Francesco Piccinonna

Multidisciplinary designer, 26. Material research, living materials, circular systems.

I hold a Master's Degree in Product Design from Iuav University of Venice, and a Bachelor's Degree in Industrial Design from the Polytechnic University of Bari.

My research focuses on the exploration of materials and their role within production and environmental systems. I develop strategic design projects oriented toward sustainability and high performance, deepening the relationship between object, material, and geo-cultural context.

Recent work centres on mycelium-based composites and the design of replicable production processes for living materials.

experience

Sep 2026

Exhibitor, Design Fair 2026: Designs for a Regenerative Future

Nieuwe Instituut, Rotterdam. Selected to exhibit the thesis project at the Arcade.

May 2026

Technical designer and maker

Arsenale Institute for Politics and Representation, Venice. Motorised mechanism retrofitting a vintage rotorelief; fabrication, structural integration and on-site calibration.

Apr 2026

Exhibitor and exhibition assistant, Milan Design Week

“Technéteca”, Repubblica del Design — Rifugio Antiaereo 87, Milan. Selected by the university to exhibit the thesis project; spatial assembly and material logistics.

Jan — Feb 2026

Design researcher in residence

Basque Bio Design Center, Güeñes. Independent research on living materials, supported by a Culture Moves Europe mobility grant. Replicable production process for mycelium composites.

Sep — Nov 2025

Design intern

Basque Bio Design Center, Güeñes. Large-scale bio-plastic installations for the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao; custom tools and moulds for oversized biomaterial components.

May — Jul 2025

Cultural mediator

Art Events S.R.L. — Saudi Arabia collateral pavilion, Venice Architecture Biennale.

Dec 2024 — Jan 2025

Eco-village development assistant

Bagus, São Miguel, Azores. Volunteering. Sustainable infrastructure for a modular eco-village, built with reused materials.

Oct — Dec 2023

Furniture designer

Architettura Tommasi, Saccolongo. Modular outdoor lamp in terracotta and aluminium for scalable lighting systems.

Mar — Jun 2023

Design intern

Corgom S.R.L., Corato. Circular design and waste valorisation research on end-of-life tire recycling.

education

2023 — 2026

MA Product Design, Iuav University of Venice

110/110. Sustainable material systems and strategic design methodologies. Final project: a replicable production process for mycelium-based composites.

2020 — 2023

BA Industrial Design, Polytechnic University of Bari

110/110. Manufacturing processes, user-centred design, ergonomics. Final project: end-of-life tire recycling and its industrial applications.

awards

2026

Special Mention for the Quality of Research

Crea Cantieri del Contemporaneo, Venice.

2026

Culture Moves Europe mobility grant

Goethe-Institut.

skills

3D modelling

Rhinoceros, Grasshopper, AutoCAD, SketchUp, 3ds Max

Graphics

Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign

Fabrication

Prototyping and 3D printing, CNC laser cutting, metal manufacturing, welding

Analysis

Life Cycle Assessment

Languages

Italian (native), English C1, French B2, Spanish B2