Stories of Encounters

The history of a company is also a history of remarkable encounters. People from different worlds and from different generations have come together and joined forces, bringing their own unique skills, visions, and passions to transform dialogue into innovation. The course explores the exchanges between entrepreneurs, engineers, architects, designers, and artists who had the courage to imagine and create projects that went on to become known worldwide. For example: the meeting of Giovanni Battista Pirelli and Giuseppe Colombo, which led to the first Italian company to produce rubber goods; Gio Ponti and Pier Luigi Nervi, who together built the Pirelli Tower, for many years the tallest building in Europe; Vitale Bramani, Leopoldo Pirelli, and Franco Brambilla, whose friendship and partnership gave rise to Vibram mountain soles; and the athlete Carl Lewis with the photographer Annie Leibovitz, whose work together led to the famous “Power is nothing without control” advertising campaign.

The class will then be guided in writing an imaginary dialogue between two figures from the past. A creative and thoughtful exercise to give a voice to history, while keeping an eye firmly on the future.

The workshop can be held in person at the Pirelli Foundation for one class (one two-hour session), or online via Microsoft Teams for one or two classes (two one-hour sessions).