Marco Filippo Batavia

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Marco Filippo Batavia ("MFB") for their original perspective and innovative approach to design as well as their creative lifestyle, we are very pleased to share our interview with our distinguished readers.

DL: Could you please tell us a bit about your design background and education?

MFB : "I began my studies in mechanical engineering, then pursued Industrial Design at the Politecnico di Milano, where I also completed a master's in Transportation Design. Over the years, I have continued my studies and research in advanced materials, non-standard production processes, and the application of computational and procedural design in scientific fields. Recently, I also started a master's in Advanced Computation. My journey is a quest for balance between analytical, pure but artificial design and the principles of biomimicry and integration directly inspired by the nature of living beings.

DL: What motivates you to design in general, why did you become a designer?

MFB : Curiosity is the main driving force behind my work and is tied to the constant quest to understand the nature of the things around me, especially the architecture of living species, the complexity of the systems that govern growth, and the biological responses to problems imposed by their habitats, selected over millions of years of evolution.

DL: Did you choose to become a designer, or you were forced to become one?

MFB : It was my decision, made years before I had to embark on this path. Growing up in a small town in the heart of Tuscany, before the global advent of the internet and social media, the culture of design was something difficult to comprehend. I wasn't sure about the possibility of building a career in that direction, but I was certainly always fascinated by it.

DL: What do you design, what type of designs do you wish to design more of?

MFB : I don't have a favorite type of object; I enjoy designing with a foundation of scientific and technical principles but with the freedom to rethink product architectures. I believe that much of innovation lies in the definition of layouts and the technical organization of assemblies.

DL: What should young designers do to become a design legend like you?

MFB : I wouldn't call myself a legend, except perhaps at home, but I hope to become one for someone someday. From my experience, the advice I would give is to always do research and delve into all the topics that spark your curiosity, because having your own vision of the world is essential for design work. The more you can span across disciplines, the more opportunities you'll have to solve problems creatively and originally. As you grow, you'll realize that the people around you are not better than you, and if you have skills and a bit of luck, many of them will come to you for opinions, seek solutions, and follow you into complex and ambitious challenges. You must be prepared to illustrate what others do not see, not out of arrogance, but to gather people around you who share a vision for the future.

DL: What distinguishes between a good designer and a great designer?

MFB : The vision of the project and the ability to transform anything into an exceptional product, whether it's a car or a fork.

DL: What makes a good design a really good design, how do you evaluate good design?

MFB : To evaluate good design, I always look at how it was developed. Products created with an inside-out logic are the ones that have the most potential to become great. Designing a covering shell is an activity of styling, not design, and rarely produces great products. Additionally, I greatly value the creativity used in solving technical problems and the character that the object assumes.

DL: What is the value of good design? Why should everyone invest in good design?

MFB : Objects surround us and are often extensions of our bodies, tools that can be seen as an evolution of the archaic flint used for hunting. Having well-designed objects that are appropriately sized, functional, durable, ergonomic, and generally smart is undoubtedly a way to surround ourselves with something of value. I believe that in the future, it will be increasingly necessary to pursue the logic of 'less but better'.

DL: What would you design and who would you design for if you had the time?

MFB : Currently, I work at a company that deals with advanced materials, and I have a great range of projects, from research and development to commercial ones. However, I occasionally have unconventional ideas for contexts entirely different from my own. If I had the opportunity, three projects I would like to work on in the future are: a set of traditional Japanese knives, for example, for the brand KAI; an aeronautical project, for example, for Scaled Composite; and a research project in the field of marine ecosystem conservation, such as algorithm-based 3D printed coral reefs.

DL: What is the dream project you haven’t yet had time to realize?

MFB : I have an endless list of unfinished projects. Often, if they are not tied to professional developments, speculative projects do not see the light of day. Usually, they are the result of a momentary curiosity about something specific or the desire to try new tools. If I had to decide now, I would say something related to bees, such as a synthetic hive, inspired by a recent experience at an apiary.

DL: What is your secret recipe of success in design, what is your secret ingredient?

MFB : "I don't have a secret recipe, but I believe it's essential to work with curiosity. If you're not working in highly specialized industries and are not forced to repeatedly do the same thing, then it's important to experiment and question as much as possible. Starting over, even on an ongoing project, helps redefine the path. No one chooses the best route on the first try. In large teams, it's important to have someone visionary enough to take responsibility for starting from scratch, even if it means having to move faster. Design thrives on experience; it's a continuous process of learning by doing.

DL: Who are some other design masters and legends you get inspired from?

MFB : If we stay within the narrower field of industrial design, Dieter Rams and Richard Sapper. Expanding the boundaries a bit, I would also say Marcello Gandini, Ken Adam, and Antoni Gaudí.

