The 9th Edition of Italian Design Day (IDD) 2025 will be held on February 12, 2025, under the theme “Inequalities: Design for a Better Life,” aligned with the upcoming Universal Exhibition at the Triennale di Milano, titled “Inequalities: How to Mend the Fractures of Humanity,” which opens in May and runs until November. IDD 2025 aims to highlight the role of high-quality design in reducing inequalities and mitigating their impact on everyday life. This year’s edition, organized by the Italian Cultural Institute in Abu Dhabi, will reinterpret the national theme from a local perspective, focusing on territoriality and the Emirati context. Below are the scheduled events:
February 11 – Masterclass on Car and Automotive Design at Amity International School Abu Dhabi
A masterclass by expert car designer Boris Fabris as part of the partnership between the Italian Cultural Institute and Amity International School Abu Dhabi. Boris Fabris, an accomplished car and automotive designer, former team leader at Fioravanti (a company that collaborated with Ferrari SPA), and visiting professor at various international universities, will present the Ferrari F430 SP1 model, which won Best of Show at the 2010 Concorso Italiano in Monterey, USA. The masterclass will include a presentation of the award-winning Ferrari model and a hands-on workshop to create a car design project. The lecture is intended for Amity International School students specializing in automotive design.
February 12 at 6:30 PM – Seminar: “Inequalities: Design for a Better Life”
Italian Cultural Institute Abu Dhabi
RSVP: https://idd2025.splashthat.com
Focusing on urban planning and the transformative power of design and culture in urban contexts, the seminar will feature four distinguished speakers. Architects and designers Luca Donner and Francesca Sorcinelli, professors at the American University in the Emirates and Zayed University in Dubai respectively, will discuss “utopian paradigms” and the reconversion of disused urban spaces to improve quality of life. Boris Fabris will address the topic of “the right design for a better urban life” through his expertise in car design.
Andrea Bartoli, founder of Farm Cultural Park in Favara, Sicily, a community that recreates and reimagines urban spaces through the transformative power of culture and design, will deliver a remote presentation titled “Farm Cultural Park: A Platform for Change.” The event will conclude with final remarks on the national theme of IDD 2025 by architect Dario Curatolo, the Testimonial and Design Ambassador for the UAE on behalf of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
At the end of the seminar, there’s a culinary surprise that will make the event even more special! The Institute will offer an exclusive designed cake to share and enjoy with all the guests. Don’t miss it!
Image courtesy of Luca Donner and Francesca Sorcinelli, ‘Heritagutopia’ project.