The Academic Master gives a new perspective on the role of urban designers, and allows the students to enhance their experience in reading into, interpreting and designing cities to face the new complexity of urban contexts, and complement it with practical actions also establishing relationships with local and international partners. Through the research of new ways to understand the city, this course develops the specific necessary skills to carry out new urban design projects, with specific attention to service design.
Over the AM, students will have the opportunity to:
During the Academic Master's, students will learn the most effective methodology to assess, regenerate and develop city spaces. They will improve all the necessary skills to work on urban design and services.
The programme provides the theoretical foundation and the practical know-how to conceive a project that takes into account historical and environmental heritage, economic and technological constraints, and ethical and aesthetic values. Students learn to consider all the features, issues and resources of metropolises as well as changes in their social fabric. The same happens with digital culture and its anthropological and scientific implications.
Urban and landscape design are two of the subjects of this curriculum. Furthermore, the Master's provides an intensive path of studies, including Urban design, Ecodesign, Landscape design, Digital cultures, History of architecture and urban planning, and Anthropology of complex societies. During the internship, students can directly apply the learned skills. At the end of the Master's course, they have to present a final project suggesting a flexible, evolving and solid vision of new urban realities.
Department: Design and Applied Arts
Area: Design
Title Awarded: First Level Academic Master Degree
Credits: 60 CFA
Starting: October 2025
Duration: 1 year
Languages: English
Campus: Milan
Our Faculty
Design and Applied Arts Department Head
Luca Poncellini is an architect and a designer with a PhD in the History of Architecture and City Planning. As a partner in the architecture office Cliostraat until 2009, he has curated projects and has lectured in Italy and in several countries throughout the world. His works have been exhibited at the Venice Biennale, at the Van Alen Institute in New York, at ETH in Zürich, at MAGA in Gallarate and at Triennale Milano. In 2008 he co-curated the retrospective exhibition Laszlo Hudec, in collaboration with the Hungarian Consulate in Shanghai. Since 2013 he has been the Course Leader of the MA in Interior Design. Between 2015 and 2019 directed the research lab and the project C-Park. Since 2019 he has been Design and Applied Arts Department Head.
Born in Milan, he graduated in Architecture at Politecnico di Milano. After a research period in Spain, in Madrid and Barcelona, in 2002 he founded his own studio, Modoloco Design Workshop, a space for experimentation and research, where diverse cultures and experiences are implemented as architectural and design forms. He has taught at the Faculty of Design and Arts of the Free University of Bozen, at Politecnico di Milano, and lectured in Italian and international institutions. He curated and participated in several exhibitions in Italy, Japan, Spain, France, United Kingdom, Sweden. Ambassador of Italian Design for Switzerland, Albany and Uruguay in 2017, 2018, 2019, he is the author of the books Globetrotting designers (Compositori), Design, scuola e solidarietà (Fausto Lupetti), Design from the Alps (Scheidegger Und Spiess), and Disegnare un cucchiaio per cambiare la città (Quodlibet).
Architect and designer, after the Master in Design at Domus Academy, Donegani collaborated with Marco Zanuso and Andrea Branzi, and with Olivetti Corporate Identity. In 1993 he opened his studio D&L with Giovanni Lauda working in several design areas. He has designed home and office products for Isuzu, Memphis, Stildomus, Luceplan, Edra, Kelebek, Rotaliana, Radice, Viceversa. Among his most celebrated projects: Lisca (Rotaliana, IF Product Design award 2005); Multipot (Rotaliana, mention at the XXI Compasso d’Oro 2008); the chaise longue Passepartout (Edra), in the permanent collections of San Francisco MoMA and Triennale Milano; Agronica, designed with Andrea Branzi, in the collection of Centre Pompidou in Paris. His work appeared at Barcelona Biennale, Centre Pompidou, Triennale Milano, Venice Biennale. He directed the Master in Design at Domus Academy and he is part of NABA Faculty since 2013.
Four years as architect at Wurmfeld Associates in Manhattan, New York. Last year as associate in design department. Short lecturing at the International Fine Arts College in Miami, and back to Milan to join for 6 years Ettore Sottsass & Associates. These days at StudioScalzi he works on urban regeneration, architectural and interior design projects.
For many years professor at Masters Courses of SPD (Scuola Politecnica Design), and occasionally visiting professor at Strategic Design Masters of Politecnico di Milan, and at Beirut Arab University Faculty of Architecture.
Since 2007 he is design professor at NABA for international programs. With Brovelli/Suteu he has published "The harmonic integration of culture and skills in design: an interdisciplinary experience in higher education”. With the patronage of the Municipality of Milan he has published "We like Milano” distributed in 51 countries.
NABA’s Career Services & Industry Relations Office can provide you with support and guidance during your transition from the academy to the professional world. Our staff can help you develop self-promotion tools and assist you during your first steps into the world of work.
The Office develops relationships with companies in order to set up internship agreements, employment opportunities, and interactive projects between students and businesses.
NABA has developed strong relationships with leading companies which provide internships for NABA students. Among them are: Armani Hotel, Giulio Iacchetti, Studio Bestenheider, Vittorio Martini 1866, Giochi Preziosi, Intégral Ruedi Baur et Associés, The Swatch Group, Giorgio Armani, Pininfarina Extra, Tagua, Azimut-Benetti, Bonetto Design International, Alta Design & Engineering, AAAHHHAAA, Forchets, Studio di architettura Amedeo Guidobono Cavalchini, Aldo Cibic – Cibicworkshop, Progetto CMR Engineering, Integrated Services S.r.l., Abad Architetti S.r.l., Festina Italia, Zanotta, Luxottica, Studio Italo Rota & Partners, Giugiaro Architettura, Rintala Eggertsson Architects, Luceplan, Ikea Italia Retail, 3M ITALIA, Yellow Office, Studio Lissoni Associati, Studio Barreca & Lavarra, Uragano Studio, Veneta Cucine, Dado Arredamenti.
Kick-off your career. Among the career opportunities:
Urban designer
Public administration consultant
Consultant for public utility and multi-utility companies
City brand designer
Collaborator at architecture/ engineering practices, urban design companies