Anti-coronavirus, pro-design. The Domus design manifesto
One of the most significant design and architecture magazines is taking a stance during the ongoing crisis. Walter Mariotti, editorial director of Domus, has written a design manifesto against the coronavirus and for design, addressing the consequences of the pandemic for the design economy with ten propositions. The manifesto is intended to make a positive statement about the economic and cultural importance of design in and from Italy and to lay the foundation for further analyses and interviews. According to Mariotti, design is an essential element of both Italy’s cultural identity as well as the creation of a future world society. He says that it is important to conserve and use the expert knowledge passed down from generation to generation. In his opinion, those seeking to create values through design must connect a global vision with local capabilities. When people support and appreciate design firms and pay attention to such firms, they contribute to the satisfaction of society’s intangible needs, including aesthetics, culture, emotionality and sociality. Mariotti also believes that there is an urgent duty to promote collaboration between sectors that are similar to each other and that complement each other in order to increase the competitiveness of “Made in Italy” products and services. To be successful internationally, Italian products and companies must present a stronger united front. As he sees it, now is the time to invest more in education, communication and innovation, and to correct misalignment.
