Almost a Biography.

This introductory chapter frames Italian design as both an exceptional and exemplary case, shaped not by a formalized scientific discipline but by a culture of experimentation, intuition, and cross-sector exchange. Unlike other European contexts, design in Italy developed through flexible collaborations with small and medium-sized enterprises and through heterogeneous educational paths rather than a unified academic system. Within this scenario, the chapter introduces Alberto Seassaro as a pivotal figure in the institutionalization of design education at Politecnico di Milano. His contribution is interpreted not merely in administrative terms but as a cultural and collective endeavor, driven by a vision capable of transforming dispersed practices into a coherent educational and research system. Finally, the text reflects on biography as a narrative method, proposing a “collective biography” approach that highlights the interplay between individual agency and broader socio-cultural structures, setting the interpretative framework for the book.