Last night's event, just as the INTERNI conference ideally opens Milan Design Week, ideally inaugurated the London Design Festival, which will be held from 14 to 22 September, consolidating the bond between the two design capitals.

The meeting featured four leading figures from the architectural and cultural scene: Ron Arad, designer, Deyan Sudjic, design historian and critic, Michele Pasca di Magliano, director Zaha Hadid Arcitects and Claudia Pasquero, co-founder EcoLogicStudio.

These professionals, different in age and background, are united by an intense bond between Italy and London, a relationship that has proven fundamental for their professional and creative growth.

Milan, heart of design and innovation

Milan, with its FuoriSalone and its long tradition in the field of design, has always been a point of reference for creatives and architects from all over the world.

INTERNI, founded in 1954, has played a key role in disseminating design culture, becoming since 1990, under the direction of Gilda Bojardi, one of the most influential tools in the sector.

Thanks to the invention of the FuoriSalone, a collective phenomenon that brings over half a million people to Milan every year, INTERNI is not just a magazine, but a platform capable of following the transformations, innovations and evolution of design.

And this was testified by the speakers with their presence at the FuoriSalone installations, the most recent ones created by Arad for Citco (Love Song) and Zaha Hadid Architects for Tecno.

Ron Arad, a famous Israeli designer and architect, has underlined the importance of the relationship with Italian companies such as Moroso, which have transformed his creations from one-off pieces to serial production. Arad, an artist with a strong experimental imprint, has seen in Italian companies an interlocutor capable of supporting his innovative approach, thanks to a production chain that has made it possible to create complex projects.

The case of Ron Arad is just one example of the bond that unites Milan to international design.

Italy, with its ability to combine artisan tradition and technological innovation, has allowed many creatives to establish themselves on the global scene. It is no coincidence that Milan is considered the world capital of design, and the FuoriSalone, which is held in parallel with the Salone del Mobile, is one of the key moments for the evolution of trends and taste in the sector.

Deyan Sudjic and Milan: a deep bond

Deyan Sudjic, an internationally renowned writer, critic and curator, has also developed a special relationship with Milan. Former director of the Design Museum in London, Sudjic had an intense relationship with the Italian city during his time as director of the magazine Domus, an institution in the field of design and architecture. Milan was for him not only a source of inspiration, but also a place of intellectual exchange, where he was able to interact with the greatest exponents of the culture of design. Sudjic, now on the scientific committee of INTERNI, is an authoritative voice in the international design community, capable of connecting different experiences and visions, as he demonstrated during the talk in London.

During the event, Sudjic guided the audience through a presentation rich in images, tracing the history of the Fuorisalone as a social phenomenon capable of influencing people's taste and transforming the way we experience space.

He recalled how Milan, with its system of exhibitions, events and collaborations between designers, producers and cultural institutions, has become a model for other cities. Starting from the Exhibitions at the Triennale, to the years of protest, up to the present day.

A comparison between generations and visions

The evening also saw the intervention of Michele Pasca di Magliano and Claudia Pasquero, two young professionals who have found in London a space for growth and experimentation.

Pasca di Magliano, with her experience at Zaha Hadid's studio, underlined how the approach to the project, whether for a building or a design object, follows the same logic: creating a coherent language, capable of telling a story. However, she explained how the times and possibilities for error are different: design has shorter times, while architecture requires longer and more complex processes.

Claudia Pasquero, co-founder of EcoLogicStudio, instead brought an approach oriented towards sustainability and the relationship with the landscape. His studio works on projects that aim to regenerate the urban environment through innovative and sustainable solutions, often involving local communities in playful and participatory practices.

A deep cultural bond

The importance of this cultural exchange between Italy and the United Kingdom was also highlighted by the director of the Italian Cultural Institute in London, Francesco Bongarrà, who introduced the debate by underlining how events like this represent a bridge between two cultures, united by a passion for architecture, design and creativity.

The Italian Cultural Institute in London plays a crucial role in exploring issues related to the culture of design, promoting a fertile dialogue between Italy and the United Kingdom and strengthening cultural exchanges through initiatives that celebrate the innovation and creativity of the two countries.