FREE EVENT puts its signature on the first phase of regeneration for ISIA Firenze, transforming an industrial site set to become the new home of Italian design.

Florence, June 16, 2026

There comes a moment when a place ceases to be what it once was and begins to become what it is destined to be.

It is from this vision that UNUSUAL was born, an event-project marking the first step toward the new home of ISIA Firenze (Istituto Superiore per le Industrie Artistiche), one of the most prestigious and widely recognized academic institutions in the Italian design landscape. An initiative that goes beyond the inauguration of a new space, becoming a statement of intent, a cultural manifesto, and an act of urban regeneration.

At the heart of a former industrial complex in Via Pisana, a story takes shape that brings together art, design, research, and local identity. A place that until yesterday seemed suspended in time is being returned to the city through the imagination and creative power of new generations.

UNUSUAL does not simply tell the story of a future campus; it presents a new vision of a creative community. An open ecosystem where students, professionals, businesses, institutions, and citizens are invited to share a common vision rooted in design culture, the pursuit of excellence, and the enhancement of Italy’s manufacturing and cultural heritage.

For an evening, the industrial soul of the space is preserved and transformed into a narrative setting. Raw surfaces, metal structures, and traces of the past interact with an immersive and futuristic dimension: large suspended fabrics move through the air like contemporary sails, hosting artistic projections, digital visions, and generative content that reinterpret the language of design and innovation.

Light itself becomes a design material. Student works take center stage within an experiential journey that invites visitors to physically step inside the creative process, while electronic soundscapes and immersive atmospheres evoke an almost cosmic dimension, suspended between industrial memory and a vision of the future.

On the opening day of Pitti Immagine, Florence once again became an international crossroads of ideas, languages, and creative cross-pollination, welcoming some of the most influential figures from the worlds of fashion, design, culture, and innovation. An open dialogue between different disciplines, united by a shared commitment to quality, research, and the excellence of Made in Florence and Made in Italy.

Opening UNUSUAL MINDS, the title of the evening’s talk session, were Marco Sammicheli (Curator of Design, Fashion, and Craftsmanship at the Italian Design Museum of Triennale Milano) and Barbara Franchin (President of the ITS Foundation, ITS Contest, and ITS Arcademy). Together, they explored a series of timeless yet highly relevant topics for an audience preparing to embark on one of the most important transitions of their lives.

The discussion was followed by the valuable contribution of Florentine fashion designer Daniele Fiesoli, long recognized as an advocate of authentic luxury rooted in craftsmanship, innovation, and a culture of making. With ISIA, he shares a commitment to research, respect for local identity, meticulous attention to detail, and the belief that design is, above all, a tool for creating value and imagining the future. Concluding the session was entrepreneur and international thought leader David Orban, who offered a forward-looking perspective on the relationship between technology, longevity, and creativity.

Institutional support also played a key role in the event. Alongside the President of the Tuscany Region, Eugenio Giani, attendees included Marco Stella, Regional Councillor; Benedetta Albanese, Councillor for Education of the Municipality of Florence; and Mirko Dormentoni, President of Florence’s District 4.

“We wanted to make a simple yet powerful gesture: to sow beauty. In a place that has lain dormant for years, we decided to bring ideas, creativity, culture and vision. Because every great transformation always begins with a first step. This project embodies our desire to restore value to a local area through design, art and the talent of the younger generations. Florence has built its history by innovating and imagining the future. Today, together with ISIA, we want to help write a new chapter in this extraordinary tradition.” Andrea Camporesi – CEO & Creative Director, FREE EVENT

“UNUSUAL is not simply the presentation of PNRR projects, ideas, or an architectural masterplan: it is the moment in which, as ISIA Design Florence, we publicly declare our vision for the decades ahead. Via Pisana 148 represents far more than a new headquarters for us — it is a space entrusted to us by the city of Florence, and one that we will return to the city transformed into a vibrant, open, and generative place. A cultural and creative hub at the heart of the community, capable of engaging with institutions, businesses, and citizens alike. After fifty years of educational excellence, ISIA is ready to take a further step forward: to become not only a leading higher education institution for Italian design, but also an integrated cultural center that actively contributes to the development of Florence and the wider Tuscany region. This masterplan is the first act of that transformation.” Massimiliano Morlacci – President, ISIA DESIGN FIRENZE

UNUSUAL therefore becomes much more than an event: it is a collective invitation to look beyond what exists today and imagine what can emerge tomorrow. It is an act of confidence in Italian design culture, education, research, and in the power of design to generate social, economic, and cultural transformation.