ARCH. SALVATORE PONZO
Co-founder of FORO Studio, a Milan-based practice composed of a team of professionals developing projects in architecture, interior design, product design, and visual communication.
Through his studio, he collaborates with leading brands in industry, fashion, and design, as well as with museums and cultural institutions, delivering projects on various scales conceived as active interfaces: communication tools capable of generating dialogue between companies, institutions, and people.
The studio has received numerous international awards, including the German Design Award and the iF Design Award.
An expert in CMF (Colors, Materials, and Finishes), he combines design research with curatorial and editorial activities. He is the publisher and content curator of Materie Oscure (materieoscure.it), an independent magazine dedicated to the culture of materials in contemporary design, and the curator of BeAlpha (bealpha.it), a research and reflection project that embraces culture by organizing exhibitions and events with the aim of creating a meeting point and platform for sharing through cultural initiatives across Italy.
CURRENT PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES
Co-founder, Architetto e Exhibition Designer
As co-founder and architect of FORO Studio, Salvatore Ponzo coordinates projects for brands in the fields of industry, fashion, and design, as well as for museums and cultural institutions, conceiving them as active interfaces that foster dialogue between companies, institutions, and the public. His expertise in design and in the management of materials and finishes (CMF – Colors, Materials, and Finishes) guides every project, helping to define the aesthetics, functionality, and identity of both products and spaces.
FORO STUDIO _ forostudio.com
since March 2014
Milano, Lombardia, Italia
Professore di Tecnologia dei Materiali
As an adjunct professor and lecturer of the Technology of Materials course in the Department of Interior and Product Design at NABA, Salvatore Ponzo adopts a teaching approach that places materials at the core of the design process, guiding students to understand their properties, potential, and expressive possibilities. He is also the curator of the institute’s materials library, contributing to the selection and organization of samples, technical sheets, and references, turning them into tools of inspiration and research for new generations of designers.
NABA - Nuova Accademia Belle Arti _ naba.it
since April 2014
Milano, Lombardia, Italia
Art Director e Curatore
For BeAlpha, he oversees the selection of talents and the aesthetic coherence of the projects, contributing to the creation of immersive and inspiring experiences. His work aims to promote creativity as a driving force for cultural growth and social cohesion, making BeAlpha a meeting point and hub of connection within the contemporary cultural landscape.
BE ALPHA _ bealpha.it
since January 2020
Milano, Lombardia, Italia
Publisher e Content Curator
As publisher and content curator of Materie Oscure, he defines the magazine’s editorial line, selects and coordinates texts, images, and projects, and supervises the editing and layout of each issue. He manages collaborations with authors, photographers, and designers, attending to every detail to ensure coherence and quality of content. His role combines creative vision with editorial management, aiming to promote the culture of materials and offer readers an engaging and distinctive experience.
MATERIE OSCURE _ materieoscure.it
since September 2020
Milano, Lombardia, Italia
In the academic field, he teaches in the Department of Interior Design at NABA – Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti in Milan. Previously, he served as a tutor in the courses of Museography and Exhibition Design at the Politecnico di Milano and as a visiting professor at Joshibi University in Tokyo.
TEACHING EXPERIENCES
The research conducted as a lecturer in Interior Architecture Design focuses on the theme of the "receptive space," understood as a place where people can interact with the space, experimenting with and enhancing their habits through engagement with materials, colors, and finishes.
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