Learning objectives
The main objective of the "Food Social Design" laboratory is to prepare students to become designers who are attentive to the challenges of sustainable and inclusive development of territories and societies, developing a critical and aware design approach to the different dimensions of food, including those of a socio-cultural nature. Students will experience the act of designing with awareness, interpretative skills, sensitivity to context, needs, resources and the impacts produced.
The Food Social Design laboratory will provide students with new knowledge and skills useful for developing, enabling, and conducting food-oriented projects by combining the creative dimension with that of economic, environmental and social sustainability. The laboratory will also be an opportunity to practise and apply what has been learnt during the course already completed.
Upon completion of the course, the student is expected to be able to:
Know and understand the meaning of the concept of "Food Social Design" and the principles of the Social Design and Food Design disciplines;
Know and understand the methodological and theoretical principles of Social Design and Food Design and the related sociotechnical dimensions;
Know the different stages of the design cycle, with a focus on the theoretical and methodological principles of inclusive and participatory design, and multi-stakeholder processes;
Know and practice the various design tools with emphasis on tools for: scenario analysis, case study research, concept generation, experimentation and prototyping, and project reporting;
Mature awareness of contemporary social challenges addressed to food issues, social impact and the related responsibility for designers;
Recognize the different work contexts (e.g., private, third sector, public administration, consulting agencies, universities and research institutions) and the specific roles, tools and language to be adopted for each;
Know how to explore and understand theoretical issues specific to the relevant literature, with critical and cross-content linking skills;
Recognizing and taking into account, in the selection and implementation of appropriate technology, the cultural, social and environmental peculiarities of the analyzed context;
Promote the use of technologies from a replicability, appropriateness and accessibility perspective;
Know how to apply acquired knowledge in interpreting context and demands;
Know how to apply specific and necessary design approaches (postures and tools) in relation to: the social challenges, the actors and the contexts of intervention.
Course unit content
Public Interest Design is a human-centered participatory design practice. It's based on the principles of Design for Ecological, Economic and Social Sustainability. It concerns the design of products, environments and systems that address issues such as economic development and environmental conservation. Public Interest Design projects focus on the common good of citizens, communities and territories by adopting a collaborative perspective.
Theory (20h)
During the theoretical module, students will be mentored to acquire knowledge related to "Public Interest" design through theoretical lectures and in-depth case study research. Specifically, the following topics will be addressed:
- The Social Design discipline, its principles and its design domains;
- The Design Domains of Design;
- The Wicked Problems and global food-related challenges between sustainability and accessibility;
-The Intersection between Food Design and Social Design;
- The Circular Economy For Food issues;
- The phenomena of Food Poverty and Food Insecurity;
-The Co-design and participatory processes;
- The Problem framing, the sense-making and the reflective approaches to design;
- The principles and methods of concept generation and prototyping activities.
Project work (40h)
In the second part of the teaching, students, will participate in three project exercises (Project Work). The Project Work are aimed to exercise, in the practical dimension, the ability to apply the knowledge acquired during the theoretical modules of the three courses delivered.
In detail, the project works will be carried out through a series of project phases including: the translation of the brief into a project application; the construction of the design scenario; the definition of the concept and guidelines for the project; the design development with attention to the needs of the different actors involved, and the return of the project to the partners.
- Project work 1, in groups, shared with the teaching of Technological Design Culture, deliverable through case study research activities.
- Project work 2, in groups, shared with the teaching of Applied Anthropology for Design, deliverable through qualitative research practice.
- Project work 3, in groups, deliverable through a project exercise in collaboration with a local partners.
Bibliography
-Associazione per il Disegno Industriale. (2015). ‘Adi Food Design Manifesto', Commissione Tematica ADI Food Design, 8–9.
-Bassi, A. (2015). Food Design in Italia. Progetto e comunicazione del prodotto alimentare Electa Architettura, Milano.
- Bordewijk, M., & Schifferstein, H. N. J. (2019). ‘The specifics of food design: Insights from professional design practice’. In: International Journal of Food Design, 4(2), 101–138.
