Earlier this year, it was announced that Italian architect Michele De Lucchi would take on the position of Creative Director at Triennale Milano, under Vincenzo Trione's new presidency. A role which he will serve alongside that of Design Curator and Director of the Design Museum, and as part of a scientific committee that includes Manuela Lucà-Dazio who will oversee architecture; and Andrea Villani, on contemporary art.
An architect and designer, De Lucchi studied Architecture at the University of Florence, graduating in 1975, and was a prominent exponent of the Radical Architecture movement, as well as being a co-founder of the Memphis Group. Through his work for objects, furniture, and buildings, he has embodied an ever-evolving point of view on design.
Wallpaper* speaks to De Lucchi to explore his vision for Milan's most important design institution, looking at its past to shape a vision for the future.
Michele De Lucchi at Triennale Milano
Wallpaper*: Today we will talk about your new role at Triennale, but first I wanted to take a step back. What is your first memory of Triennale?
Michele De Lucchi: I have a long history with the Triennale; it actually began back in 1973 during all the youth unrest of that era. I was an architecture student in Florence and I was drawn to those protests. Even though I always kept an architect's mindset and never actually crossed over into the world of politics, I viewed those movements as a challenge, a provocation directed at architects. So at the opening of that Triennale, I showed up dressed as a Napoleonic general to stage a performance. I wanted to highlight the all-encompassing role (far more powerful than we imagined back then) of the designer as a creator: a creator and shaper of social life and people's lives.
Michele De Lucchi dressed as a Napoleonic general outside Triennale in 1973
W*: What statement did you want to make?
MDL: The general embodied the idea of someone who insinuates themselves into people's lives through designs, objects, spaces, theories, and imagery. Essentially, I was stating that designers and architects do not merely design objects; they design human behaviours. This was the very essence of Radical Architecture. We were challenging the bourgeois world we lived in; a world we sensed was on the verge of transformation. And indeed, that transformation became palpable throughout the 1970s and 1980s, so much so that today, the 'bourgeoisie' is no longer a topic of discussion. Social organisation has been so thoroughly reshaped by social, market, consumer, and capitalist transformations that the bourgeoisie – once the bastion of old customs and traditions – simply no longer exists.
W*: How did your relationship with Triennale evolve over the years?
MDL: I carried out various interventions at the Palazzo Dell'Arte, including the modernisation of the original 1930s architecture by Giovanni Muzio. The final element we added was the bridge, intended to connect the upper floor to the Design Museum; it spans the entire void of the grand ceremonial staircase. The idea behind the bridge was precisely to create a more recognisable entrance for the Design Museum. I was incredibly proud of the concept of building a bridge. Although it was a rather drastic intervention to Muzio’s original layout, it was designed to be reversible. The bridge doesn't alter the architecture by even a millimetre; instead, it rests on two large iron portals that are completely independent. In fact, there is still a piece of stone visible once you are on the bridge, serving as a reminder that, at any moment, we could remove the bridge, put that stone back, and it would be as if nothing had happened.
W*: How would you describe the Triennale?
MDL: The Triennale is not an art museum; it is a building originally dedicated to the decorative arts, and has evolved alongside the changing meaning we’ve attributed to this concept. Originally, 'decorative arts' referred to the work artisans applied to their crafted objects and creations. Then, over time, the concept shifted. At that stage, decorative arts still carried the legacy of Art Nouveau and classical influences, which were eventually superseded by concepts like industrial design, prefabrication, and industrialisation; the concept of industry really took hold around the time of WWII.
Understanding the role of the Triennale is key: while it is certainly an institution dedicated to design, architecture, and contemporary arts – as well as theatre, performance art, and fashion – it does not belong exclusively to any single one of these disciplines; rather, it brings them all together. Indeed, the President frequently speaks of interdisciplinarity as the 'glue' binding these various fields; an element of cohesion between art, architecture, design, and so on.
Yet, what truly defines the Triennale as a Milanese institution is its originality and authenticity. It is deeply rooted in Milanese culture and the city's social and cultural evolution. Ultimately, the Triennale is an institution dedicated to the act of design, to the project itself. This can take many forms. What stands out, however, is the artistic project that highlights the human drive to constantly improve things: using the act of design to advance technology, knowledge, and the state of human existence on the planet.
W*: What are you planning to focus on through your Creative Directorship?
