samsung explores human side of tech for milan design week 2026
‘Design, at its core, is an act of love,’ asserts Mauro Porcini, President and Chief Design Officer at Samsung Electronics, in an interview designboom. At Milan Design Week 2026, Samsung brings this vision to life through an exhibition that reimagines the human side of tech in our lives. The brand invites Design Week visitors into an exhibition where technology is a warm, living participant in the human experience. By centering the space on the human side of tech, the exhibition reframes technology that enables more expressive, meaningful ways of living.
Mauro Porcini explains Samsung Design Open Lab at Milan Design Week 2026
samsung open lab debuts new vision of human side of tech
Stepping away from polished showcases of finished goods, the brand opens the door to its creative process at the Samsung Design Open Lab. This transparent window into their design ideation and innovation invites visitors into the internal thinking rather than just the final outcome. It acts as a bridge between speculative concepts and commercial reality, proving that the journey of discovery is as vital as the product.
‘I want visitors to feel the same excitement I felt when I first joined Samsung and gained access to the incredible experiments and ideas happening behind the scenes. You don’t just see what we made: you begin to understand why we are making it, the questions we are asking, and the tensions we are exploring,’ explains Mauro.
the interactive concept devices explore the emotional connection between people and AI
immersive journey of AI and emotion displayed by samsung
The exhibition unfolds like a multisensory experience, beginning with an emotional dialogue across multiple devices. The show represents Samsung’s vision of AI. Set to Over the Horizon, Samsung’s signature Galaxy brand sound, this interaction orchestrates a suite of products. Together, they connect different devices and experiences in one seamless flow-diverse, expressive, yet perfectly in harmony.
‘Functionally, it demonstrates how hardware, software, and AI come together into seamless, meaningful systems,’ clarifies the President and Chief Design Officer at Samsung Electronics. ‘Emotionally, the journey evolves from wonder to connection. Technology feels alive, less like something you use, and more like something that understands you, supports your rituals, and amplifies how you live.’
‘Unfold Your Story’ zone at Samsung Design Open Lab
Samsung posits a radical new formula: AI × (EI + HI), where Artificial Intelligence is used to amplify Emotional Intelligence and Human Imagination. This mindset shifts the smart home into the meaningful home, where technology steps forward only to unlock human potential. By rejecting homogeneity, the brand embraces a new era where form and function follow meaning, reflecting the beautiful diversity of the people who use it.
‘Technology has been progressively evolving toward a direction where form and function follow meaning. Historically, design was defined by “form follows function,” a rigid approach that shaped much of industrial design. Today, that rigidity is breaking down,’ adds Mauro.
AI-powered culinary experiences to support physical and emotional well-being
As the exhibition concludes, the lasting impact is not found in a specific gadget, but in a shift in perspective. Samsung views this Milanese presence not as a conclusion, but as a moment within an ongoing journey. The brand champions a future where technology dissolves as a cold category and emerges as a medium for emotion, empathy, and imagination.
‘If visitors leave believing that technology has the potential to truly serve humanity, then we’ve done something meaningful. We want them to feel that technology was not the protagonist of the space, but a medium to create emotion and serve humanity,’ concludes Mauro Porcini, President and Chief Design Officer at Samsung Electronics, in an interview designboom.
experimental hardware prototypes signal a shift toward a more expressive design language
digital interfaces adapt to the user in a new paradigm where form and function follow meaning
analog warmth meets digital innovation in a lounge designed for play and self expression
the Samsung exhibition at Superstudio Più transforms technology into a meaningful presence
visitors explore a hopeful future where technology serves humanity through acts of love
project info:
brand: Samsung Design | @samsung
installation: Design is an Act of Love
interviewee: Mauro Porcini
location: Superstudio Più, Milan
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