Abstract: A method for designing a rotor structure of a synchronous reluctance electric machine, wherein the rotor structure has an annular arrangement about a central opening designed to be engaged by a rotation shaft, and provided with a plurality of magnetic portions, a plurality of electromagnetic flux barriers interposed between the magnetic portions, and radial connecting elements, for the mechanical connection between radially adjacent magnetic portions, the electromagnetic flux barriers defining at least one maximum magnetic reluctance path along a maximum reluctance axis and a minimum reluctance path along a minimum reluctance axis. The method envisages defining the arrangement the electromagnetic flux barriers and/or the radial connecting elements so as to jointly optimise electromagnetic performance of the synchronous reluctance electric machine and mechanical resistance properties, in particular the resistance to centrifugal forces due to rotation about the rotation shaft.