Georges Amar on Mobility, Design, and the 'Homo Mobilis' Paradigm

Georges Amar, a design and innovation professor at École de Mines ParisTech and former R&D director at RATP for over twenty years, delivered a talk in Milan opening the Around Mobility series organized by Meet the Media Guru with Fondazione Bassetti and supported by Repower and Politecnico di Milano. In an interview, Amar discusses his concept of 'homo mobilis,' describing a shift where mobility has become an anthropological condition rather than a mere functional necessity. He argues that speed is no longer the only way to save time; taking time can also be valuable, citing the example of a two-hour train journey used productively versus a stressful half-hour trip. Amar advocates for 'design walking,' viewing walking as part of a global system involving light, shoes, air, and interaction. He introduces the idea of the 'mobile place,' an oxymoron exemplified by food trucks and hospital trains, suggesting that movement now enables discovery and connection rather than just efficient transit from A to B. Amar emphasizes that designers must be reflective and responsive to societal and environmental changes.