Design and microalgae. A self-produced system to grow Spirulina for food use

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Design strategies for enhancing territorial legacy. The case study of a diffused art exhibition to revitalize specific territories in Piedmont region – Italy.

The contribution aims to shed light on the role of the design discipline in building or implementing development strategies for a territory. The text heads toward a practical case study carried out by a group of systemic design researchers of Politecnico di Torino who worked for a multi-layer action plan for Piedmont region, in northern Italy. For that occurrence design has been called to set up a series of guidelines, and then come out with outputs specifically addressed to improve or activate virtuous territorial policies. The points around which the study has been resolved were cultural and tourism promotion through the project of a diffused art exhibition, then developing participatory services, enhancement of local economies and strengthening the relations among districts. The paper turns this research activity providing the perspectives of an evolutionary process in design sphere with precise directions for new diffuse events

Designing for territorial revitalization. A diffused art exhibition to foster northwest Italian inner areas

Design for territories considers lands not only as a spatial context but also as a design object that has to be approached with definite strategies. The use of design methodologies for territorial purposes could lead to innovative products, services, policies, and structures, with the aim to stimulate new activities and local relations. This contribution sheds light on the role of design discipline in building and implementing methods to support the development of a territory. The paper presents an actual case study carried out by a group of systemic design researchers from Politecnico di Torino, who worked on a multi-layered action plan for the Piedmont Region, in the north of Italy. For this plan, the designers were required to set up a series of guidelines to improve or activate well founded territorial policies. The research was carried out in the areas of culture, local economy, and tourism promotion through the project of a diffused art exhibition entitled Il Rinascimento di Gaudenzio Ferrari. The exhibition also resulted in the development of participatory services, the enhancement of local economies, and the strengthening of the relations between districts. The paper analyses the supportive role of design, with investigations on emerging design, design for territories, and systemic design. It describes the main phases of the project, underlining its outcomes, the positive impacts on local communities, its limits, and possible future developments. It further suggests possible perspectives for an evolutionary process in the design sphere, with distinct guidelines for creating new diffused events

Transdisciplinary knowledge: A systemic approach to design education

Historically, the design discipline has been strictly connected to the productive sector. For this reason, past design education was mainly related to the world of arts and crafts and technology. With such a vertical specialization, designers could not deeply grasp the potential repercussions of their design choices. Their commitment was largely tied in with mass-production and unconstrained technological innovation. Increased awareness of the complexity of the world has emerged in the last decades. Designers nowadays are requested to achieve new transversal skills and competencies, to cope with the incumbent metamorphoses of cultures, societies, economies, and natural environments. Thus, a linear mono- disciplinary outlook is not anymore adequate in design pedagogy. Educators need to embrace a holistic approach and to activate new collaborations, to train experts capable of configuring and managing complex design activities. This paper analyses the rise of systemic thinking and its reverberations on design studies, with an overview of geographical and temporal contributions. It invites to reflect on the role of present-day designers and on the importance of embedding humanistic and economic values in the design knowledge. Furthermore, it illustrates the directions for a systemic transdisciplinary education in Master’s degree programs and Ph.D. courses in Design, aimed at providing the necessary tools to a new and responsible generation of professionals. The awareness of their important and influential roles in society should be inspiring and lead to the creation of innovative entrepreneurial activities

Participative urban air quality monitoring using open source devices

Air pollution negatively affects the life quality of billions of people living in urban areas. Current monitoring systems provide accurate data but this is distributed on large-scale grids. It is therefore difficult for citizens and institutions to be fully aware of the air quality in their area. The article presents an interdisciplinary research group’s experimentation, aimed at creating a compact, economic, and easily reproducible device capable of measuring pollutants and reporting them in real-time on a detailed, free-access map. The openness of the code and the versatility of the product are the keys for its replicability and for tackling air pollution with a participatory approach

The impact of food production on public health: Systemic strategies for a diffused and transversal prevention plan

