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Students from the School of Architecture at Feng Chia University recently embarked on an immersive international learning experience in Italy, exploring the intersection of branding, spatial design, and user experience through a collaborative summer program with POLI.design of the Politecnico di Milano.
From June 29 to July 17, 14 students from the Architecture and Interior Design programs were divided into seven interdisciplinary teams to participate in the three-week summer school course, “Branded Space: Designing Value Between Identity and Experience.” The program combined brand strategy and spatial design, providing students with an intensive overseas learning opportunity focused on contemporary design practice.
The program was led by Assistant Professor Wei-Hsiang Tseng from the School of Architecture, while Professor Giulia Gerosa and Professor Alice Zingales of POLI.design served as the principal instructors. The curriculum was structured into three stages.
The first stage featured a series of master lectures delivered by experts from the Politecnico di Milano, covering the latest developments in brand culture, identity formation, consumer experience, and sustainable design.
Students were then taken on field visits throughout Milan, including premium retail stores, furniture manufacturers, and lighting technology companies. These firsthand observations provided valuable insights into the operations of the European design industry while allowing students to experience the unique character of Milan as the global capital of design.
Students from Feng Chia University visited premium brand flagship stores as well as furniture and lighting technology companies throughout Milan, gaining first-hand insight into the European design industry.
The core challenge of the program required students to apply their newly acquired knowledge to develop a pop-up store proposal for a Taiwanese brand located in Milano Centrale Railway Station.
This assignment demanded more than architectural and interior design expertise. Students were expected to develop a comprehensive understanding of brand identity and customer experience while incorporating sensory design elements and sustainable materials. Through innovative spatial design strategies, they sought to bring Taiwanese brand culture onto the international stage.
The project reflected a major contemporary shift in spatial design, moving beyond traditional design approaches toward user-centered experiences, service design integration, and sustainability-driven brand strategies.
Students conducted an on-site study of potential pop-up retail spaces at Milano Centrale Railway Station, exploring how brand identity can be translated into innovative spatial experiences.
Under the guidance of an international teaching team, students engaged fully in the learning process, exchanging ideas and developing innovative design concepts through collaborative discussion and project work.
Vice President Shu-Ting Lai of Feng Chia University and Professor Lorena Alessio from the School of Architecture also participated in the final review sessions, offering professional feedback and guidance on the students’ design proposals.
According to Assistant Professor Wei-Hsiang Tseng, the greatest challenge of the summer program involved overcoming cultural differences and effectively translating the unique value of Taiwanese brands into design concepts suitable for an international audience. Students were also tasked with adapting these concepts to the spatial constraints of a pop-up store within Milan’s busiest transportation hub.
He noted that the students exceeded expectations, demonstrating exceptional adaptability, creativity, and problem-solving abilities.
One participating student reflected that the experience not only broadened their international perspective but also taught them how to transform theoretical knowledge into practical solutions within a cross-cultural context.
POLI.design, a key institution within the Design System of the Politecnico di Milano, is located in Milan and serves as one of the world's leading hubs for design education, industry collaboration, and innovation research.
This marks the second collaboration between the School of Architecture at Feng Chia University and POLI.design. The partnership follows the inaugural POLI.design × Feng Chia University Workshop held at Virtuosi Hall on the Feng Chia campus in November 2025.
In recent years, the School of Architecture has actively promoted overseas learning opportunities and English-Medium Instruction (EMI) courses. The Milan summer program represents the latest expansion of the school’s international collaboration in the field of branded space design.
Through continued partnerships with leading global institutions, Feng Chia University remains committed to providing students with transformative international learning experiences that integrate design, innovation, culture, and global perspectives.
Vice President Shu-Ting Lai of Feng Chia University and Professor Lorena Alessio participated in the closing ceremony and posed for a group photo with students who completed the three-week summer school program.
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