Marangoni Milano Design opens its new headquarters in the heart of the Lifestyle District
The institute’s presence on Via Verri reinforces its role as an international hub and centre for applied research, with 80 per cent of its students coming from abroad
A new home for the Istituto Marangoni Milan Design, which has opened its new premises on Via Verri in Milan (the group’s fashion school’s historic headquarters), which have been refurbished and adapted to accommodate classrooms and the research centre, but above all a growing number of students, whose numbers have risen by 40 per cent over the last four years. There are currently around 600 students enrolled, 80 per cent of whom come from abroad, representing no fewer than 113 countries, explains School Director Barbara Toscano.
A new international hub
It was a strategic decision to set up shop in the heart of what is now no longer just Milan’s fashion district, the Quadrilatero, but a genuine ‘Luxury and Lifestyle District’, as Toscano describes it, which in recent years has undergone a transformation and repositioned itself, thanks to the opening of shops belonging to major brands, including those in the design and food sectors.
The aim is therefore to strengthen ‘its role as an international school and centre for applied research, where education and industry collaborate to interpret changes in design. “We wanted to position ourselves at the intersection of Italian design and luxury, generating a significant economic driver, as demonstrated by the figures for the high-end sector which, even in design and despite the complex international context, continues to grow,” adds the director.
The proximity – indeed, the very fact of being immersed in the design and luxury district – acts as a major draw for international students, which, moreover, confirms Milan’s appeal in this sector, in which Italia is a leading centre not only in industry but also in education: in fact, around 16,000–17,000 young people are enrolled on design courses offered by the city’s educational institutions.
The new headquarters
Spanning five floors, the new campus of the Istituto Marangoni Milan Design features over 500 square metres of workshops dedicated to prototyping and materials research, as well as a Media & Events Hub, collaborative spaces and a panoramic rooftop, designed as a meeting place for the international community.
