Interior and Furniture Design

Undergraduate Courses - Florence

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The global market has a growing demand for evolved Interior Designers with competences both in the architectural composition of a space and in the design of furniture elements, in order to organise and improve the relation among space, objects and people.

The three-year course in Interior and Furniture Design trains professionals able to participate in the whole design process: from the first sketches to the final project. The goal is training The course trains Interior Designers specialised in furniture, who are able both to manage and carry out a project focused on the organisation of spaces and interior decoration, with a design-oriented attitude.

Title –This BA is recognised by Italian Ministry of Education Research (MIUR) as an Academic Diploma Level I and awards 180 credits.

  • Credits
    180
  • Start date
    October 2019
  • Duration
    3 years
  • Attendance
    full-time
  • Language
    English

Get an insight into the creative professions: Interior Designer | Product Designer

Context – The third millennium designer is a professional who can deal either with craftsmanship and new technologies. The markets are demanding more and more customisation possibilities boasting technology in the production chain. The recent makers phenomenon set the interaction between the new open-source technologies and self-production design processes, making innovation more attainable and affordable.

Methodology and structure – The methodology alternates frontal lectures and lab activity through individual or multidisciplinary team projects. The project activity, which is both theoretical and technical is developed in close collaboration with professors and asserted professionals of the industry.

The programme develops theoretical and practical knowledge of domestic and living spaces, focusing on technological tools, production processes and materials. A proper understanding of the company values, according to the contemporary market, is required.

The course has a specific focus on the craftsmanship process of Italian production from a cultural and historical perspective, analyzing the subsequent economic impact on Italian small-medium enterprises and for the international luxury market.

Students learn tools and techniques related to the formal and functional representation of the product from freehand drawing to technical design, up to the production of three-dimensional models of the product, exploring the digital image, visual works and perceptive paradigms to develop artistic languages.

Students also learn the project methodologies, products distribution and marketing strategies and they get a deep in materials and prototyping techniques. Moreover, the program focuseses on supply-chain technologies and technological manufacturing processing, giving a complete overview on the Made in Italy production chain.

Career opportunities - Interior Designer, Furniture Designer, Product Designer, Concept Designer, Materials, Components and Technical Devices Researcher.

Remarkable is that teacher who accomplishes himself what he teaches to others.
(Italian proverb)

IED faculty are professionals that daily face the market. Here you can read their bios.

Javier Deferrari - Course Coordinator

Javier Deferrari - Course Coordinator
He studied Architecture at the University of Buenos Aires. In 2002, after moving to Milan, he  graduated from Politecnico. Following an experience in South Africa, in 2006 he moved to Milan and in 2008, he joined Stefano Boeri’s office, which led to his involvement in the redevelopment project for La Maddalena’s Ex Arsenale Militare. In 2010, together with Lavinia Modesti, he founded DEFERRARI+MODESTI, a multidisciplinary office based in Florence. Their research covers several fields, from interior design to product design and communication, encompassing every phase of the design process down to the meticulous study of each architectural detail.

Lavinia Modesti - Course Coordinator

Lavinia Modesti - Course Coordinator
She graduated in Architecture from the Faculty of Architecture in Florence. Her final project on foldable chairs included Enzo Mari as external mentor. She started her professional career as assistant to Enzo Mari, collaborating on furniture elements and artistic reproductions. Her professional experience continued in Barcelona at Actar-Arquitectura and then in Milan at Boeri Studio. In 2010, together with Javier Deferrari, she founded DEFERRARI+MODESTI, a multidisciplinary office based in Florence. Their research covers several fields, from interior design to product design and communication, encompassing every phase of the design process down to the meticulous study of each architectural detail.

Giuseppe Bartolini

Giuseppe Bartolini
Co-founder of BFA, architectural company that works on the enhancement of Cultural Heritage: 18 exhibitions, 16 museums, 6 archaeological parks, 2 urban restoration, 22 video installations and 7 video documentary. BFA designs also exhibitions for brands and products: 1 temporary store, 6 nomadic shops as travelling pavillons, and 6 events and interior installations.

Paolo Fabiani

Paolo Fabiani
He studied Architecture at the University of Florence, where he embraced his passion for sculpture, transforming it into a full-time job. This passion and his academic background led him to work in the field of architectural models. In 2003, he set up the 3Evan studio, a workshop focused on the realization of Art-Toys and miniatures designed for the world of games and collecting. He taught at the Florence Academy of Fine Art.

