3D Printing technologies are becoming pervasive and used both in industry and in informal contexts like domestic self-production and craftsmanship 2.0. A large part of the current studies concerning 3D Printing aims at increasing the performance of processes, materials and devices; however, only few studies approach sustainable issues (i.e. printable eco-materials, distributed networks, etc.). 3D Printing instead could play a crucial role in the transition processes toward the so-called Sustainable Society, if linked with current Design for Sustainability approaches. The paper analyses current literature regarding 3D Printing and Design for Sustainability in order to identify new open research topics and re-think their impact and design roles for future sustainable applications. Specifically, the paper produces evidences linking 3D Printing technologies and Sustainability from the design point of view; it outlines a number of promising open cross-sectorial research topics that aims to anticipate the impacts and the evolution of future Sustainable 3D Printing technologies and new generation of democratic products and services for All

Authors: Emilio Rossi, Massimo Di Nicolantonio, Paola Barcarolo, Jessica Lagatta, Alessio D’Onofrio

Explicit knowledge and tacit knowledge compose the Human Knowledge. While explicit knowledge refers to information sharable through communicative media (i.e. speech), tacit knowledge – also known as ‘know-how’ – is harder to be shared due to it is linked to experience mediated personal learning processes (i.e. learning by doing); moreover, know-how is useful to deal daily practical situations. This condition produces a dichotomy: people have know-how but they are unable to share what is mediated by their experience. Many studies evidence that know-how is a sustainable value that should be shared. While emerging opportunities arose from the last economic crisis have pointed out a large number of new chances for the use of know-how, there is a lack between the human sharing’s will and the need of solutions to convert, share and learn know-how. This study proposes a design-oriented process for converting know-how, which can be applied to emerging and developing contexts, as well as to all issues concerning social innovation, inclusion and knowledge development.

Authors: Emilio Rossi

Heritage is defined as the set of all material, immaterial, natural and cultural assets, whose immense value is universal and belongs to all people, as a property of present and future world generations. It is therefore an asset to be preserved for future generations. However current design approaches used to implement existing Heritage’s promotion strategies mainly use visual-centric design approaches, as a result of the anthropologic humans’ legacy to live. Thus, people with sensorial-perceptive disabilities (i.e. blinds) are excluded from all design interventions and they rarely can enjoy of the Heritage. This paper presents the results of design researches focused on the role of Design for the inclusive and sustainable enhancement of Cultural and Natural Heritage, with an emphasis on the sensorial-perceptive fruition of sites. It combines Communication Design, Inclusive Design, Digital Modeling and Rapid Prototyping to develop a design framework useful to create sustainable and inclusive communicative solutions for the auditory-visual-haptic enhancement of Heritage.

Authors: Paola Barcarolo, Emilio Rossi