The project "A occhi chiusi", dedicated to inclusive play, receives the Compasso d’Oro Young certificate.
Date
25 May 2026
“A occhi chiusi”, the collection of inclusive games designed by students from the Product Design course at IED Rome, has received the Compasso d’Oro Young Certificate as part of the 29th edition of the ADI Compasso d’Oro Award, one of the most prestigious international recognitions in the field of design.
Guided by designer and lecturer Mauro Del Santo, with the contribution of blind designer and artist Lucilla D’Antilio, the students developed a series of games intended to be used while blindfolded, placing a multisensory educational experience at the core of the project.
“A occhi chiusi” encourages participants to rediscover the potential of touch, listening, movement and perceptual memory, proposing an alternative approach to traditional educational models, which are often primarily based on vision. Through shapes, surfaces, weights, sounds, spatial relationships and rhythms, each prototype explores different ways of learning and interacting, promoting inclusion and embracing the diversity of cognitive experiences.
The project evolved through research activities, experimentation and the creation of physical models, alongside discussions and exchanges with professionals from the educational and museum sectors, including MUSE – Museo delle Scienze di Trento. The result is a collection of games that combines design research with pedagogical awareness, inviting the public to actively “play along,” quite literally with their eyes closed.
The international jury of the 29th ADI Compasso d’Oro Award met on April 29 and 30, 2026, to evaluate products, processes and services selected within the ADI Design Index.
The award ceremony took place on May 22 at the ADI Design Museum, where the students proudly and emotionally received this important recognition.
With this edition, the historic “Targa Giovani ADI Design Index” officially changes its name to “Compasso d’Oro Young,” becoming fully part of the Compasso d’Oro family. This change further strengthens ADI’s commitment to supporting and promoting the talent of young designers, highlighting how the design of the future is already being shaped today through research, experimentation and visionary thinking.
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