programming. What role does design play in this context? Over the years, public pro- gramming has become an increasingly central tool for u s . O n t h e o n e h a n d , i t accompanies exhibitions, cre- a t i n g a s p a c e f o r d e e p e r e x p l o r a t i o n t h a t b r i n g s together curators, artists, architects, designers, and audiences. On the other hand, i t i s a l s o a n a u t o n o m o u s s p a c e t h a t a l l o w s u s t o address broader contempo- rary issues, such as living, the city, memory, and archives. In this sense, the archive is not something static, but a living material capable of generating new readings and connections. Another aspect that has become fundamental today is how we think about audiences. There is no longer a single, homogeneous audi- e n c e . T h e r e a r e d i f f e r e n t a u d i e n c e s , w i t h d i f f e r e n t n e e d s , s e n s i t i v i t i e s , a n d modes of access. This com- pletely changes the way pro- grams are designed. W h e n w e t a l k a b o u t accessible spaces, what does that mean in con- crete terms? Accessibility is first and foremost physical, but it is also cognitive. It means mak- ing content accessible without oversimplifying it, working o n l a n g u a g e , t e x t s , a n d modes of communication. E v e n s e e m i n g l y m i n o r details—such as typography or the contrast of colors in captions—make a significant difference. A particularly meaningful example is the project Dance Well, dedicat- ed, though not exclusively, to p e o p l e w i t h P a r k i n s o n ' s . Through dance, participants experience the spaces of the Triennale actively, reclaiming their bodies and movement. It is a powerful example of how design and cultural pro- gramming can become con- crete tools for inclusion. In this sense, making content accessible truly means open- ing cultural spaces to every- one. SILVIA NITTOLI Italian Design Day 2026: Rethinking the world from what already exists THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2026 www.italoamericano.org 16 L'Italo-Americano LOS ANGELES ITALIAN COMMUNITY Damiano Gullì pictured outdoors, reflecting his interest in the relationship between art, public space, and everyday life (Photo: Gianluca Di Ioia)

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