DL: What are your favorite designs by other designers, why do you like them?

MFB : There are many objects that I like for various reasons. For example, the Divisumma 18 by Mario Bellini, the 9090 coffee maker by Sapper, the Radiogram RR126 by the Castiglioni brothers, the Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale by Franco Scaglione, and the iPod Classic by Jonathan Ive. These are all objects that convey a timeless design language, and even though the technology they are made of will age, the same cannot be said for their innovative architecture.

DL: What is your greatest design, which aspects of that design makes you think it is great?

MFB : It's difficult to speak of the greatness of one's own work; I prefer others to define it. Let's say that the biggest project in terms of work, investment, and time has been B!POD, the brand I founded with Ginevra della Porta. I developed a very special device called DRO!D, which was created from scratch, and I worked on every phase from sketching to developing the industrial chain necessary for its production. It is an object designed from the inside out that doesn't use any standard components, so all functional parts were redesigned. Additionally, it has many hidden complexities. For instance, to optimize the LCA, it was developed without screws or adhesives, which often contaminate the disassembly process. This required a complex effort in developing the necessary interlocking system.

DL: How could people improve themselves to be better designers, what did you do?

MFB : I believe the key is to speak the language of design fluently. This means being able to conceptualize and develop your ideas through 3D modeling software, drawings, visualizations, and prototypes, as well as having an in-depth understanding of production processes and materials. For this reason, learning new tools and learning to build your own tools independently is essential for creating new and different things.

DL: If you hadn’t become a designer, what would you have done?

MFB : Probably a writer or a film director.

DL: How do you define design, what is design for you?

MFB : For me, design means engaging in problem-solving creatively, driving innovation by promoting solutions that don't yet exist, and blending experiences from different disciplines. It also means embedding a bit of philosophy in objects to convey messages that can inspire others to do good.

DL: Who helped you to reach these heights, who was your biggest supporter?

MFB : My family has always supported me greatly, providing me with the tools to study and the ability to do so critically, appreciating who I am and always pushing the bar beyond the visible horizon. I also owe a lot to the trust that SAES has placed in me and the value of my work.

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

MFB : Interacting with valuable people. Thanks to my work, I have had the fortune of engaging with exceptional designers in many different fields, allowing me to gather insights and perspectives, and most importantly, to nurture my ambitions.

DL: What were the obstacles you faced before becoming a design master?

MFB : I think the first obstacle is luck. It's difficult to find your own path, it's hard to make choices, and it's equally challenging to find a place that allows you to grow and express your vision of the project. I have changed many sectors completely different from each other before finding my path: industrial machinery, kitchen tools, automotive, naval, industrial products, and eventually I found a non-standard path that suits me: doing design in a scientific company. In this journey, I have been very fortunate because I learned a lot, met incredible people, and didn't encounter insurmountable obstacles.

DL: How do you think designers should present their work?

MFB : I don't think there is a single way to do it; like any problem, there are many solutions.

DL: What’s your next design project, what should we expect from you in future?

MFB : At the moment, I am working on a very complex research project that includes mechanical metamaterials, AM production technologies, and programming, but I can't say much more about it. I am also working on new products for the B!POD brand and two products for SAES to promote some of the patents we have developed in the field of shape memory alloys.

DL: What’s your ultimate goal as a designer?

MFB : I would like to bring my design language to many different sectors, along with the goal of preserving the environment that supports life, even through the tools we design.

DL: What people expect from an esteemed designer such as yourself?

MFB : I don't know for sure, but people often ask me what I'm working on, so I imagine they expect to see innovative products.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

MFB : In a culture that is partly design-driven, design as a discipline can be a tool to steer the industry in a more conscious direction, a means to make choices that generate a positive impact. However, I also believe that much of the power is actually in the hands of the consumer, who directs the capital that companies depend on.

DL: What are you currently working on that you are especially excited about?

MFB : I'm working on a research project in the field of advanced materials. I can't say much about it, but it's a project that gives me a lot of energy.

DL: Which design projects gave you the most satisfaction, why?

MFB : I always think it will be the next one.

DL: What would you like to see changed in design industry in the coming years?

MFB : I would like to see more design and less styling. Many of the enlightened companies that built a relationship of mutual trust with young designers in the past, generating great results and successes, now live off trends and advertising. This, to some extent, undermines the role of the designer, disqualifies the discipline itself, and makes it difficult to delineate its areas of competence. Design-driven innovation is dead in many sectors. I think it would be great to see corporate structures reflecting a design culture across various sectors, with significant roles held by visionary designers and design departments more dedicated to experimentation than to following marketing briefs.

