On 15 June 2026, the lecture “Pininfarina: An Italian Legend, An International Brand” was held at the Milan Building, hosted by the XJTU-POLIMI Joint School and introduced by Fausto Brevi, Associate Professor at Politecnico di Milano and host of the event. The guest speaker was Matteo Fioravanti, Senior Vice President of Design at Pininfarina Shanghai Co., Ltd., who offered students and faculty a reflection on the value of design as a tool for innovation, strategic vision, and the transformation of reality.
During the lecture, Matteo Fioravanti retraced key moments of his professional career, presenting projects developed for major brands in the automotive sector. Through concrete examples, he showed how, in Pininfarina’s work, design cannot be separated from engineering development, but must constantly engage with it in order to create products capable of combining identity, performance, and industrial vision.
A significant part of the lecture was dedicated to the history and evolution of Pininfarina, presented not only as an iconic name in Italian design, but also as an international company capable of renewing itself over time thanks to the people who shape it: designers driven by curiosity, sensitivity, and a desire to explore new possibilities. From this perspective, design was described as a process rooted in the ability to observe the present, interpret change, and turn it into design opportunities. This approach is also reflected in the work developed by Pininfarina Shanghai, where the design process is structured around three fundamental dimensions — brand strategy, product definition, and design strategy — considered essential for defining brand identity, developing the product best suited to a specific context, and anticipating future trends. Within this framework, artificial intelligence also plays a role as a supporting tool, helping to improve the quality of decisions without replacing the cultural, intuitive, and strategic dimension of the designer. One of the most stimulating topics addressed during the meeting concerned the relationship between design and the future of mobility. Fioravanti showed how design today must respond to new needs linked to sustainability, the transformation of urban life, and the need to imagine more flexible, multifunctional solutions capable of adapting to different uses throughout the day.
The meeting represented an important opportunity for the students of the Joint School to gain deeper insight into the relationship between design, industry, strategy, and innovation in an international context. Matteo Fioravanti’s presence, together with the initiative promoted by Professor Fausto Brevi, once again confirmed the value of dialogue between academia and professional practice, giving students direct exposure to concrete experiences and current perspectives on the world of design.
