Baek Byung-yeul is a journalist at The Korea Times focused on cultural content, including films and cultural events in South Korea. You can contact him at baekby@koreatimes.co.kr to share your insights.
INTERVIEW Italian design master urges Korean designers to focus on emotion, sustainability
Italian architect and designer Michele De Lucchi / Korea Times photo by Baek Byung-yeul
By Baek Byung-yeul
Michele De Lucchi discusses why design must evolve with life
Design is not a destination, but a continuous movement that defines the very essence of human life.
That is the philosophy Michele De Lucchi brought to Seoul this week, when the Italian architect and designer visited Korea as the official design ambassador for the 10th edition of Italian Design Day.
For De Lucchi, design should never be a static object in a gallery. It should evolve, grow and breathe alongside the people who use it — much like a dance that changes every time it is performed.
"I have always felt that life is a dance because we are never truly still," De Lucchi told The Korea Times during an interview at High Street Italia in southern Seoul, Tuesday. "We are constantly regenerating our environment and our relationships through the objects we create."
The iconic Tolomeo lamp created by Michele De Lucchi for renowned Italian brand, Artemide / Captured from Artemide
The 75-year-old maestro is a towering figure in the global design scene, best known for creating the Tolomeo lamp for Italian lighting brand Artemide. This iconic desk lamp won the Compasso d’Oro award in 1989 and remains one of the best-selling design objects in history.
Beyond his commercial success, De Lucchi was a pivotal member of the radical Memphis group which challenged the rigid functionalism of the 1980s with bold colors and playful forms. His diverse career also includes a long tenure as the head of design at Olivetti and the founding of AMDL CIRCLE where he currently focuses on human centered architecture.
"Our brain is divided into two parts — the rational side and the emotional side, and we are continuously jumping between them," De Lucchi explained.
"Design is the bridge where we combine these two sides. As designers, we must respect this duality because people do not choose products based on rationality alone. They choose them based on the emotions they feel while using them. To me, the ultimate goal of design is to harmonize this efficiency with the human need for beauty and wonder."
Seen is the Nordic Circle Pavilion designed by Michele De Lucchi and his multidisciplinary studio, AMDL CIRCLE, for last year’s Osaka Expo as a sustainable structure made of charred wood. Captured from AMDL CIRCLE
What Korea should do next
De Lucchi's visit is part of Italian Design Day, an annual global initiative promoted by Italy's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to highlight Italian craftsmanship and strengthen cultural ties abroad. This year's Seoul edition, organized by the Embassy of Italy in Korea in partnership with the Italian Trade Agency and the Italian Cultural Institute, centers on the theme "RE-DESIGN: Regenerating Spaces, Objects, Ideas and Relationships."
It was a fitting backdrop for De Lucchi to weigh in on Korea's own design trajectory. The country, he said, has moved decisively beyond the era of chasing others through industrial speed and efficiency.
"Korea has achieved a remarkable level of maturity and now the challenge is to define a new qualitative legacy that goes beyond functionalism," said De Lucchi, suggesting that Korean designers should now focus on the emotional and social needs of an aging population and the urgent requirements of environmental sustainability.
Michele De Lucchi gives a lecture at High Street Italia in Seoul, Tuesday, as part of Italian Design Day Seoul 2026. Courtesy of Embassy of Italy in Korea
When asked about his professional relationship with Giorgetto Giugiaro, who famously designed Hyundai Motor's Pony — Korea's first mass-produced car — De Lucchi said that although they work in different fields, their conversations often center on the balance between functionality and emotion.
"Efficiency and beauty are two extreme, opposite concepts, much like rationality and emotion," he explained. "Our discussions always come back to how we can successfully harmonize these two elements in our designs."
Even as artificial intelligence (AI) technology begins to dominate the creative landscape, De Lucchi remains a firm believer in the power of the human touch.
"Digital tools can calculate and replicate patterns but they can never truly understand the beauty of imperfection and memory," he remarked.
Giving advice to young Korean designers, he said that the most important thing for a designer is to maintain a sense of curiosity and a willingness to learn from the past while looking toward the future.
"My advice to young Korean designers who are searching for their identity is to never stop moving and to never be afraid of making mistakes," De Lucchi said.
Emilia Gatto, ambassador of Italy to Korea, speaks during the 10th edition of Italian Design Day at High Street Italia in southern Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of Embassy of Italy in Korea
Following his masterclass "Life is a Dance" at High Street Italia Tuesday, the 2026 Italian Design Day program will continue with various events.
A roundtable discussion took place Wednesday, gathering representatives from leading Italian brands, including De Castelli, Memphis, Natuzzi and Slide, to discuss market trends and the future of the design industry in Korea.
Furthermore, an exhibition showcasing iconic interior design products by De Castelli, Memphis, Natuzzi, Slide and Gervasoni is currently open to the public at the High Street Italia showroom until April 2.
"The Art of Cooking" exhibition, running from Friday to April 10, highlights the shared culinary traditions of Italy and Korea by presenting iconic kitchenware from both nations.
The event will end on a high note on March 23 with a masterclass at Design House by Mauro Porcini, the chief design officer of Samsung Electronics. He will explore the intersection of artificial intelligence and human imagination to provide a vision for the next era of innovation.