'20 Years of the Milan Declaration' Samsung: "In the AI Era, the Core of Design is Essence, Innovation, and Harmony"

Milano Design Week 2024
Notae-moon "Design Evolves Further Amid AI Transformation Era"

"Milan Design Week is a gathering place for design and lifestyle leaders from around the world, providing a great opportunity to showcase Samsung's design philosophy and its direction for 2030."

Taemoon Noh, President of Samsung Electronics' Mobile eXperience (MX) Business and Head of the Design Management Center (pictured), revealed Samsung Electronics' newly established design philosophy for the AI era. This is Samsung Electronics' DI (Design Identity) 5.0, which outlines the design goals to be pursued until 2030. Milan holds special significance as the place where the late Chairman Lee Kun-hee gathered key executives in 2005 and declared the need for a "second design revolution" through his 'Design Declaration.'

On the 15th (local time), Samsung Electronics held an exhibition titled "Newfound Equilibrium" at the Leonardo da Vinci National Museum of Science and Technology in Milan, Italy, expressing Samsung's design direction through immersive media art.

Samsung Electronics' President and Head of the Design Management Center, Noh Tae-moon, is introducing the design philosophy at the design exhibition hall previewed in Milan.
[Photo by Han Ye-ju]

President Noh emphasized, "Samsung established the design philosophy of 'design that starts from the user and embraces tomorrow' in 1996. Although it is a brief phrase, we believe it well expresses that all Samsung products and experiences begin with the customer."

At this exhibition, Samsung Electronics organized the display around three design directions: Essential, Innovative, and Harmonious, using emotional objects and videos. The ambition is to realize "design that pursues the essence," focusing on the product's inherent function and use; "innovative design," which can bring meaningful changes to customers' lives; and "harmonious design," which embraces harmony in products, services, and even society.

President Noh explained, "I believe that understanding and empathy for users, combined with technological innovation, create meaningful innovative experiences and open new possibilities. Based on this design philosophy, we have newly established three design directions that reflect the changing times: pursuing the essence, being innovative, and achieving harmony."

Samsung Electronics' 'Future of Coexistence' exhibition at Le Cavallerizze, located on the grounds of the Leonardo da Vinci National Museum of Science and Technology in Milan.
[Photo by Han Yeju]

The exhibition was designed to engage visitors through five spaces utilizing displays, sensors, and light. Visitors could sequentially experience the halls of 'Essential,' implying fundamental values; 'Innovative,' embodying interaction with the approaching future; 'Harmonious,' evoking the fusion of virtual and real worlds; 'Infinite Possibilities,' presenting the future Samsung envisions; and 'Another Future,' showcasing Samsung products reborn as works of art.

Yukyung Hong, Vice President and Head of the UX Team at Samsung Electronics' Design Management Center, explained, "The value of 'Essential,' focusing on the product’s core function and use without excess, is embodied in the Galaxy S24 and Samsung TVs. Also, through 'Innovative,' we expanded services with features like the Galaxy S24’s AI translation and the robot vacuum cleaner’s 3D AI-based spatial recognition."

The Milan Design Lab, which will concretize Samsung’s new design identity, is also attracting attention. Established in 2005, this lab focuses intensively on material research and conducts activities to realize research outcomes through technology. Among these, material design, summarized as CMF (Color, Material, Finishing), is implemented with optimized colors, materials, and details. In fact, Samsung Electronics collaborated with Italian premium material brands MUTINA and ALPI artisans to apply ceramic and wood to bespoke refrigerator and AirDresser panels, respectively.

President Noh stated, "Through design, we will enable countless customers worldwide to enjoy more meaningful and valuable experiences with Samsung products. We will continue to communicate with customers in various ways going forward."

Meanwhile, Milan, where Samsung Electronics presented its new design philosophy, is the place where Chairman Lee Kun-hee made his 'Design Declaration' in 2005. At that time, Chairman Lee visited Milan Design Week and candidly stated, "Anycall is world-class, but Samsung’s (average) design competitiveness is second-rate," acknowledging Samsung’s design capabilities were still lacking. The next day, he convened a design strategy meeting with key affiliate presidents in Milan and declared, "Design is Samsung’s next-generation core strategy." It is known that he instructed, "We must elevate the design capabilities of all affiliates to the level of world-class luxury brands."