Domus for Design! A manifesto against the coronavirus and for design

In light of the recent and dramatic situation that the coronavirus has caused in Italy and the rest of the world, Domus feels it is necessary to state its presence, interpretation and support to all the creative and productive activities both in Italy and abroad that are characterised by design and excellence, know-how and savoir-faire. For ninety years, Domus has lent its support to creativity, culture and industry.

We have always invested in culture and criticism, in education and information, favouring a comprehensive point of view that sees the promotion of Italian enterprise abroad, creating permanent connections that lead to the development of collaboration between all sectors of production and society.

This is the cornerstone of Domus for Design!, the manifesto that Domus is launching as a sign of positivity, community and culture, seen as keys to overcoming this challenging moment in history. The manifesto aims to focus on ten points:

1.    Design is one of the fundamental elements of Italy’s cultural identity, and of the construction of a global society 2.    Defending and favouring the handing down of manufacturing know-how from generation to generation is the first step in making the most of our identity 3.    Creating value from design means applying a global vision to local excellence 4.    Nurturing design companies, lending them visibility and valorising them is a way to fully satisfy the immaterial needs of society: aesthetics, culture, emotionality, sociality 5.    Promoting collaboration between similar sectors and complimentary categories is a pressing necessity in order to increase the competitiveness of Made in Italy products and services 6.    Collaborating means creating a renewed spirit of cooperation between all political, social, economic and business entities 7.    It is no longer enough to simply defend design; the perception of its worth is fostered through expressions of the art, taste aesthetics and know-how that is typical of Italian creativity. 8.    In order to be successful abroad, Made in Italy products and services need to present a united front, not representing individual businesses, but rather Italian enterprise as a whole 9.    An increase in investment in training, communication and innovation means reducing misalignment in emerging talent 10.   Taxation, bureaucracy and strategy are handicaps that institutions have the obligation to transform into strengths for enterprise

The project will involve interviews and analysis carried out by the Domus editorial team with all figures in manufacturing companies, in particular with executives (CEO, DG, owners) and creative figures (designers, consultants, production chains), as well as communication and brand managers. The interviews will be published on all Domus properties (online, social networks, off-line), and will contribute to the creation of a modular event that, at the end of the lock-down, will be organised and hosted in modular form.

Opening image: illustration by Lorenzo Petrantoni.