Regeneration through Design. Comparing old and new phases of urban renewal strategies

In the last years, a new phase of economic crisis, which is concerning sectors of manufacturing industries, is affecting Europe. Focusing on Italy, sectors which have strongly characterized our country, such as textile and accessories, are facing with an fluctuating period of crisis. Also in this case, as it happened from late ‘80s, the urban structures and identities are seriously affected and need interventions of regeneration in order to gain new life both from social, productive and commercial point of views. Having in mind the Italian case, while the first phase identified had the characteristics of a disruptive macro-phenomenon, the second phase is more subtle and gradual. In this paper we are going to focus on changes of design culture in light of these urban phenomena. While we can already make a first evaluation of regeneration projects developed after the crisis of heavy industry sectors, the most recent events of industrial recession and the consequent regeneration of the correspondent empty areas are still ongoing. In order to analyze and, where it is possible, compare these two phases, we are going to look at two Italian case studies. The first is Bicocca, an area of Milan, which in the ‘90s was interested by a massive plan of regeneration and transformation after the closure of Breda and Pirelli industries. The second is Biella, a Piedmont Province city, which has been one of the most important centers for the textile and wool industry; the crisis of this sector strongly emerged in the first years on 2000 even if it had already begun between ‘80s and ‘90s when the biggest textile factories closed down. The differences between these two examples are not merely physical and dimensional but are clearly influenced by a different timing in the regeneration processes, which occurred in these areas (or, in the case of Biella, is still occurring). The analysis proposed in this paper will be focus on the action-research developed within two didactic experiences. Notwithstanding the distinctions in terms of objectives and actors involved, in this paper we are going to delineate a systemic approach to study and design for the regeneration, improvement and innovation of places. We will try to understand if, through strategic design, it is possible to identify those soft levers and interventions able to rejoin the pieces of places, which lost their functionality and identity.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/IFDP.2016.3284

System development for its disclosure of Portuguese digital type design

This study aims to cover the current development of a platform for the disclosure of the Portuguese type design community, since the beginning of the desktop revolution, until today. To deepen our understanding, interviews were made to a selected and representative group of type designers from our sample based on several criteria. The interview tested six dimensions: people, processes, products, uses, identity and platform. The results analyzed in the last dimension, through content analysis and quantitative data, lead to the development of an online digital collaborative system – one of our specific objectives. Our hypothesis – that the development of a online digital collaborative system would allow further development of knowledge between products, users and authors, as well as, processes and uses – was also corroborated by the interviewers. Reviews have been made to reference international online projects to identify their purposes, areas of activity, objectives, mechanisms of interaction, usability and accessibility. This previous research brought together a set of notes that would become essential in the definition and development of our concept. The classification of typefaces is a subject of study by researchers and designers, but it is certainly not a topic for complete agreement. Organizing and balancing the content for the database was our first challenge since we were expecting users with good knowledge on the field, but also beginners. Several diagrams were put into test during the early stage of information architecture to better define categories, filters, and sorting methods, as well as users role in the system. The items and categories chosen were redefined in a second stage, and in the third stage hi-fidelity wireframes were produced, to concentrate on design aspects and decisions, and put the system into test and evaluation. The current results on the platform development, with the improvements made through several user tests, evaluations and refinements undertaken in all phases of the project have been crucial. We are expecting to run some pilot tests, as well as usability tests prior to the full implementation to further improve the system and meet the expectations.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/IFDP.2016.3351

Design and Digital Manufacturing: an ergonomic approach for Industry 4.0

The contribution proposes innovative methods for design and ergonomic configuration of tools, equipment and manual workplaces for automobile assembly tasks, in order to increase the worker’s welfare and the system’s performance by improving general safety conditions. Developed activities are part of the research project “DEWO – Design Environment for WorkPlace Optimization”, financed by Italian Government to the Second University of Naples. The aim of this project is to identify new methods for optimization of assembly tasks in a virtual environment in terms of overall integration among materials management, working tasks organization and layout, starting from the principles of "WorkPlace Organization" and the modern theories of "Lean Production ". The manufacturing industry is heading to the ever more pushed use of digital technologies in order to achieve very dynamic production environments and to be able to develop continuous process and product innovations to fit into the so called Fourth Industrial Revolution, Industry 4.0. The main goal of Industry 4.0 is to “rethink” companies through the use of digital, to reconsider the design approach and to monitor the production process in real time. The research addresses the evolution of innovation 4.0 in relation to the discipline of design, where the management of knowledge in the production process has led to the strengthening and improvement of tangible goods. Starting by current ergonomic analysis models and innovative approaches to the process of industrial production line, the manufacturing processes in the virtual environment were defined and optimized with the use of innovative 3D enjoyment technologies. The constant interaction among the different disciplines of design, engineering and occupational medicine, enables the creation of advanced systems for simulating production processes based on virtual reality and augmented reality, mainly focused on the needs and requirements of the workers on a production line where it is possible to bring out the interaction between real and virtual factory (Cyber-Physical System). The objective is to define new models of analysis, of development and testing for the configuration of ergonomic processes that improve and facilitate the human-machine interaction in a holistic view, in order to protect and enhance human capital, transferring the experiences and knowledge in the factory system, key factors for the company and for the sustainability of workers welfare levels.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/IFDP.2016.3297

