SPD Scuola Politecnica di Design at Milano Design Week 2026

At a time when design played a key role in global innovation and positioning, SPD Scuola Politecnica di Design, part of the Plena Education group, presented itself at Milano Design Week 2026 as an international ecosystem.
The most anticipated week in design became, for the School, a platform for networking where students’ creativity met established connections across Europe, Asia, and South America.

For SPD, Design Week was above all a moment of cultural positioning: welcoming government and university delegations supported its mission to train “global designers”, professionals able to work across complex and diverse cultural contexts.
It was also an opportunity to observe how education, research, and industry came together in real projects. This vision took shape at SaloneSatellite, where SPD responded to the 2026 theme “Reimagining Matters” by exploring the relationship between craftsmanship and technological innovation.

This approach was reflected in the exhibition concept “Method Shapes Matter”, a title that captured the core of SPD’s philosophy: on one side, method as a tool that gave shape to matter, and on the other, the value of the forms that method created. A principle that guided the entire design process, balancing rigor, experimentation, and design culture.

“SPD was born as a laboratory of vision. Since its foundation, Nino Di Salvatore imagined the School as a place where method, experimentation, and design culture are deeply connected. Today, at SaloneSatellite, we reaffirm this identity: training designers who can reshape matter physical, cultural, and social through critical thinking, rigor, and imagination. This is both our legacy and our responsibility.”

The exhibition space, designed by SPD designer and lecturer Jacopo Abbate, showcased the core of the School, where academic research and market-driven solutions coexisted.

SPD acted as a strategic partner for companies and startups, offering high-value design consultancy.
A key example was 4Waves, an innovation center for water sports that combined advanced technology, sustainable design, and performance, using an interdisciplinary approach ranging from aerospace engineering to industrial design.

Learning was built through direct collaboration with industry leaders, with projects developed from real briefs:

• A.I.N.A. (Artificially Intelligent Neutral Avatar) – developed with Ducati, a motorcycle designed for the metaverse that merged virtual design with real-world performance
• Opulence in the Skies – created with Frank Stephenson Design, a bespoke aircraft interior concept for 2035
• NUTRIMEAL (with PepsiCo) – explored food beyond traditional gastronomy, rethinking snacks as more than impulse-driven consumption
• Hyperstate – an immersive exhibition concept for Triennale Milano 2028, reflecting on identity in a hyperconnected world and the impact of constant media exposure

Creative synthesis was applied to new lifestyles and sustainability:

• Rito – a coffee table with integrated seating that encouraged reflection and storytelling
• Gastrokatsu – an interior design concept inspired by the visual energy of Tokyo’s streets
• Sanctum-O – a modular environment designed for private rituals
• Au Bois – sustainable furniture made from a single sheet of reclaimed material to minimize waste

As Jacopo Abbate explained, the project told a story of colors, people, and dreams, inspired by the visionary work of SPD’s founder, Nino Di Salvatore. It celebrated a school that for 70 years had nurtured talent from all over the world and contributed to the soul of Milanese design.

SPD’s strength lay in structured planning and continuous international dialogue, building long-term academic and industry partnerships.
During Milano Design Week, the School strengthened its global network through key collaborations:

• Japan – partnership with Musashino Art University and Cleanup, presenting a project on portable water purification systems for emergency scenarios
• Medical innovation with Morita – exploring the integration of Italian design and Japanese medical technology, with a focus on accessibility
• South America – on April 20, SPD hosted the Colombian Delegation, opening new connections with emerging creative economies

This strategic approach was built on solid foundations. On February 10, SPD Director Raffaela Scognamiglio welcomed Professor Yamazaki from Musashino Art University for a moment of exchange and dialogue.

SPD confirmed itself not just as a school, but as a hub actively shaping the future of international design, through continuous dialogue between academic research, industry, and institutions.