DL: Where do you think the design field is headed next?

MFB : I don't know for sure. There are many revolutionary projects underway, including the advent of AI, the growth of the additive manufacturing market, which currently covers 0.1% of the global manufacturing market but is growing at the fastest rate ever, and the strong development of nanomaterials in almost every sector. We are probably on the verge of, if not already in, a new industrial revolution. In this context, I believe that design remains a valuable tool for differentiating products, developing new innovative tools with greater potential, and doing so using the fastest and most powerful tools ever available.

DL: How long does it take you to finalize a design project?

MFB : "It depends on the project; some last months, others last years. The quickest ones I've done were in consultancy, where the design is limited to the formal development, with mechanics and packaging generally provided by the client. When working within a company, it's completely different. The industrial designer is part of, and if lucky, directs the entire product development process.

DL: When you have a new design project, where do you start?

MFB : I always start by rethinking the product's architecture. I have the fortune of working in a company specializing in advanced materials, so it's essential to begin with the fundamentals, the physical and chemical dynamics of the product.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

MFB : I don't have a life motto, but for products, I always think 'less but better.' To myself, I say to always keep that spark of ambition and curiosity that led me to choose this profession.

DL: Do you think design sets the trends or trends set the designs?

MFB : I would like to say that designers create trends, or even better, that they are above trends because trends are momentary and not a vision. Unfortunately, most of the time, market dynamics dictate otherwise, and designers end up following trends.

DL: What is the role of technology when you design?

MFB : Technology is the key to reinterpreting products. Everything starts with technology, whether it is a material, a production process, or a functional component. The product then becomes the vehicle for one or more technologies.

DL: What kind of design software and equipment do you use in your work?

MFB : "It depends a lot on the project. Paper and pen are always with me. I use various software depending on the goals: Houdini and Grasshopper for experimentation and building custom design tools, Rhino and Alias for final models, Maya for sketches, and then software for simulations, DFM, and visualization. Recently, I've also been using a bit of AI like Midjourney and Vizcom. Tools are important because they allow us to express ideas as effectively as possible. Among all, my favorites remain paper and pen and Houdini.

DL: What is the role of the color, materials and ambient in design?

MFB : It depends on the product and the sector. In the scientific field, they have a functional relevance: for example, a pilot production line has color-coded signage to delineate maneuvering spaces and risk areas. I often try to use a functional color code in my projects. In B!POD, for instance, we use a color palette we called 'colors from extinction,' inspired by some endangered animal species to raise awareness about the fragility of our planet's balance. Colors can also be everything; for example, some time ago, I embarked on a small project, later closed, on the application of structural colors in the consumer field. In that case, the whole project revolved around creating color without pigment, as it was generated by the interference of light radiation with nanostructures, artificially created by a laser on a surface. In nature, this occurs with many insects and some birds, one very beautiful example being the Lytta vesicatoria or Spanish fly. A different case can be seen in automotive or fashion, where color assumes a completely different function. It reflects the season, historical moment, and trends, with the driver being purely commercial

DL: What do you wish people to ask about your design?

MFB : Probably something about the design process, like how a particular solution was reached instead of a different interpretation.

DL: When you see a new great design or product what comes into your mind?

MFB : In some cases, I think, 'This is a project I wish I had done,' but in any case, they give me a lot of motivation to create and innovate.

DL: Who is your ideal design partner? Do you believe in co-design?

MFB : That's a complex question. In the past, I have worked with some friends who had exceptional skills, and many times the collaboration didn't work. I think it's difficult to have two charismatic and visionary people with similar skills and backgrounds working on the same project without a hierarchical structure to ensure decision-making discipline. It's often more useful to have one person with an overall vision who takes responsibility for making decisions. Another scenario is multidisciplinary teams. Combining a designer with a physicist, for example, can create an interesting synergy, but the same goes for including a psychologist, a chemist, a sound engineer, or any other figure who can add or multiply the value of the initial discipline.

DL: Which people you interacted had the most influence on your design?

MFB : Probably my friends. I have some designer friends who work in different fields, peers, visionaries, exceptional people with whom I regularly interact. They provide me with many points for reflection and a perspective on worlds different from my own.

DL: Which books you read had the most effect on your design?

MFB : That's a complex question because I love reading, and every great book leaves me with ideas and insights that reflect in my work. I can say that I have never particularly appreciated design books written by designers, with the exception of a few fundamental works by Munari. Most of them are pseudo-philosophical books focused on subjective visions without objective foundations, experiences too filtered through the lens of the character. At that point, I prefer to read a real philosophy book or a pure science treatise. During my studies, I read 'The Design Method' by S.A. Gregory and 'Introduction to Design' by Morris Asimov, which I found useful. Another helpful book was 'Point, Line, Surface' by Vassily Kandinsky, an essay on aesthetics that made me reflect on the concept of empty space occupied by something. From there, I began to follow an analytical and, in some respects, primitive approach to design.

