Design Meets Industry Keynote Lecture Successfully HeldTime：2026-01-30
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On January 28, the keynote lecture titled "Design Culture Meets Industrial Power: The Italian-Chinese Formula for Global Success" was successfully held. The event was jointly hosted by the Ningbo Yinzhou Association for Science and Technology, the Ningbo Yinzhou Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, the Ningbo Industrial Design Federation, the Sino-Italian Design Exchange Center (SIDEC), and DoBe Italy. Organized by the Industrial Designers Society of Yinzhou New Social Stratum Association, the event also received official support from the City Government of Florence, Italy. Honored guests including Yu Shufeng, Chairman of the Yinzhou Association for Science and Technology, and Li Zhaowei, Deputy Director of the Beilun Development and Reform Bureau, attended the event. The lecture was moderated by Wu Wenlong, Chairman of the Industrial Designers Society of Yinzhou New Social Stratum Association, and brought together a professional audience of senior designers, key industrial enterprise representatives, and industry elites from Ningbo for an in-depth exchange.
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The lecture featured Professor Luigi Trenti, a preeminent figure in Italian industrial design and President of the Tuscany Design Museum (MuDeTo). As the founder and inaugural president of the ADI Tuscany Delegation, Professor Trenti currently holds faculty positions at several prestigious Italian design institutions, including ISIA, IED, and LABA in Florence. With a distinguished career spanning over three decades and more than 30 international accolades—including the iF Design Award, the SMAU Award, and the Milano Young Design Award—Professor Trenti provided an authoritative deconstruction of the underlying logic of Italian design for the participants.
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Centering on the framework of "Brand Interpretation — Engineering Translation — Production Realization," Professor Trenti articulated how the cultural identity of Italian design can be translated into high-value, scalable industrial solutions. He posited that true "design culture" must transcend mere aesthetics to become a systemic capability. By integrating material innovation, structural engineering, and manufacturing constraints, design serves as a pivotal force enabling products to stand out in a competitive market. Through diverse case studies ranging from modular architectural systems to precision writing instruments, he demonstrated the capacity of Italian creativity to infuse a premium brand soul into industrial strength.
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During the interactive session, designers and industry representatives engaged in a strategic dialogue with Professor Trenti on cross-cultural collaboration and international brand positioning. Addressing the global aspirations of Chinese enterprises, Professor Trenti, drawing from his decade-long experience with Chinese firms, noted: "The innovative vitality of the Chinese market and its profound respect for professional expertise offer an ideal foundation for a paradigm shift from 'creative input' to 'value co-creation'." The session fostered a strong consensus for future precision matching and project implementation.
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The year 2026 marks the 20th anniversary of the sister-city relationship between Ningbo and Florence. This lecture stands as a significant milestone in the deepening synergy and mutual growth of both cities in the field of industrial design. As a critical organizational bridge, SIDEC remains dedicated to mobilizing high-quality industrial resources, leveraging design as a catalyst to transition "Made in China" toward "Global Co-creation." Looking forward, SIDEC will continue to facilitate high-level international platforms to foster shared prosperity within the framework of this enduring bilateral friendship.
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