This contribution outlines the project ViviCalusca as an experimentation of enhancing social innovation within a vulnerable group in Milan, living in a public housing located in Vicolo Calusca. The aim of the project was to overcome their situation of fragility by engaging them in various activities and applying a set of diverse approaches and techniques, coming from theatre, sociology and design.

As researchers in design for social innovation, we mainly used co-design and service design methods and tools: more precisely we planned a path of light co-design sessions to activate a sustainable micro-economy of exchange and gift among people in the neighbourhood.
This project led us to reflect upon our contribution as designers within a group with such a level of social vulnerability: we understood that the co-design process itself was more important than results, as it worked better as a form of community engagement rather than producing effective ‘design’ results.

Authors: Daniela Selloni, Martina Rossi