ressence, unimatic, and claesson koivisto rune talk
Design evolves into a dialogue between the known and the felt, shifting from rigid functionalism to a more empathetic, human-centered future. During Milan Design Week 2026this shift took center stage as designboom hosted an extended discussion on the ethereal mechanisms of creation. Inside the immersive ROOM FOR A DREAM activation, n discussion explored how the most durable objects are rarely the result of cold logic, but rather the result of creativity emerging from the subconscious. It is the manifestation of a hyperrational instinct that bridges the gap between the designer’s inner world and the user’s experience.
‘I think intuition is a super-rational faculty of the mind usually… it’s something that goes beyond ordinary logic and the limitation of our own mind,Giovanni Moro, industrial designer and co-founder, begins SINGULARwith whom Benoît participated on the panel Mintien, industrial designer and its founder Ressence, and Mårten Claesson, architect and co-founder Claesson Koivisto Runemoderated by designboom editor-in-chief Sofia Lekka Angelopoulou.
the talk explored a future where architecture and emotion converge to inspire new creative paradigms
all images © designboomphoto by Camilla Mancini with Giorgio Galliano
room for dreams discusses the creative subconscious
The creative process re-examines how we might access innovation by tapping into a state of flow, where time dissolves and peripheral vision takes over. Mårten suggests that intuition is not a mystical gift, but a complex accumulation of practice and life experience that occurs when the conscious mind is set aside. Inside ROOM FOR DEAMS, the panel explores how this subconscious reservoir allows a designer to navigate complex problems with a sense of inevitability. Blocking out outside noise and market trends, the creator acts as a medium, translating years of observation into a unique, instinctual gesture that feels both new and strangely familiar.
‘Intuition is not magic. It’s not God-given or anything. It is a kind of accumulation of experience that you draw on subconsciously,“, suggests Mårten Claesson, architect and co-founder Claesson Koivisto Rune. ‘Intuition works really well when you are in a state of flow… You have to block out everything else and then you lose track of time.‘
immersive activation ROOM FOR DREAMS set the stage for a dialogue about the subconscious origins of creativity
True optimism in design emerges from the belief that limitations are not obstacles, but the very source of creativity. Giovanni suggests that working without the safety net of mass market research allows designers to form their own paths—a set of personal rules that guide the birth of original artifacts. This sentiment is echoed by Benoît, who envisions a design process that begins with the human user rather than the mechanical component. The discussion highlights how adjusting the parameters of ergonomics and aesthetics in harmony defines a new reality, proving that even the most technical objects can be reimagined as compassionate companions.
‘Ressence’s starting point for design is more than the user. This is very different from a watchmaker. A watchmaker usually starts with the movement.“Benoît Mintiens, industrial designer and its founder Ressencehe keeps adding:’The moment I feel okay with design is when I can make new places for parameters — ergonomics, aesthetics, function, etc. — consistent with each other because then you have defined a new reality for that product.”
an atmosphere of utopian optimism filled the space during designboom’s intuitive design exploration
The future of object creation imagines a world where product biodiversity drives the evolution of our material culture. By mixing the distinct DNAs of different disciplines – architecture, industrial design and watchmaking – new examples are born that transcend their original categories. Participants in the Room for Dreams talk reflect on the desire to create non-disposable legacies, ranging from universal tools like a simple pencil to durable structures like a temple. This collaborative spirit suggests that when a designer imbues an object with subconscious depth and obsessive attention to detail, it creates a lasting emotional bond. It is a vision where design outlives its creator, demonstrating the power of intuition to shape a more imaginative world.
‘Humanity or any other species progressed and evolved through biodiversity by mixing genes… Mixing these two DNAs – brains, ways of thinking – into one product… suddenly it’s something new,Benoît concludes. ‘This is the theory of evolution applied to products.‘
