COURSE TITLE
Industrial Design
DESCRIPTION
École Polytechnique
Industrial Design Seminar, HSS 413F
Academic Year 2025–2026
Alessandro VICARI, Architect and Designer
Maurille LARIVIÈRE, Designer, Co-founder, CEO-COO The Sustainable Design School
INNOVATIVE DESIGN PROJECT:
The seminar consists of two activities:
- A theoretical activity, at the beginning of each session, including 30-minute lectures on the history of design and the interdependencies of this discipline with society.
- A practical design activity, conducted in student teams, aimed at developing an innovative project (pre-project phase).
Context
Based on studies on the evolving relationship between the human body and objects (André Leroi-Gourhan, Le geste et la parole, Paris, Albin Michel, Sciences d’aujourd’hui, 1964), and taking into account the fragility of our ecosystem, the systemic complexity of the contemporary world, and behavioral changes in current society, students are asked to imagine an object, system, or service related to the human body, and to design a project for the body.
The themes and domains related to the subject are as broad as human activities. Students are invited to focus on areas such as sports, well-being, health, disability, nutrition, among others.
Students are also asked to identify a relevant brand to develop the project with, in order to imagine a new product, a range of innovative products, or a combined product/service system, enabling the brand to expand its offeringthrough a creative and innovative approach, and strengthen its position in the market.
Schedule:
- Introductory course: late August 2025
- Final presentation: mid-November 2025
Evaluation Criteria
50% for:
- Active participation and engagement of each student in all courses
- Listening and sharing in teamwork
- Analytical skills and critical thinking
- Curiosity and initiative in the project
50% for:
- Design quality, content, and relevance of the project and its use
- Quality of formal presentation of the product/service
- Visual quality of graphic presentation elements
- Quality of argumentation and oral presentation
