A sculptural exploration of identity, heritage, and the future of electric mobility through the creative lens of artist Mattia Biagi and the design universe of Flying Flea. What happens when a motorcycle becomes a material memoir - and an electric brand becomes a cultural platform? Artist Mattia Biagi and Flying Flea’s Head of Brand Peter Beadle join MINDED to reveal how craft, symbolism, heritage, and innovation shaped MotoTotem, the first artist-led reinterpretation of the Flying Flea C6 unveiled during Paris Design Week. In this episode, Yuri Xavier speaks with Mattia Biagi, the Los Angeles–based artist known for his expressive material language, and with Flying Flea to explore how the C6 became a sculptural object that bridges past, present, and electric futures. Together they discuss the role of craft in mobility culture, the symbolism of the Flying Flea frame, and the cultural significance of the Artbike movement. Biagi reflects on how the collaboration became a memoir of his personal journey, incorporating Murano glass, Italian travertine, and leather embossed with the swallow motif. Peter expands the conversation into the brand’s broader creative vision: global activations, design-education partnerships, and an approach to mobility rooted in authenticity, heritage, and cultural storytelling. This conversation moves through craftsmanship, material identity, artistic collaboration, mobility design, and the evolution of future-facing brands - offering a rare view into how art and electric engineering collide to create something timeless. WHAT THIS EPISODE EXPLORES • How Mattia Biagi approached designing MotoTotem as a sculptural reinterpretation of the C6 • Why Flying Flea chose an artist to open its creative universe • The heritage story behind the original Flying Flea and its WWII origins • Material storytelling through stone, leather, glass, and electric identity • Why Paris remains a global hub for mobility, culture, and design • The role of authenticity in long-term creative work • How education and design schools shape next-generation creativity • The future of artist collaborations in mobility and product design • How storytelling elevates a brand beyond its product • The balance between restraint and expression in material craft YOU WILL ALSO LEARN • How a motorcycle can function as sculpture, narrative, and cultural object • Why young designers must master communication, not just creation • What it takes to integrate artisans, heritage materials, and industrial design • Why teamwork and cross-disciplinary thinking strengthen creative outcomes • How global brands build cultural ecosystems around product lines • How authentic design identity differs from trend-driven aesthetics • What books and films shape the creative perspectives of Biagi and Flying Flea • Who they recommend as a future guest for MINDED TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Introduction Opening from Paris Design Week as Yuri introduces Flying Flea and Mattia Biagi. 01:12 – Why Flying Flea Chose Mattia Biagi The origin of the collaboration and why Biagi’s material identity aligned with the C6. 03:02 – First Sketches and the Design Process How Biagi imagined the C6 as sculpture before touching the physical bike. 05:44 – Balancing Restraint and Expression How to enhance a motorcycle’s design without overpowering it. 08:41 – Material Storytelling Travertine, leather, resin, and Murano glass as symbolic elements. 11:10 – Artisan Collaborations The Murano headlight and the challenge of integrating heritage craft. 14:20 – The Flying Flea Legacy How WWII history shaped the brand’s name and design identity. 17:03 – Why Paris Matters The city’s role in mobility, culture, and contemporary design. 19:12 – Engaging the Next Generation How design education shapes future creatives and why it matters. 21:30 – Authenticity and Creative Identity Avoiding trend cycles and building timeless creative work. 24:05 – Communication as an Artistic Skill Why young designers must learn to express their ideas, not just make them. 26:14 – Lessons from the Collaboration Teamwork, flexibility, and the evolution of the project. 28:20 – What the Future Holds Upcoming ideas, activations, and creative expansions. 30:02 – Cultural Recommendations Film, book, and guest recommendations from Biagi and Flying Flea. 33:40 – Closing Reflections Final thoughts and Yuri’s wrap-up. “The bike is a memoir of my life.  Every material tells a piece of my story while honoring the heritage of the C6.”  -  Mattia Biagi