MDL: For me, the role is defined by a project-based mindset. It is about being active drivers of change. Yet, there is an important point to make: the Triennale is an institution, president Trione places great emphasis on this. Institutions exist to establish and to break new ground; there is always a commitment to building and taking root. And clearly, taking root runs counter to the zeitgeist, which favours shallow roots to remain agile and ready to react to change. I would say this is precisely where the great compromise lies: the great tension between opposites that defines our position today and shapes the philosophy of our era. We have two very clear opposites: the institution and change. We must find a synthesis between them and define our own position.
W*: When introducing your plan for the new role, you spoke about a journey to build the concept of sustainability within the collective imagination. Could you tell me a bit more about this?
MDL: It is very simple: you know that building the most eco-friendly houses or the most sustainable objects on Earth makes no sense if we are dealing with a world of rabid consumers. It is fundamentally a matter of mindset and of what our ambitions and expectations are.
These stem from the mental image we hold, from the ideal world we envision for ourselves. If that ideal world is rooted in consumerism, we will inevitably keep consuming as much as possible, making the human condition on Earth increasingly unsustainable. We need to work on that. We have a great advantage: the freedom of choice, or at least the freedom that capitalism offers us, despite all its downsides and flaws.
The Triennale has a vital task: to disseminate a vision of a possible, sustainable future. That is why, during the press conference, I highlighted the need to build sustainability within our collective imagination. It really comes down to the subtle work of architecture, the kind conveyed through the images we construct, the conversations we have, and all those drawings, visualisations, and renderings we keep circulating; if these continue to present a world that is no longer attainable, we are simply shooting ourselves in the foot.
W*: You also spoke of a desire to focus on those craft enterprises that have shaped the landscape of Italian design and creativity but are now gradually disappearing. Can you tell me more about this decision?
MDL: Craftsmanship is fundamental, but not as an alternative to industry. We tend to picture craftsmanship as the work of artisans in abandoned villages, in contrast with the industrial design from factories around Milan or Turin. In reality, craftsmanship and industry are closely intertwined. The Salone del Mobile demonstrates this clearly, as do the many Italian companies that rely on the artisanal social fabric, something we have fortunately managed to preserve in Italy. I am not sure there was ever a deliberate effort to actively support and maintain this craft tradition. I believe we have sustained craftsmanship simply because, in practice, we are a poor country, still rooted in a culture that, if not strictly agrarian, is certainly artisanal.
Major Italian furniture companies rely heavily on these artisans: carpenters, metalworkers, upholsterers, and textile manufacturers who still produce fabrics in small batches. This Italian craftsmanship is a primary driver of innovation, particularly in the realms of interior design and the creation of spaces, whether public or private, in homes, hotels, restaurants, or offices. Italian artisans play a wonderful role as catalysts for experimentation, driven by a very simple fact: they get bored easily; they tire of doing the same thing over and over again, they set about inventing a different way to do it. This approach is a form of experimentation and renewal; it drives innovation.
W*: Something that stands out in the new Scientific Committee of Triennale is the international experience of its members. While the Triennale is a very Milanese institution, how do you think it will be enriched by the international experiences that you all bring as part of your cultural background?
MDL: It is somewhat in the DNA of the Triennale and in the DNA of the Milanese, because Milan is truly a city that has always strived to look ahead and outward. It was therefore a given that the Triennale would embody an Italian, and specifically Milanese, spirit while maintaining an international outlook. Consequently, it made perfect sense to assemble a team of people who possessed that international perspective, or who even came from abroad. Many of us spend significant parts of the year outside Milan and Italy; after all, what do we find if we just navel-gaze? Personally, I think very little.
W*: What can we expect for the future of Triennale?
MDL: The Triennale is a major Italian institution dedicated to design. Like all such institutions, it needs to establish cornerstones upon which to build its reasoning and debate. While its programme of planned exhibitions and of the namesake triennial is essential, we also want to introduce an element of improvisation. This interplay between planning and improvisation is precisely what keeps culture alive worldwide. The things that happen spontaneously are what give rhythm to life, and to the cultural history of a country and the world we inhabit.
We are undertaking these improvisations, which represent a substantial part of the programme and something I personally care about deeply. They don't just inject energy into the present moment; they address major themes we cannot afford to put off for three years at a time. Themes like the concept of truth when we no longer know what the truth is, connection and sustainability, recyclability... These themes cannot be postponed every three years, because the world we live in changes much more quickly.