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Tradition Meets Innovation in Interior and Textile Design at IED Firenze

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21 May, 2025

This post was originally published on Colossal

Istituto Europeo di Design (IED) Firenze expands its academic offerings with the Master of Arts in Interior and Furniture Design—Hacking Tradition: Reinventing Craftsmanship and Materials. This new program redefines the intersection of heritage and innovation, where traditional craftsmanship meets contemporary design. Aligned with IED’s sustainable textile focus, students learn to critically reinterpret cultural and material heritage through a sustainable lens, with design positioned as a transformative force that shapes environments while addressing social and ecological challenges.

This Master of Arts program equips students with the skills to “hack” tradition—decoding artisanal methods, rethinking materials, and innovating applications. By fostering a dialogue between past and future, craftsmanship becomes a space for reinvention. The curriculum integrates DesignXCommons, an ecological design philosophy focused on sustainability and resource regeneration. Rooted in Tuscany’s world-renowned manufacturing traditions—marble, textiles, furniture, jewelry, and leather—the program offers hands-on experience. Students engage in workshops, industry collaborations, and real-world projects, turning cultural contexts into design innovation.

Two molds for U-shaped structure with orange wax and gravel.
Secondo Fuoco by TIPSTUDIO (photo courtesy TIPSTUDIO)

It complements IED Firenze’s Master of Arts in Textile Design—Eco-Threads: Materials and Circularity, which explores sustainable materials, eco-design, and process innovation across fashion, interiors, and product design. Together, these programs position the school as a leader in sustainable design education. Set in Florence—where history, art, and fashion merge—IED Firenze offers a unique learning environment. From the grandeur of Ponte Vecchio to the heritage of Gucci and Ferragamo, the city itself becomes part of the curriculum. Housed in an architectural landmark, IED Firenze nurtures designers ready to challenge conventions, honor heritage, and shape the future of design.

To learn more, visit ied.edu/courses. 

Founded in 1966, IED (Istituto Europeo di Design) is an international network of higher education institutions specializing in design, fashion, visual arts, and communication. With campuses in Italy, Spain, and Brazil, IED fosters a multidisciplinary approach that blends creativity, craftsmanship, and technological innovation. Through hands-on training and strong industry connections, it prepares students to become forward-thinking professionals in the global design landscape.

Two hands holding a copper plate with organic texture up against a deep blue background.
Cratere by TIPSTUDIO (photo courtesy TIPSTUDIO)
Hand hovering over a circular mirror with a 3D frame build around it to make it look like an orange crater.
Loto mirror by TIPSTUDIO (photo courtesy TIPSTUDIO)
Bits of gravel sculpture arranged on a white table.
Secondo Fuoco by TIPSTUDIO (photo courtesy TIPSTUDIO)

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ABB receives EPD status for gearless mill drive ring motor

ABB receives EPD status for gearless mill drive ring motor

ABB has gained Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) status for its Gearless Mill Drive (GMD) ring motor — technology used to drive large grinding mills in the mining industry.

An EPD is a standardised document that provides detailed information about the environmental impact of a product throughout its life cycle. Based on a comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study, the EPD highlights ABB’s commitment to transparency, environmental responsibility and supporting customers in making informed decisions on sustainability in their supply chains.

ABB analysed the environmental impact of a ring motor across its entire life cycle from supply chain and production to usage and end-of-life disposal. The study was conducted for a ring motor of a semi-autogenous grinding (SAG) mill with an installed power of 24 MW and was based on a reference service life of 25 years.

“Sustainability is at the core of our purpose at ABB, influencing how we operate and innovate for customers,” said Andrea Quinta, Sustainability Specialist at ABB. “By earning the Environmental Product Declaration for our ring motor, we emphasise our environmental stewardship and industry leadership for this technology. We adhered to the highest standards throughout this process, as we do in the ABB Ring Motor factory every day. This recognition highlights to the mining industry what they are bringing into their own operations when they work with ABB.”

The comprehensive LCA was conducted at ABB’s factory in Bilbao, Spain, and was externally verified and published in accordance with international standards ISO 14025 and ISO 14040/14044. It will remain valid for five years.

The ring motor, a key component of the GMD, is a drive system without any gears where the transmission of the torque between the motor and the mill is done through the magnetic field in the air gap between the motor stator and the motor rotor. It optimises grinding applications in the minerals and mining industries by enabling variable-speed operation, leading to energy and cost savings.

The full EPD for the ABB GMD Ring Motor can be viewed on EPD International.

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