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| Ezio Manzini | |
|---|---|
| Name | Ezio Manzini |
| Birth date | 1959 |
| Birth place | Milan, Italy |
| Occupation | Designer, academic, author |
| Alma mater | Politecnico di Milano |
| Known for | Social design, sustainable design, design for social innovation |
Ezio Manzini is an Italian designer, educator, and author known for pioneering work in social design, sustainable design, and design for social innovation. He has held academic positions at institutions such as the Politecnico di Milano and collaborated with organizations including the United Nations, European Commission, Ellen MacArthur Foundation, and the World Economic Forum. His work intersects with movements led by figures like Victor Papanek, Buckminster Fuller, Jane Jacobs, John Thackara, and Bruce Mau.
Born in Milan, Manzini studied at the Politecnico di Milano where he completed design studies influenced by European thinkers such as Gillo Dorfles and Bruno Munari. During his formative years he engaged with networks associated with the Triennale di Milano and the Domus Academy, and encountered practitioners from the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design and the Royal College of Art. His training connected him to Italian design institutions like the Associazione Italiana Design Industrial and research centers including the Istituto Europeo di Design.
Manzini has served as professor and director at the Politecnico di Milano and collaborated with the Royal College of Art, Design Academy Eindhoven, University of the Arts London, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He contributed to projects with policy bodies such as the European Union, the United Nations Development Programme, UN-Habitat, and advisory roles in think tanks like the Nesta and the Young Foundation. His consultancy work has involved corporations and foundations including the Coca-Cola Company, IKEA, Philips, Siemens, Fondazione Cariplo, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Manzini advanced theories linking sustainable design to social innovation, building on legacies from Victor Papanek, Ezra Goodey, Allan Chochinov, and Anthony Dunne. He articulated concepts such as "design for small, local economies" resonant with Amartya Sen's development theory and Elinor Ostrom's commons governance. His frameworks intersect with circular economy principles promoted by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and systems thinking from Donella Meadows, Jay Forrester, and Peter Senge. Manzini emphasized the role of "diffuse design" that aligns with community practices studied by Bruno Latour, Michel Callon, and John Law.
He led and advised projects like DESIS (the Design for Social Innovation and Sustainability network) connecting universities and NGOs such as UNICEF, Save the Children, Greenpeace, and WWF. Manzini's work informed urban and territorial initiatives linked to ICLEI, C40 Cities, UN-Habitat, Municipality of Milan, and grassroots movements like Transition Towns and Slow Food. Collaborative programs involved design schools including Parsons School of Design, Royal College of Art, Aalto University, Tongji University, and community organizations such as Fondazione Giannino Bassetti and Caritas.
Manzini authored and edited books and papers influencing practitioners and scholars, engaging with editors and authors like Herbert Simon, Richard Sennett, Massimo Cacciari, and Alberto Cavallo. Major works have been disseminated through publishers and institutions tied to the IED, MIT Press, Bloomsbury, and academic journals such as Design Issues, The Design Journal, Journal of Cleaner Production, and She Ji. His writings address themes explored by Lucy Kimbell, Tim Brown, Roger Martin, Nigel Cross, and Kenya Hara.
Manzini's contributions have been acknowledged by awards and honors from organizations including the Compasso d'Oro, the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, World Design Organization, and regional bodies like Regione Lombardia. He has received fellowships and invited roles with institutions such as the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, the Fulbright Program, British Council, DAAD, and recognition from universities like Harvard University, Stanford University, and Oxford University.
Manzini's influence extends across networks connecting practitioners, policymakers, and educators, shaping curricula at institutions like the Politecnico di Milano, Design Academy Eindhoven, Parsons School of Design, and Royal College of Art. His ideas inform initiatives by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, World Economic Forum, European Commission, and grassroots movements including Transition Network and Slow Food. Scholars and designers such as Ezra Goodey, John Thackara, Victor Papanek, Tim Brown, and Lucy Kimbell continue dialogues rooted in his concepts, impacting debates at venues like the Venice Biennale, Salone del Mobile, D&AD Awards, and conferences hosted by UNESCO and OECD.
Category:Designers Category:Italian academics Category:Politecnico di Milano faculty