The 2025 edition of Italian Design Day is also kicking off in Ukraine, despite the night being marked by new and bloody Russian attacks on the capital: the Embassy, the Institute of Culture and the ICE Agency worked together to organise the conference "Design for Reconstruction: Inclusivity and Innovation", focusing on the role of design, an area in which Italy excels, in the process of reconstruction in Ukraine, with particular attention to the principles of accessibility, sustainability and social inclusion. The event, which took place at the historic "Igor Sikorsky" Polytechnic University in Kiev, in a lecture hall packed with students, professionals and media operators, was opened by Ambassador Carlo Formosa, Deputy Culture Minister Anastasia Bondar and Rector Anatolii Melnychenko.
From the digitalisation of construction processes to the use of the BIM (Building Information Modeling) method to ensure accessibility in public buildings, from the enhancement of local cultural identity to the design of urban spaces conceived for all sections of the population, the speeches testified to the importance of an integrated approach that combines innovation and respect for social needs. Italy made a significant contribution to the discussion with the participation of the architecture and engineering firm Id Group, Fondazione Il Girasole, Fondazione Franco Albini and Associazione Jazz Design Jazz, who shared innovative solutions for sustainable and inclusive urban design. Alongside them, Ukrainian architecture firms Makhno and Zemelin presented design visions attentive to the needs of local communities, thus creating a fruitful dialogue between Italian experiences and Ukrainian realities.
A photographic exhibition on Villa 'Il Girasole', a masterpiece of Italian rationalist architecture and an extraordinary example of inclusive architectural innovation, will also be on display alongside the conference.
On the occasion of Italian Design Day, a light art installation is officially inaugurated on the façade of the Italian Embassy, in the centre of Kiev, which represents the mingling of Italian and Ukrainian cultures, combining the colours of the two national flags with a design inspired by the embroidery of traditional Ukrainian clothes. The work also aims to contribute to public street lighting, in the middle of a winter that unfortunately still sees frequent power cuts due to Russian attacks.
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