Andrea Branzi on Design, Unpredictability, and the Future of Italian Design

In a wide-ranging interview, Andrea Branzi (Florence, 1938) — architect, designer, professor, historian, and co-founder of the Archizoom movement — reflects on his career and the state of design today. He argues that design success is often accidental, citing Shiro Kuramata's Miss Blanche chair as an example. Branzi discusses his deep ties to Japanese culture through collaborations with Arata Isozaki, Toyo Ito, Kazuyo Sejima, and Kenya Hara. He founded Domus Academy, the first postgraduate design school, and emphasizes teaching students to be self-taught. On Italian design museums, he notes he proposed shifting focus from a design museum to a history of Italian project, which Triennale is considering. Regarding the new agency for the design system promoted by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, he doubts governance can control design's unpredictable creativity. Branzi recalls Archizoom's 1966 origin as an unpredictable event that sparked the radical movement internationally. He refuses to imagine a future city, stating each city is a unique exception. His most satisfying recognition is his radical design thesis titled 'Solid Rock.'