Giovanni Iozzi

Giovanni Iozzi
Since 1988 he has been working as System Administrator for communication systems in companies that deal with graphics, multimedia and interior design. He’s also specialised in research and development for strategic and operative marketing. Since 1996 he has been teaching at the Fashion Institute of Technology.

Alberto Morselli

Alberto Morselli
He graduated in Architecture in 2001. He worked in Rome, London and Genoa, collaborating with Rogers Stirk Harbors + Partners and Renzo Piano Building Workshop. Since 2011, he has been working as a freelance Designer in Florence in the fields of interior design, architecture and virtual reality.

Andrea Lanzini

Andrea Lanzini
Architect, specialised in automated design, computer graphics and prototyping applied to architectural design. Since 2006, he has been a freelance Professor. He collaborates mainly with Pitti Immagine where he coordinates the production of exhibition fittings and event halls.

Andrea Sicuro

Andrea Sicuro
He graduated in Architecture. his main activities are interior and fashion design. As Co-founder of the knitwear fashion brand Patafisic, he gained experience as Fashion Designer and the technical aspects related to production and distribution. He deals with interior design, design of furniture on commission and research and purchase pieces of furniture and decoration. He collaborates with Flair Home Collection and with the Firma Prima Design in Florence. He has taught Fashion Design at the University of Florence and at international fashion schools.  

Francesca Sorgato

Francesca Sorgato
Professor of Interior Design and Fashion Theory. Graduated in Architecture, she collaborated for some years with the Arabeschi di Latte collective in the production of events and installations. In 2009 she moved to London where she began teaching and obtained the Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice at Manchester Metropolitan University. She carries on the research also deepening the sociological and semiological aspects related to creativity.

Francesca Giulia Tavanti

Francesca Giulia Tavanti
She graduated in History of Contemporary Art at the Faculty of Philosophy and Literature in Florence. Between 2010 and 2013, she worked in the Department of Education of CCC Strozzina, Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi, Florence. For two years she was the Project Coordinator of the Galleria Bianconi, in Milan, since 2015 she is responsible for the relations with schools, universities and academies for the international festival dedicated to the relationship between Cinema and Visual Arts: Lo schermo dell'arte Film Festival di Firenze.

Francesco Toselli

Francesco Toselli
Product Designer based in Florence, currently working for Palomar Design Company, and as freelance. His design research is aimed to the coexistence of the product and a continuous experimentation with materials and technology.

Alfredo Cisternino

Alfredo Cisternino
PhD in history of architecture. He participated to international congresses and published several essays on modern architecture.

Cosimo Balestri

Cosimo Balestri
Architect, in 2013 graduates at the University of Florence with a thesis entitled One city: Piana Metropolitana. His main involvement is now the study of urban dynamics through the activity of ECÒL, architecture office and research platform of which he’s partner and the cultural association [chì-na], both based in the Macrolotto 0, Prato. He’s also interested in graphics and web, as a quick response to his need to translate systems into visual entities.

Filippo Garofalo

Filippo Garofalo
For more than 15 years he's been working in the field of 3D Modeling, industrial and interior design. ART (Authorized Rhinoceros Trainer), since 2008, he is specialized in the design of industrial products, architectural and jewelry products. Expert in 3D printing and milling, from this year is Vray Certified Instructor for Vray for Rhino.

Manfredi Mannucci

Manfredi Mannucci
Graduated in architecture in 2011, he collaborates with the studio Architetti Mannucci Associati.

Francesco Scanu

Francesco Scanu
Francesco Scanu is an Architect specialized in retail architecture and visual branding. He is Managing Partner at Area-17 Architecture and Interiors, an international architectural firm operating in Europe and Asia, where he currently leads the retail design and graphic design departments. Francesco received his Master of Architecture degree from the University of Florence and he is a Registered Architect in Italy. He taught Visual Design at the B.Sc. Degree in Industrial Design at the University of Florence from 2004 to 2010 and has frequently been invited to give speeches on retail design issues at public and private institutions. He currently teaches Design II at IED Florence.

Giona Scarselli

Giona Scarselli
Architect. In 2013 he co-founded e-ggs studio, that deals with architecture, interior, and product design. Over the years, the studio has received several national and international awards such as the Archiproduct Design Award (best of category 2016), the Red Dot Award (winner 2017), the German Design Award (winner 2017), the IF Product Design Award (winner 2017).