Solving problems, generating doubts

Caffè Design is not just a podcast but a stance — a response to the self-referential nature of the design world, placing irony at the heart of critique, curiosity as method, and Artificial Intelligence as a brainstorming companion. Ahead of their participation in Bologna’s Creators Day on 13 June, we interviewed Giuliano Guarini to delve deeper into their vision of design as a language and a space of cross-disciplinary contamination.

Once born to solve problems, design is now also called upon to raise questions. It is no longer just a function-driven process, but a critical act capable of challenging habits, languages and systems. It is in this ambivalent space — between the concreteness of solutions and the ambiguity of provocation — that Caffè Design operates. The Italian multichannel project, known primarily for its eponymous podcast, was launched in 2017 as a reaction to the self-celebratory and self-referential tendencies often found in design culture.

The trio of Giuliano Guarini, Ferdinando “Nanni” Esposito, and Riccardo “Breccia” Cambò puts irony at the centre of the design process, embraces curiosity as a method, and values unpredictability in the creative journey. In this context, Artificial Intelligence is not a threat but a tool capable of triggering new thought trajectories.

This approach will be at the centre of their contribution to Creators Day — the free (registration required) event organised by Delizia Media, which brings together cultural organisations and the world of new media and content creation — taking place on 13 June, from 9:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., at Spazio Bianco in DumBO, Bologna. Caffè Design will be speaking on design, communication and contemporary imaginaries.

What does design mean to you?

There is never one right answer to that question. When we talk about design, we mean pretty much anything, because almost everything is designed. Everything has thought behind it — conceived by someone and then shaped by someone else. Even in the simplest products, there is a project behind. For us, design encompasses all disciplines: from technology to innovation, from marketing to strategy. That is why we would almost call it a language: a way to communicate something, which might take the form of an object, a campaign, a brand or an experience. It is not limited to physical things, but extends to the intangible. Anything that communicates an intention or a vision can be considered design.

So, how important is versatility for someone working in this field?

Designers should be fuelled by constant curiosity — being passionate about many things is an asset. Every project calls for a different approach: one day you might be working with a food company, and the next you are designing a statue for a public space. That is why designers are hybrid figures who move across disciplines and must be able to make connections.

Contamination is a creative engine — and it often happens in the most unexpected moments.

For example, we came up with the term “procraspiration”: a portmanteau of procrastination and inspiration that describes what happens when you are putting something off, but are also absorbing stimuli that could prove useful later. It is a kind of ongoing serendipity, fuelled by personal passions — even terrible memes on Instagram. It is not something you control, but something you accumulate. In the end, that is what designing is: drawing from that magma to solve a problem.

How does design relate to art and technology? What do they share and how do they differ?

If I had to draw a clear line, I would say that technology invents, while design interprets. Technology really changes people’s lives through practical innovation; design, on the other hand, works with those changes, translating, communicating and making them accessible. It rarely invents something from scratch — it adapts to context. It may appear the same, but its meaning shifts depending on time and place. That is its communicative power: it is not so much an art of invention as an art of adaptation.

Compared to art, I think the main difference lies in the degree of freedom: art has a lot more to offer, even on a conceptual level. Design often has to respond to concrete problems. They are related fields, but not everyone sees them that way — for some, design is only about rationality and problem-solving. I believe they are both rooted in a central issue: communication. Design is part of an expressive ecosystem that includes cinema, literature and visual arts. It is a communicative tool that can shift mindsets, if not spark social change. As Caffè Design, that is the direction we are trying to pursue: to design objects that raise questions and stimulate reflection. In this sense, we look to the collective MSCHF as a key reference — they manage to straddle both art and commercial design, using irony to redirect conversations and provoke questions.

In your view, what are the most pressing questions that design should raise today?

Our job is not only to find solutions, but to raise doubts, provoke, and spark questions.

It is a way of caring for other people’s thinking — and this is where, for me, the designer’s ethical responsibility comes into play.

I believe the most pressing questions are social ones. The classic themes, if you like: peace, mental health, work, hyper-productivity. These are issues that affect everyone and, despite being widely discussed, they still are not spoken about enough. We still need a kind of design that can provoke them. And this can happen through objects, campaigns, experiences — even brands. Here is a concrete example.

During last year’s Design Week¹we collaborated with a fast-food chain in Milan. They asked us to create a small product that related to both fast food and design. The brief was quite open, but we wanted to start from a very specific feeling: the sensory overload typical of Design Week — an intense, fast-paced, draining experience, both mentally and physically. We paired that mental state with the concept of fast food, which exists to be eaten quickly without stopping. From that came our object: a fast-food menu holder designed to be worn around the neck, with compartments for a burger, fries and drink. It is deliberately absurd — it looks useless. And to an extent, it is. But it also carries a message: we have reached a point where even sitting down to eat is no longer part of the plan.

With this project, we wanted to talk about mental health, fast-paced cities, and extreme productivity. Irony was once again our way of engaging with the public and provoking thought. Like in art, our job is not to explain everything — it is “to spark something”. This is a theme close to our hearts, and one we will explore further live on 13 June during the Creators Day in Bologna.

What do you think about the entry of artificial intelligence into the creative process?

We are openly AI enthusiasts. We see Artificial Intelligence as a powerful tool — even a destabilising one, but in a positive way. It is creating the kind of disruption our sector needs, because it finally allows us to do things that were previously impossible. In our work, we mainly use it in the early stages: it helps us visualise concepts, turn sketches into more refined images, and explore possibilities based on rough ideas. But the most fascinating thing is how AI interprets what you feed it — sometimes it misunderstands, sometimes it exaggerates, and sometimes it completely invents. It is in that gap that something new often emerges: you ask for “A” and AI gives you “A + B”, and that “B” might spark a discussion, another idea, or a flash of intuition. That is why we see it as a kind of “brainstorming buddy” — AI always has an answer and forces you to take a stance.

We also use it to write videos, conduct research and explore references. Naturally, you always need to double-check, because it sometimes makes things up. But even that can be creatively useful if handled with care. I understand why people are afraid. In recent months, we have had messages from students considering design school, worried about whether it is still worth it: «Is it still worth studying design now that AI exists?». My answer is yes — absolutely yes. In fact, perhaps now it makes even more sense. Because AI is finally revealing what the designer’s role really is. It is not drawing — or not just drawing. It is about thinking, framing perspectives, and bringing awareness to things.

AI exposes the misconception that designers are merely the ones who execute a visual output. The core of design is the project, the intention, and the meaning. That is where human beings are essential — and in this sense, for us, AI does not replace but amplifies.

What do you think will be the next taboo that design will have to tackle?

In my opinion, it is precisely the AI taboo — accepting its presence, understanding its potential and limits, and not letting fear hold us back. Most of all, it is about recognising that this coexistence will never take a fixed form, because AI evolves rapidly. Every three months it becomes more powerful and more sophisticated, constantly forcing us to reposition ourselves. There will never be a point when we can say: «Right, now we fully understand it». I am a big comic book fan, and I often think the relationship between humans and AI resembles that between humans and mutants in X-Men — a constant attempt at coexistence, with all its tensions, fears, factions and moments of excitement.

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1. International Design Week consists of a series of events, installations and exhibitions taking place in cities such as Milan, in parallel with the Salone del Mobile. It is one of the world’s leading events for design culture, where companies, studios and creatives present ideas, products and reflections on contemporary design languages and trends. ↩︎