Linear agro-food production systems have led to a high social impact, translated into a growing spread of chronic diseases and prolonged health costs. This obvious disconnection between food networks and health systems has often led consumers to make unhealthy food choices. The problem, in its complexity, is currently mainly faced by exponents of the Integrative Medicine, without however reaching transversal dissemination. Through the analysis of representative projects aimed at managing and resizing the problem, the purpose of this article is to identify new fields of investigation and action for systemic designers, who deal with the re-planning of food and health experiences of the individuals who wish to protect their health. This happens through the creation of relationships, the mediation of different languages and the sharing of knowledge. Furthermore, the paper traces the foundations for the definition and development of future design solutions in the field of Food for the Healthcare

From “The limits to growth” to systemic design: Envisioning a sustainable future

Globalization has led to the creation of a complex worldwide network. Thus, understanding the impact of our actions on the natural environment is not immediate. Responding to threats with conscientious visions is even more challenging. On this basis, where are we and where will we go? In 1972 a group of researchers from MIT published a report for the Club of Rome, entitled “The Limits to Growth” aimed at gaining insights into the finiteness of our world system. The publication was a warning about the negative repercussions of our business as usual and a call to action on the necessity of a complete paradigm shift. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of present-day designers, in a moment in which we should address global problems with a deep ecological literacy. Socially responsible designers should use their skills and know-how to facilitate the transition towards environmentally, socially and economically viable futures. This can be achieved through the embracement of a systemic strategy, founded on qualitative relations. Transitions should no longer generate uncertainty, because through powerful design tools, we will be able to shape every step of the time ahead, for the sake of present and upcoming generations

Design and microalgae. Sustainable systems for cities

New practices linked to biological sciences are emerging in the world of design and architecture. In recent years various interventions have involved the use of living organisms and biomaterials even in an urban context. This essay analyzes those projects that have entailed the use of microalgae, tracing their limits and possibilities. The guidelines for the implementation of similar projects at the level of products or small installations are also defined. From the perspective of designing for the benefit of citizens and given the countless properties of microalgae, solutions of this kind and innovative integrated services could be a way to mitigate the environmental, but also social and economic problems, of present and future cities

Microalgae as future superfoods: Fostering adoption through practice-based design research

Consumers’ eating habits are gradually changing. In the next few decades, this shift will not be solely dictated by individuals’ decisions but by the need to feed an ever-increasing population in the face of global resources’ impoverishment. Novel superfoods rich in nutrients and produced with sustainable methods, including microalgae, maybe a solution. However, their unusual aspect, the palatability, and the lack of knowledge by most people could be obstacles to adoption. This study aims at encouraging the use of microalgae as food, highlighting the importance that design plays in the transition towards more sustainable production and consumption patterns. Through practice-based design research, characterized by empirical experiments, a survey, an engaging workshop, and the development of a fully-functional open-source product, the authors conceptualize a theoretical framework within which similar product-service systems could thrive. This real-world experimentation is of interest for academics, professionals, makers in the field of design, etc. It suggests that multidisciplinarity, education, and replicability are the keys to addressing this topic and paves the way for further technical and humanistic research

Characterization of Scardovia wiggsiae biofilm by original scanning electron microscopy protocol

Early childhood caries (ECC) is a severe manifestation of carious pathology with rapid and disruptive progression. The ECC microbiota includes a wide variety of bacterial species, among which is an anaerobic newly named species, Scardovia wiggsiae, a previously unidentified Bifidobacterium. Our aim was to provide the first ultrastructural characterization of S. wiggsiae and its biofilm by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) using a protocol that faithfully preserved the biofilm architecture and allowed an investigation at very high magnifications (order of nanometers) and with the appropriate resolution. To accomplish this task, we analyzed Streptococcus mutans’ biofilm by conventional SEM and VP-SEM protocols, in addition, we developed an original procedure, named OsO4-RR-TA-IL, which avoids dehydration, drying and sputter coating. This innovative protocol allowed high-resolution and high-magnification imaging (from 10000× to 35000×) in high-vacuum and high-voltage conditions. After comparing three methods, we chose OsO4-RR-TA-IL to investigate S. wiggsiae. It appeared as a fusiform elongated bacterium, without surface specialization, arranged in clusters and submerged in a rich biofilm matrix, which showed a well-developed micro-canalicular system. Our results provide the basis for the development of innovative strategies to quantify the effects of different treatments, in order to establish the best option to counteract ECC in pediatric patients