- Bottiglieri, M., Pettenati, G., & Toldo, A. (2017). Turin Food Policy Buone pratiche e prospettive, FrancoAngeli, Milano.
- Buchanan, R. (1992). ‘Wicked Problems in Design Thinking’. In: Design Issues, 8 (2) pp. 5-21.
- Campagnaro, C., Ceraolo, S. (2022). Ai margini. Un'antologia di social design, PRIMP, Torino.
- Campagnaro, C., Curtabbi, G., & Passaro, R. (2023). ‘Alimenta: a design-led systemic action against homelessness-related food poverty’. In: IJFD. (in pubblicazione)
- Celaschi, F., Deserti, A., (2007). Design e Innovazione. Strumenti e pratiche per la ricerca applicata, Carocci, Roma.
- Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2019). Cities and circular economy for food.
- Fassio, F., & Tecco, N. (2019). Circular Economy for Food. Materia, energia e conoscenza in circolo, Edizioni Ambiente, Milano.
- Frankel, L., & Racine, M. (2010). ‘The Complex Field of Research: for Design, through Design, and about Design’. In: Durling, D., Bousbaci, R., Chen, L, Gauthier, P., Poldma, T., Roworth-Stokes, S. and Stolterman, E (eds.), Design and Complexity - DRS International Conference 2010, 7-9 July, Montreal, Canada.
- Jones, P.H. & G.K. Van Patter (2009). ‘Design 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0: The rise of visual sensemaking’, NextDesign Leadership Institute.
- Manzini, E. (2008). Collaborative organisations and enabling solutions. Social innovation and design for sustainability, Edizioni Polidesign, Milano.
- Papanek, V. (1971). Design for the Real World: Human Ecology and Social Change, Pantheon Books, New York.
- Passaro, R., Campagnaro, C., & Curtabbi, G. (2021). Design against Food Poverty. In: Revista Latinoamericana de Food Design, 1(2), 427–451.
- Stummerer, S., & Hablesreiter, M. (2010). Food Design XL, Springer Verlag, Vienna.
- Tromp, N., & Vial, S. (2022). ‘Five components of social design: A unified framework to support research and practice’. In: Design Journal, 0(0), 1–19.
- Tonkinwise, C. (2015). ‘Is Social Design a Thing?’
- Wrigley, C., & Ramsey, R. (2016). ‘Emotional food design: From designing food products to designing food systems’. In: International Journal of Food Design, 1(1), 11–28.
- Zampollo, F. (2016). ‘Welcome to food design’. In: International Journal of Food Design, 1(1), 3–10.
Summaries of the topics covered, copies of slides and other materials used during the lectures (in hard copy and digital formats), as well as documents useful for the overall organization of teaching activities, will be available on the teaching portal or made available to the student participating in the course.
Teaching methods
In the first part of the course (20h, 2 CFU), students will be encouraged to develop knowledge about design and for design through theoretical lessons and in-depth analyses from the case studies research.
In the second part of the course (40 hours, 4 CFU), the students will participate in a project exercise that intends to stimulate, in practice, their skills to apply the acquired knowledge.
Assessment methods and criteria
An oral discussion lasting 30 minutes. It will take place in presence, in the classroom. During the discussion, students will present the design exercises carried out during the year, through the use of the different design representation materials agreed during the year according to the design theme. The oral presentation will be conducted in groups, but the single students will be asked to explain the design choices made and the results achieved in terms of content, function and form.
The oral presentation involves:
- The discussion of descriptive and critical topics of the project. Necessary for passing the exam is a correct use of terminology and a clear and concise exposition that illustrates the logical connections between the different aspects considered for the project. The grade is expressed in thirtieths and is worth 60% of the final module grade for each individual component.
- Two questions for each group component aimed at verifying the theoretical-methodological content proposed during the lectures. Assessment is in thirtieths and worth 40% of the final module grade for each individual component.
