ICON

Politecnico di Milano
ICON stems from a reflection on the growing power of commercial symbols in shaping language and the perception of reality. The project belongs to the fields of communication design and speculative design and addresses the progressive replacement of words with commercial brands, a phenomenon driven by the simplification of communication and the popularisation of brands. Through a future scenario, the project explores the cultural, social and political implications of the privatisation of language, encouraging critical reflection on the role of symbolic systems in contemporary society.  
Bioeconomy
0
Ecodesign
Low-impact Textiles
0
Artificial Intelligence
Digital Product Passport
0
Traceability
Circular Business Models
Life-Cycle Thinking
ICON is a speculative design project developed at Politecnico di Milano that imagines a future in which brand logos replace words, critically reflecting on the expansion of brands within the collective imagination. Through a visual identity, a grammatical system, an interactive Starter Kit, a physical deck and a digital application, the project allows users to learn and experiment with this new form of communication. Although it originated within the field of speculative design and was not conceived as a project specifically focused on circularity, ICON incorporates ecodesign principles through a modular and durable system. The ICON Starter Kit consists of a reusable deck and interchangeable tiles, allowing the vocabulary to be updated without replacing the entire device. This choice extends the product’s life cycle, reduces the need for new components and facilitates maintenance and the replacement of individual parts. Unlike projects that focus exclusively on analysing branding or communication, ICON creates a complete ecosystem composed of an identity, linguistic rules, physical artefacts and digital tools that allow users to experience the imagined scenario firsthand. The project translates theoretical research into a concrete and participatory experience, encouraging critical reflection on the relationship between brands, language and symbolic power.  
A further distinctive element is the integration of ecodesign principles into a speculative design project. Although circularity is not its central theme, ICON demonstrates how critical and experimental scenarios can also be developed according to principles of modularity, durability and updatability, promoting a more responsible design approach to the entire product life cycle. The design choice is not supported by measurement. The ICON project resulted in the development of a complete speculative scenario, supported by theoretical research, a visual identity, a linguistic system, an interactive physical prototype and a functioning digital application. Its impact is cultural, educational and design-oriented: it stimulates debate on the role of brands in shaping language and increases awareness of the social and political implications of symbolic power in contemporary communication, demonstrating how speculative design can also integrate principles of ecodesign and durability.  

TEAM 
Zaira Aiello, Gaia Cherubini, Martina Dolci, Silvia Panzeri, Martina Piccolo