Francesco Scullica

Didattica

Design Management for Innovative Environments

• Cinese

• Business Design

In collaborazione con
SPD Scuola Politecnica di Design

Interior Design

XXII edizione

• Italiano

• marzo 2025

• Interior Design and Architecture

Executive Master in Customized Environmental Design

• Cinese

• Interior Design and Architecture

Bio

Francesco Scullica (Messina, 1964), Architect, Ph.D. in Interior Architecture, has been from December 2002 to January 2015 an Assistant Professor in Industrial Design at the department Indaco (later called department of Design) of the Politecnico di Milano. Since February 2015, he is an Associate Professor in industrial design in the same department.
He graduated at the Faculty of Architecture of the Politecnico di Milano, course of Industrial Design and Furniture, with a thesis on design of the microhabitat and disabled users. From 1990 to 2000 he cooperated within the courses of Interior Architecture and Design run by Prof. Arch. Arturo dell’Acqua Bellavitis, at the Politecnico di Milano, paying particular attention to interior design, furniture design and design in general. Concerning his educational cooperation, his tutoring activities ought to be mentioned on projects with important Italian companies/brands (“Bernini”, “Cassina”, “Fiat Auto”, “Quattrocchio”, “Tecno” and “Zambon”) as well as within international workshops. During this partnership, he took part in workshops and joined teaching activities abroad as Tutor.
Between 1986 and 2003 he cooperated with several architects’ offices and designers (Bruno Morassutti Architecture and design office, Dell’Acqua Bellavitis architecture and design office, Giorgio Host Ivesich architect and interior designer, Alessandro Truscello engineering, Paola Lucia Canziani architect and interior designer). In particular, following his cooperation with the office of the Arch. Bruno Morassutti (1986-1998), he carried out an individual research activity, which led to the publication of the book: “Bruno Morassutti. Quattro realizzazioni, un percorso metodologico” (Bruno Morassutti. Four constructions, a methodological journey), published by Franco Angeli in 1999, as well as to following publications on the works of the architect Morassutti (2009). In particular he has recently been among the promoters and founders of the cultural association BMP- Bruno Morassutti Project, aimed at promoting research initiatives, in-depth planning, exhibitions, in relation to the designer Morassutti.
This research also led him to analyze other significant recent designers from the point of view of architectural design, interior design and industrial design (Gianfranco Frattini, Angelo Mangiarotti, Vittoriano Vigano, Guglielmo Ulrich), or even contemporary designers (The Atelier d’Arquitecture de Genval, the office Hellin & Co). Since 1992 he has taken part in international seminars as well as in activities as “Visiting Professor” at several foreign universities, such as the School of Architecture of Barcelona (Spain), the De Montfort University of Leicester (United Kingdom), the Institut d’Art Visuel of Orléans (France), the Fachhochschule für Gestaltung of Schwäbisch Gmünd (Germany), the TEI (Technological Educational Institution) of Athens (Greece), the Lantao Culture of Beijing (China), the RTU-Riga Technical University (Latvia), the Art and Design Accademy in Latvia, the Heag (Haute Ecole des Art e Design in Geneve- Switzerland), the University of Oslo (Norvey).
Nowadays (2019) he is the co-director (director Prof. G. Simonelli) since 2011, of the Executive Design Master in Design Management for innovative environments in cooperation between the Tongji University of Shanghai and the Politecnico di Milano. Still regarding international relations, since 2002 he has been a Mobility Promoter for the Faculty/School of Design within the programs Erasmus-Socrates of the European Union, and from the 2004 edition to 2008 he was a member of the Scientific Committee at the international congress “Designing Designers”, promoted by the Faculty of Design and by COSMIT and organized at the International Furniture Fair (Milano Design Week), Milan Trade Fair. Ph.D. in Furnishing and Interior Architecture, since his doctorate (1996-1999) he started a research activity on the tourist-accommodation field and on hospitality design. In particular, within this research, which is still in progress, since July 2000 he has promoted together with A. dell’Acqua Bellavitis, M. Piva e G. Simonelli, H&Cdesign- Hotel & Contract design, the Osservatorio scientifico sull’Ospitalità (Scientific Observatory on Hospitality). The observatory, thanks to the active role played by Francesco Scullica in cooperation with other professors and lecturers of the department INDACO/of Design, organized specific refresher courses (Hotel & Contract and Hotel Experience Design), contract design awards (Contract Design International Design Award), meetings, congresses and exhibitions at industry fairs (Tecnhotel in Genoa and SIA Guest in Rimini in particular), metadesign and design researches also with reference to businesses in the field, as well as the publication of volumes, articles and books.
Still regarding the field of hospitality, he joined the research group “Design for the hospitable city”, coordinated by Luciano Crespi within the department Indaco/of Design of the Politecnico di Milano. In this period (2009-2012), he carried out a research on the relation between accessibility and accommodation spaces and services, which was published in the book “Human Hotel Design” (authors F. Scullica, G. Del Zanna, M. R. Fossati).
