Events | The crisis? An opportunity

At Open Mind the designers talk about waste and future

Creativity as an antidote to the economic crisis. The light at the end of this particular tunnel. That was the subject under discussion at the recent Open Mind workshop organised by Yacht Design and BMW at the Yacht Club Italiano in Genoa. Now a regular annual event staged during the Boat Show, Open Mind offers the industry a chance to take stock of the situation in the various areas of architecture and design and to promote cross-fertilisation between different sectors. This year the event was preceded by an evening aboard the megayacht Dionea, attended by many of the big Italian and international nautical players. The workshop protagonists were also there (and presented with plaques).

A new format for the Open Mind opened it up as a kind of salon of ideas that even got the public involved in a fascinating debate. The round table was chaired by Matteo Zaccagnino, Yacht Design editor-in-chief and editor-in-chief of the Nautical Division magazines of HLM-Hachette Lifestyle and Media, who along with Il Sole 24 Ore journalist Fernanda Roggero kept the debating lively. The participants were welcomed by YCI president Carlo Croce, Fiera di Genova chairman Paolo Lombardi, and Andrea Castronovo, chairman and CEO of the BMW Group Italia, who brought along Gina to underscore the importance of creativity as the lifeblood of every new design. Defined as a Light Visionary Model, Gina is a car capable of changing shape and look thanks to a hugely innovative flexible exterior skin.

Gian Michele Calvi, the engineer in charge of the C.A.S.E. project to provide housing for the victims of the Aquila earthquake, emphasised how creative thinking is invaluable in emergency situations and how important it was to get to the root of the problem in this case: “It’s important to ensure that there is no repetition in solutions to crises.” Giampio Bracchi, chairman of the Milan Polytechnic Foundation and Aifi, revealed that the crisis is also providing an opportunity to look beyond the norm to new materials, new production technologies and the training of new professions “with greater focus on the environment and the use of sustainable materials and reduction of energy consumption.” Architect Matteo Thun hammered home the importance of environmental protection today, saying: “Cutting down on waste, limiting our use of resources and energy are tasks we can no longer put off. They put sustainability at centre stage in everyday life. No-design is technologically advanced but simple.” The speeches were followed by a round table at which architect Luca Dini, journalist Cristina Gabetti, Silvia Piardi, head of the Naval and Nautical Design Degree at Milan Politecnico, and Laurenz Schaffer, director of Designworks BMW, all had their say. One thing all of the speakers were in absolute agreement on, however, was that safeguarding the future of the planet must now play a central role in design. And should be seen as a stimulus to creativity as a result.

Désirée Sormani

editoriale

The glittering world of yachting

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