UNFOLD at Milan Design Week 2025

Rethinking Design’s Impact at Milan Design Week

Staying true to its mission of shaping the future and inspiring creative minds globally, Domus Academy, Design & Fashion School based in Milan, serves as a catalyst for emerging talent, inviting young designers to explore the evolving landscape of design through diverse perspectives.

As part of this initiative, Domus Academy launched an open call, selecting 11 prestigious international design universities from Europe, the Middle East, South America, the UK, and the USA. These students will present their projects at BASE Milano, showcasing a bold vision for the future of design.

Now in its second edition, UNFOLD challenges participants with the theme “REAFFIRM DESIGN://reframing design impact.” This concept urges a critical reassessment of design’s role in contemporary society, shifting the focus from mere output to real-world consequences. In an era of pressing global challenges, the event fosters debate on how design shapes our environments, societies, and technologies.

Participants are encouraged to question conventional paradigms and explore design’s deeper responsibilities. By reaffirming its relevance, the initiative seeks to inspire innovative and critical contributions, demonstrating how design can drive meaningful change and challenge established practices.

The exhibition will feature pioneering projects that push the boundaries of design, fashion, and technology. From garments crafted with living materials to interactive installations exploring autonomy and objectification, these works redefine design as a catalyst for change.

Key themes include sustainability, cultural reappropriation, and resistance. Innovations such as keratin-based textiles and carbon bio-leather offer sustainable alternatives to harmful production methods, while interactive designs challenge perceptions of gender, identity, and agency. Healthcare accessibility is another focus, with projects merging design and well-being to empower users.

Exploring the intersection of activism and design, the exhibition presents groundbreaking work in material innovation, urban transformation, and interactive experiences. From biodegradable leathers and reimagined urban soundscapes to heritage-inspired installations that preserve traditional eateries and transform noise pollution into energy, these projects integrate sustainability and social consciousness into design.

Blending technology, craftsmanship, and speculative design, these visionary initiatives propose alternative futures where inclusivity, sustainability, and critical discourse shape new possibilities. More than an aesthetic practice, design emerges as a force for resistance, empowerment, and transformation.

As part of the showcase, Domus Academy will present two standout projects from its Master in Product Design and Master in Interaction Design programmes, further reinforcing its commitment to pioneering creative innovation.

Post-Utopian Light Production

Team: Alexandar Genov (Bulgaria), Yu Wei Hu (Taiwan), Aylin Asli Altınkılıç (Turkey)
Project Leader: Mario Minale

Promoting a hands-on approach to furniture production, Post-Utopian Light Production challenges traditional consumption models and encourages a more responsible and creative way of engaging with design.
Through an interactive guide, the project educates and empowers users to build products using recycled materials, strengthening their connection to their creations and fostering sustainability.

The project was conceived as a response to the challenges of overproduction and waste in the furniture industry, where only 10% of discarded furnishings in the EU are recycled.
Its goal is to shift consumer behavior from irresponsible consumption to a greater appreciation and maintenance of products, drawing inspiration from historical and contemporary design methodologies such as Enzo Mari’s Autoprogettazione and Martino Gamper’s 100 Chairs in 100 Days.

The Post-Utopian Light Production guide is structured as a practical resource, covering material sourcing, preparation, tools, and construction methods suitable for different skill levels—from simple paper light diffusers to more advanced structures that leverage the properties and tension of materials for stability.
Additionally, the guide suggests alternative energy solutions, such as solar, wind, and bio-energy, to ensure that the final products are adaptable and sustainable.

The working process encourages experimentation with various materials, joints, and lighting techniques, helping users develop skills that go beyond the initial project. The guide is designed as a binder with removable sections, ensuring long-term usability.
Furthermore, the project aims to create a support network with tool libraries and public workshops, making sustainable furniture construction accessible to all.

Tracked&Sold

Team: Ekin Yüksel (Turkey), Javiera Bakic (Croatia), Kriti Nagar (India)
Project Leader: Mario Minale

The project explores the pervasive collection of personal data, surveillance, and user privacy in the digital age. Tracked&Sold highlights how everyday applications track and monetize user data, often without explicit consent, while also encouraging individuals to take an active role in protecting their privacy.

Inspired by artistic projects that expose the normalization of surveillance and explore the intersection of art, privacy, and control, the project aims to raise awareness about the vulnerability of personal data, making users conscious of the risks associated with the constant exposure of their information.