He also dealt with other research subjects on furniture design, e.g. regarding the field of contract (Interior Contract) with reference to hospitality, retail and office spaces; other subjects are design for a wider usership, and the role of design in relation with the culture of living. In particular, on the subject of accommodation-accessibility-design for spaces, furnishings and services of the Italian accommodation system that are accessible to a wider usership, he presented several research projects (announcement PRIN 2012, announcement FARB 2014, announcement Polisocial Award 2014).
He was then the winner of a FARB call for selection within the Design department of the Politecnico di Milano, and between September 2016 and 2019, he carried out a research activity as the scientific coordinator that recently ended (working group: F. Scullica, S. Piardi, G. Simonelli, A. Anzani, L. Guerrini, M. Bertolo, E, Elgani, M. R. Fossati, C. Pagni, G. Veronese) on the design of new hybrid spaces between work and hospitality, a research activity also linked to international design schools, with moments of verification and dissemination including the international conference “HOW Hospitality and Workscape” held in Milan in May 2017. In this activity of research Francesco Scullica has merged his scientific interests with the sectors of hospitality and workplaces through the role of design and in the light of the change of interior spaces in relation to new technologies, lifestyles and the needs of users in the contemporary scenario of globalization. The research led to the publication of the text “Living, working and traveling, interior design for new scenarios between hospitality and work-field” (editors F. Scullica, E. Elgani) recently published (2019) by Franco Angeli editions in the Design International series. This research activity has opened up to new directions and research projects in relation to Italian and international companies, fairs, institutions and schools.
From 2003 to 2012 he has been a member of the teaching body of the Ph.D. course in Interior Architecture and Exhibition Design of the Politecnico di Milano, where he also carries out teaching activities and tutoring for Ph.D. theses.
From march 2018 to now he has been a member of the teaching body of the Ph.D. course in Design of the Department of Design of the Politecnico di Milano, where he carries out tutoring activities for the current researches/theses, and he is part of the commission for the internationalization of the Ph.D. activities (with M. Celi e E. Lupo).
As far as his educational activity is concerned, in the academic year 1999-2000 he taught at the I Faculty of Architecture of the Politecnico di Milano, and since the academic year 2000-2001 he has carried out an educational activity at the current School of Design of the Politecnico di Milano, as well as being a supervisor and a co-supervisor of several theses.
He has taken part for some time now as a lecturer, as an organizer and as a coordinator/scientific director in educational programs–post-degree masters in specific subjects related to design (interior design, contract design, furniture design, retail design, office design). Since 2012 he has been the scientific director of the Master in Interior Design-Polidesign s.c.r.l. of the Politecnico di Milano, the scientific director of the educational program “Hotel Design and solutions” and the scientific director, and coordinator of some interior design courses on different topics devoted professionals, in Milano or abroad. He often took part in congresses-meetings as a speaker/moderator and scientific coordinator. Among these activities, he was the Italian Design Ambassador in Latvia, for the 2018 and 2019 editions of the Italian Design Day.
He also carries out a great number of organizational-managing tasks and activities within the INDACO/Design department and the School of Design. In particular, he was and carried out the following tasks: a delegate for the collection of the scientific credentials of the department INDACO between 2003 and 2007; a representative-elect of the permanent lecturers at the Giunta di Dipartimento (Committee of the department, 2004- 2010), member elect to represent the sector ICAR 13 at the OCD (educational coordination body) of the Athenaeum- Politecnico di Milano (2007-2010); a scientific secretary of the course of Interior Design between 2004 and 2009 (on behalf of Prof. Piardi, Branzi, Crespi), a coordinator of the Bachelor’s Degree in Interior Design between 2009 and 2011 (on behalf of Prof. Crespi). Since 2012 he is a contact person/tutor for the apprenticeships of the Master’s Degree in
Interior Design and, in 2013, he was part of the revision group “AVA” (together with Luciano Crespi, Michela Rossi and Agnese Rebaglio) for the course of Interior Design.
For the scientific-disciplinary sector ICAR 13 he took part in the following comparative evaluations: a comparative evaluation for a position of Associate Professor at the Faculty of Design and Arts of the Free University of Bozen (June 2010), as well as a comparative evaluation for a position of Associate Professor at the Faculty of Design of the Politecnico di Milano (December 2010). In November 2012, according to the new procedures of national qualification for university teaching – first round 2012 – he applied for the national qualification for the role of Associate Professor in the Macro-sector 8C/1, with specific reference to the scientific-disciplinary sector ICAR 13-Industrial Design, and qualified in February 2014. In autumn 2014, following his participation in a comparative evaluation for associate professors at the Milan department of the Politecnico di Milano – competition with international commission – he was the first winner and was therefore called as associate professor at the Polytechnic – design department in February 2015. He then participated in the procedure for obtaining the national scientific qualification as full professor for the macro sector 8C / 1 with specific reference to the scientific disciplinary sector in Industrial Design, fifth quarter, obtaining the qualification as full professor in November 2018.