On the occasion of the Italian Design Day (IDD), and within the context of the thematic series In Futuro: a Survey of Possibilities, the Italian Cultural Institute and the Consulate General of Italy in Chicago, in collaboration with the Italian Trade Agency and the Design Museum of Chicago, present a lecture with Italian designers Defne Koz and Marco Susani, founders of Koz Susani Design, on the designers’ approach to the idea of future.

Designers are constantly thinking about the future, they watch how society and cultures evolve, and they imagine how the environment around people – at any scale, from objects to architecture – can help to build a better life. The scenarios that designers generate are not forecasts, they do not show what the future will be, they are “what-if” visions that work as tangible examples of different possibilities. They might show the potential of future technologies, or foster processes of social innovation and sustainable development. In any case, such visions of the future can stimulate debates, help people see what everyday life might be like, and collect feedback.

During the event, Defne Koz and Marco Susani will provide historical examples of how designers anticipated the cultural transformation in the ’60s. They will then present their most recent projects, which focus on scenarios for the future of work, mobility, and health.

Defne Koz and Marco Susani are founders of Koz Susani Design, an award-winning international design studio, where they design iconic, impactful, emotionally engaging, best-seller products and experiences. In 2022 they were awarded the Compasso d’Oro, the most prestigious international design award. Their design span from domestic objects to high-tech devices, from hi-touch materials to interaction design, from luxury crafts to mass-manufactured products, always focusing on hi-quality design that embraces vision and innovation while preserving human, emotional qualities.

March 14th marks the VIII edition of the Giornata del Design Italiano nel Mondo – Italian Design Day (IDD), titled “Manufacturing Value – Inclusiveness, innovation and sustainability.”

The Italian Design Day is the annual theme-based review launched in 2017 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (the Farnesina), in collaboration and with the support of the Ministry of Culture. It consists of an extensive program of promotional events around the world, created by the network of Embassies, Consulates, Italian Cultural Institutes and ICE Offices abroad: every year, specifically for this occasion, over one hundred testimonials become storytellers, presenting design and Italy’s outstanding creativity. The Italian Design Day has established itself as an effective tool in supporting the promotion of design and the internationalization of a strategic industrial sector for Italian exports.