Gianluca Pugliese - GIPPI
I’m Gianluca Pugliese, also known as GIPPI, an Italian designer, digital craftsman, educator, and entrepreneur based in Madrid.
Bio and trayectory
My professional journey began in the aerospace industry, where I spent nearly a decade developing a strong technical background that I later brought into the worlds of design and digital manufacturing. Since then, I have dedicated my career to exploring how emerging technologies can transform creative processes and unlock new possibilities for contemporary craftsmanship and production.
In 2018, I founded LOWPOLY, a design and digital fabrication studio specializing in large-scale 3D printing, robotic manufacturing, and sustainable material development. Through the studio, I collaborate with international brands, architects, designers, and cultural institutions to create projects that combine technological innovation, material experimentation, and creativity.
A significant part of my practice focuses on researching alternative materials, particularly those developed from industrial by-products and food waste. Through experimentation, I aim to transform discarded resources into new opportunities for design and manufacturing.
Alongside my professional practice, I am an Adjunct Professor at IE University, where I teach courses related to technological innovation, materials, design, and digital fabrication. Among them, I created Digital Handcraft, a course that encourages students to investigate traditional craftsmanship and reinterpret it through contemporary tools and technologies. This approach reflects my vision of education: connecting artisanal knowledge with technological innovation and inspiring new ways of thinking, designing, and making.
Throughout my career, I have collaborated with international brands and institutions, contributing to projects and exhibitions in contexts such as the Venice Biennale, Milan Design Week, and Madrid Design Festival.
In 2022, I was appointed Italian Design Ambassador in Spain, and in 2024, I was awarded the title of Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (Cavaliere dell’Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana).
My philosophy is built around a simple idea: technology should not replace craftsmanship, but expand its possibilities. I am interested in exploring the space where traditional knowledge meets the tools of the future, creating new ways of designing, making, and interacting with materials.
