Most brands talk about design. Very few understand how deeply it shapes human behavior.

For the first English CFTR Pitstop, I sat down with:

• Eduardo Ramirez: Director, Hyundai Design Center Europe
• Carmelo Zapulla: Architect, Founder & Managing Director of External Reference

Recorded during Milan Design Week at Hyundai's immersive "Unfold Stories" installation inside Torneria Tortona, this conversation explores the future of human-centered design beyond aesthetics.

From automotive to architecture, we spoke about:

• why great design is emotional, not just functional
• how spaces influence behavior, calm and movement
• why the '70s still inspire innovation today
• the relationship between materials, storytelling and identity
• how Hyundai approaches design beyond styling
• why intuition still matters in a data-driven world

A conversation about creativity, innovation, sustainability and the psychology behind truly impactful design.

Milan Design Week 2026 Torneria Tortona "Unfold Stories: From Paper to Steel" by Hyundai (Hyundai)

Special thanks to everyone who made this episode possible:

@hyundai.europe thank you for the invite and trust.

Huge appreciation to @michaelkruegerstudio without your support and connection to the Milan production team, this spontaneous production would not have been possible.

Production Team Milan: • IDI: Paolo Pucci @indigitalimages • @manto_endofdays • @lisa.rummelin

Thank you @internimagazine and especially Yoochan for seeing my potential from the very beginning and trusting me with both the podcast and the hyundai x interni talks.

And lastly, thank you @tani_lpz. Sometimes one person believing in your vision changes the entire direction of your path. "Friendship is one of the few things in life that quietly changes everything."

Join the road @callsfromtheroad for conversations with people shaping their own path, creatively, professionally and personally.

00:00 Intro

00:48 Personality traits in design

02:03 What design really means beyond aesthetics

03:52 Why the '70s still inspire innovation today

05:18 Architecture vs. automotive design

06:42 When materials start carrying emotional meaning

08:11 Steel, storytelling & identity

09:07 Sustainability beyond measurements

10:28 Designing emotions, calm & human behavior

11:37 Are we losing creativity in a data-driven world?

12:56 Human intuition vs. machine perfection

13:54 Small habits that can change your path

14:42 Final thoughts & outro

#hyundai #milandesignweek #design #automotivedesign #architecture #industrialdesign #designthinking #innovation #creativeindustry #cardesign #behavioraldesign #humancentereddesign #futureofdesign #externalreference #cftr #callsfromtheraod