Progetto Aquila, a social initiative, provides a safe haven for around thirty dogs awaiting adoption. Today, the shelter in San Giuliano Milanese is relocating to a new, empty site, offering students the opportunity to rethink and rebuild the structure from scratch.
Design for People and Paws
Second-year students from SPD’s BA in Communication, Culture and Business and BA in Design are collaborating to give new identity and form to the shelter, combining different areas of expertise. Communication students are developing the shelter’s visual identity, from branding to communication and publishing, giving the association a clear and recognizable voice.
Meanwhile, Design students are exploring how design can respond to the needs of non-human users. Within the Design and Markets module, they are guided through different approaches from product to interior, small-series, and self-made production, encouraging them to experiment freely and define their own design direction. From dog houses to lighting or spatial solutions, each student interprets the project according to their own creativity and sensibility.
Learning Through Practice
This open brief allows students to combine theory and practice while addressing a real-world challenge. Through direct dialogue with experienced designers, they learn to merge creativity, ethics, and functionality, developing a conscious and mature design methodology.
Shaping Social Impact Through Design
Progetto Aquila exemplifies how design and communication can come together to create tangible social value. For SPD students, it’s not only an interdisciplinary experience but also an opportunity to understand how design, in all its forms, can foster empathy, responsibility, and positive impact.