Celebrate a night of creativity, innovation, and excellence as we honor the visionaries shaping the worlds of architecture, design, art, and culture. With nominees from over 23 countries, this global event features categories spanning Best Residential Projects, Interior Design, Product Design, Curation, Photography, Landscape, Photography and Digital Art. This year, we are proud to honor Christian de Portzamparc with the Andrée Putman Lifetime Achievement Award and Xu Tiantian with the prestigious Le Prix Charlotte Perriand. Don't miss the excitement as the winners are revealed in real time. Tune in for an unforgettable evening of inspiration, creativity, and global talent. Stay connected and celebrate with us!

Why do some objects feel alive? In this episode of MINDED, designer Mathieu Lehanneur reveals the emotional, scientific, and instinctive forces that shape his work. Known for blending art, technology, psychology, and poetry, Mathieu explains why he sees objects as “stem cells” carriers of energy, memory, and human connection. We explore: • The emotional energy hidden inside objects • Why touch is the first test of good design • His process of adding, then subtracting • Childhood experiences that shaped his creative sensitivity • Designing the 2024 Olympic Cauldron • Survivalism and design in an uncertain world • Why legacy doesn’t matter but opening tiny doors does This is a conversation about the invisible life of objects, the meaning of creativity, and how design shapes the way we feel, think, and interact with the world. Chapters: 00:30 — Becoming a designer 04:00 — The art of subtraction 07:00 — Objects as stem cells 11:00 — Why touch matters15:00 — Objects revealing themselves22:00 — Opening tiny doors 26:00 — Survivalist design 35:00 — Book + film recommendations If you loved this episode, check out: • Antoine Picon — Architecture & AI • Michèle Lamy — Art, Chaos & Creation • Yinka Ilori — Joy, Color & Memory Subscribe for weekly conversations with the world’s leading creative thinkers. #MathieuLehanneur #DesignPhilosophy #EmotionalDesign #MindedPodcast #CreativeProcess #IndustrialDesign #DesignThinking #ContemporaryDesign

Antoine Picon is Professor of the History of Architecture and Technology at Harvard Graduate School of Design and one of the field's most rigorous thinkers on the relationship between technology, urbanism, and human experience. In this conversation, he reframes the questions everyone asks about AI and architecture. Rather than debating whether machines will replace designers, Picon asks what AI reveals about what it means to be human. What separates embodied intelligence from computational thinking? Is creativity actually the defining human quality, or is it something else entirely? He discusses architectural intention, the difference between buildings and buildings marked by human purpose, and why the real challenge of smart cities isn't technical capability but clarity about what we actually want. This conversation examines whether machines can understand what makes a place livable, and why answering that question requires understanding ourselves first. Top Insights - AI will shift architecture from creating forms to curating options. - Smart cities introduce both efficiency and new urban fragilities. - Digital perception reshapes how we experience materiality and scale. - Ornament remains essential: it connects sensory experience with meaning. - The biggest challenge ahead is reconciling digital innovation with planetary limits. - Education is entering a 'cyborg phase' where human-machine authorship merges. - Cities must redefine their relationship between the artificial and the natural. Timestamp: 00:00 Introduction 00:58 How AI is changing architecture 03:00 AI-assisted design and machine suggestions 05:12 Intelligence vs intention 07:30 Human judgment in an AI-driven workflow 09:40 Smart cities and digital infrastructure 11:20 Urban fragility and system risks 14:40 The morality of data-driven cities 18:20 Education in the cyborg era 18:55 The return of ornament 20:15 From symbolism to texture 22:40 Digital materiality and perception 24:10 Technology, nature, and the Anthropocene 27:25 Lessons from the Enlightenment 30:05 Digital architecture and disrupted traditions 33:20 Why Florence cannot be replicated 35:10 Architecture, memory, and meaning 39:20 Intellectual influences on Picon 40:47 Book recommendations 43:00 Future guest recommendation 44:20 Closing reflections