It Was a Good Journey, After All. Interview with Ugo La Pietra

This chapter presents an interview with Ugo La Pietra, offering a reflective account of his relationship with Alberto Seassaro during their formative years. Their encounter at the Faculty of Architecture in Milan gave rise to an intense intellectual partnership grounded in a shared sense of marginality and a commitment to interdisciplinary research. Through La Pietra’s testimony, the chapter reconstructs a cultural climate characterized by vibrant exchanges and a growing awareness of the social role of design. Their collaboration culminated in a highly unconventional degree thesis proposing a synesthetic approach to the arts, challenging traditional disciplinary boundaries. At the same time, the narrative reveals the complex evolution of their relationship, marked by both deep affinity and eventual rupture, highlighting how early shared experiences shaped distinct yet interconnected trajectories.