DL: How did you develop your skills as a master designer?

MFB : The best way to develop skills is to study and put them into practice, step out of your comfort zones, and embrace the idea that making mistakes is part of the growth process.

DL: Irrelative of time and space, who you would want to meet, talk and discuss with?

MFB : I would like to talk to my great-grandmother now that I'm grown up. She always saw something in me that others didn't and was a truly unique person. Apart from her, I would love to be able to talk with a young Leonardo da Vinci in Medicean Florence. It's a curiosity I've had since I was a child.

DL: How do you feel about all the awards and recognition you had, is it hard to be famous?

MFB : The best way to develop skills is to study and put them into practice, step out of your comfort zones, and embrace the idea that making mistakes is part of the growth process.

DL: What is your favorite color, place, food, season, thing and brand?

MFB : My favorite color, I believe, changes over time and depends on many different factors. Historically, I would say the green of pine trees and the blue of the sea, but that doesn't mean I would want to see them everywhere. Choosing a favorite place is difficult. I love my hometown, particularly my grandparents' house, as it recharges my energy and stimulates my creativity. Recently, I visited a Greek island called Sifnos, which is definitely on the list of places I love. My favorite season would be spring, the rebirth between April and May. My favorite food is a tough choice between traditional Japanese sushi and pasta with clams and bottarga. If I had to give up everything, I would always need paper and pen. My favorite brand is my own, B!POD.

DL: Please tell us a little memoir, a funny thing you had experienced as a designer?

MFB : A few years ago, there was a problem in one of the electronics development centers for a product that was nearing launch. The data readings from the prototype did not match the product's technical specifications. We already had about ten thousand components of that type in stock, and not understanding the origin of the problem, we decided to open the boxes and test all of them. It turned out that the model used in the development of the main electronic board was the only piece out of ten thousand that operated at a different voltage than the others. This forced us to rework the system but fortunately confirmed the validity of all the pieces in stock.

DL: What makes your day great as a designer, how do you motivate yourself?

MFB : Always dreaming of the next steps. The world is in constant flux, and imagining new opportunities for development is my way of keeping my curiosity alive.

DL: When you were a little child, was it obvious that you would become a great designer?

MFB : I grew up in a small town, where there was no internet yet and the primary means of communication were books and newspapers. When I was little, I think I wanted to become more of a paleontologist than a designer. But as I grew up, I started to combine my passion for drawing and research with my love for nature and biology, and somehow, I always knew I would follow this path.

DL: What do you think about future; what do you see will happen in thousand years from now?

MFB : It's a really complex question. On one hand, there's a scientific and technological revolution that in a thousand years will have reached its peak: calculations that are impossible today will likely enable the development of new applied branches like DNA rewriting, curing every disease, and significantly increasing the average lifespan of the human species. Operations might no longer be carried out by humans but predominantly by machines, which in an overcrowded world could lead to significant unemployment, putting pressure on the capitalist economic model and possibly exponentially amplifying the social divide between the super-rich and everyone else. Science could make giant leaps in fields currently stalled due to the experimental impossibility of some of the most cutting-edge theories. Perhaps literature and philosophy will find fertile ground in a world dominated by artificial intelligence and machines. The challenge is understanding where natural intelligence might be channeled. We might have biomechanical implants that amplify our senses, but we will unlikely give up biological pleasures, so food, sex, and camaraderie will remain primitive yet valid sources of life. Sure, we could eat vitamin pills, but a glass of wine will have timeless appeal, and on the other side of the world, the same goes for sake. Therefore, design, understood as a creative solution to societal problems through technology and culture, might focus its efforts on the food sector, developing quality food from the earth in an intricate system of sustainable development. I hope that by then, we will have solved waste problems, cleaned the oceans, and dedicated ourselves as a species to understanding naturally dangerous phenomena like calderas and earthquakes, and perhaps we will have repopulated the earth with animals and plants. I also hope for a Jurassic Park. All this while hoping that the shadow of wars has been banished and that a general AI hasn't taken control of every form of life, transforming humanity into the evolutionary stepping stone for the next species leap.

DL: Please tell us anything you wish your fans to know about you, your design and anything else?

MFB : I don't think I have fans, but I can say that with my design, I hope to do a bit of what Olivetti did for Italian design in the 1940s. Currently, I lead the Design Innovation Department at SAES, which I named Design House. If you're interested in seeing our upcoming projects, you can follow our progress or reach out to me.