Singapore, 12 September 2025 — Mario Cucinella, renowned architect and designer of the Italian Pavilion at the ongoing World Expo in Osaka, took center stage at Singapore Design Week, serving as an ambassador of Italian design in the year marking the 60th anniversary of bilateral relations between the two countries.
An influential figure in contemporary international architecture, Mario Cucinella is known for his design approach grounded in environmental sustainability and social responsibility. He is the founder of Mario Cucinella Architects (MCA) and the School of Sustainability (SOS), and has received accolades from prestigious institutions such as the Royal Institute of British Architects and the American Institute of Architects. Among his most acclaimed works are the Italian Pavilion at the 2018 Venice Biennale and the new Ferrari e-building in Maranello.
Cucinella participated in FIND – Design Fair Asia, the leading interior design exhibition in Southeast Asia and a cornerstone event of Singapore Design Week, organized by FieraMilano and DMG, with the support of ITA. He presented Creative Empathy, a manifesto of his architectural philosophy, which views architecture as an empathetic act that connects human beings with the natural environment and socio-cultural context.
He also spoke at the seminar Sustainable Cities: From Vision to Experience, promoted by CapitaLand Development, one of Singapore’s leading real estate development and management companies. The event explored integrated approaches to sustainable urban development capable of addressing the complex environmental, social, and economic dynamics facing contemporary cities — both in Asia and globally.
“Architecture is not just about form or function: it is about empathy. Designing means establishing a deep connection with the place, with people, and with the memory of territories. Only in this way can we build sustainable cities, capable of addressing the environmental and social challenges of our time. But to envision the architecture of the future, we must look to the past and rediscover traditional building principles, reducing our dependence on technology and promoting a conscious use of resources,” emphasized architect Mario Cucinella.
The Embassy of Italy in Singapore, which coordinated Cucinella’s presence and participation in the local Design Week, also organized meetings with key real estate and urban development companies in the city-state, as well as with representatives from the academic, business, and institutional sectors. These engagements culminated in a special event hosted by Ambassador Dante Brandi at his Residence.
“Together with the consistent commitment of FieraMilano and ITA in supporting the FIND exhibition, Mario Cucinella’s participation in Singapore Design Week reaffirms, in a symbolic year like the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Italy and Singapore, our shared commitment to promoting cooperation between the two countries in the fields of design, architecture, and innovative, sustainable urban development” said Ambassador of Italy to Singapore and Brunei Darussalam Dante Brandi.