Projetar a Forma: uma proposta de ferramenta metodológica para o direcionamento da sintaxe visual no design de moda

O enfoque deste artigo, recorte de pesquisa de doutoramento desenvolvida em parceria entre (identificação das instituiçoes omitida para revisão), aborda o âmbito do ensino de projeto em graduações de design de moda. Com ênfase na investigação de metodologias para gerir o processo projetual, propõe estratégias facilitadoras da sintaxe visual para a configuraçao de artefatos de vestuário de moda. Para isso, parte de uma pesquisa exploratória, de base bibliográfica e documental, em que se analisa o sistema de interações construído entre vestimenta e usuário, para demonstrar que as relações estabelecidas no sistema corpo-artefato-ambiente se distribuem em fatores de adaptação física, expressão individual e representação social. Deste modo, situa o vestuário de moda como um espaço de vivências sensoriais que produz significações e enfatiza a dimensão estético-simbólica como quesito essencial no planejamento da experiência de uso deste tipo de produto. Tal perspectiva corrobora a relevancia de ferramentas metodológicas que propiciem a síntese de códigos expressivos para guiar a composição formal, com vistas à articulação entre as dimensões material e informacional do artefato projetado, uma vez que a informação (conteúdo) é transmitida pela sintaxe dos elementos da configuração (forma). Sobre esta plataforma, o artigo relata as bases teóricas, a proposição e a aplicação de uma ferramenta destinada à geração de conceitos formais na prática projetual do design de moda. A explanação integra fundamentos acerca da gestão sistêmica do projeto, do pensamento visual e das técnicas de síntese imagética, para examinar apreciações em campo e discutir a efetividade da referida ferramenta. Os resultados reforçam a hipótese de que a combinação de métodos que exploram o pensamento visual pode facilitar a visão sistêmica do processo projetual, auxiliando os estudantes na percepção das diversas variáveis que influenciam a composição formal de um produto e, por conseguinte, na síntese de relações sintático-semânticas para impulsionar a geração formal. Ainda que os resultados se refiram às aplicações práticas no universo acadêmico do design de moda, as mesmas estratégias poderiam ser estendidas a outras experimentações, visto que as ferramentas de síntese visual favorecem a percepção de conexões simultâneas e, como meio de organização cognitiva, facilitam a expressão de abstrações e a síntese de conceitos.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/IFDP.2016.3269

City branding: strategic planning and communication image in the management of contemporary cities.

Over the past decade, one can observe a steady growth in the use of terms such as Place Branding, Nation Branding, Destination Branding and City Branding. Both in academic research and in the practical applications in large cities management and urban spaces, this new paradigm takes shape and, along with it, the need for definitions and concepts, methods and methodologies and the establishment of technical and theoretical standards. This approach was born in the Marketing field, specifically in what was called Place Marketing. In this context the Branding stood out as a development tool solutions to the need for differentiation, generation of solid images and the establishment of symbols and identity signs, in order to leverage economic benefits for countries, cities and regions. In a way, fulfilling, in the first instance, a similar role to the branding of products and services. But it was specifically in Branding corporations that were found the biggest matches to adapt this knowledge to management positions. Ashworth & Kavaratzis (2010) highlight the fact that both present multidisciplinary roots, a multiple number of strategic actors (stakeholders), high degree of intangibility and complexity of social responsibility, the multiplicity of identities and the long-term development needs are strong examples their similarities. The development and management of corporate identities, here expanded to the Branding corporations, it is a prolific field of Design. It great names of the area said their careers and built great legacy. The time of greater proficiency in the area were the 50s and 60s, dominated by modernist thought, and, coincidentally or not, exactly the time that focused efforts to assert the identity of the designer as a professional (STOLARSKI, 2006) . Nationally stand out names like Alexandre Wollner, Ruben Martins, the duo Carlos Cauduro and Ludovico Martino and Aloisio Magalhaes. In contrast, in the literature produced in the marketing field, often the role of design in this context is reduced to merely promotional measures, such as creating logos or advertising campaigns. In other words, defined as a work of low complexity and low social prägnanz. This approach comes at odds with contemporary theories of design, such as MetaDesign, Design Thinking and Design Collaborative, in which are presented motodológicos models of high relevance for the identification, analysis and solution of complex problems involving multiple elements and agents. The proposed article aims to survey the state of the art City Branding / Place Branding focused on publications produced in the disciplinary field of design. The literature review will grant that, before the above presented context, is analyzed as designers and researchers design face the contributions that the field can offer to the practice and theory of Branding places. Finally, Article yearns assess whether the pre-established hypothesis that there are possible and fruitful connections between contemporary theories of design and the City Branding, is being addressed in articles and publications area.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/IFDP.2016.3288

Estudo da adaptação antropométrica de mobiliário residencial em madeira maciça produzido na cidade de Manaus

Este artigo apresenta um breve estudo sobre a adaptação antropométrica de mobiliário de madeira maciça, produzido e comercializado na cidade de Manaus. Busca verificar se as medidas utilizadas para a produção de mesas e cadeiras (sem ajustes) estão em conformidade com as normas e padrões técnicos vigentes. Para tanto, foram feitos: levantamento bibliográfico, onde foram abordados tópicos referentes a situação do setor moveleiro no Amazonas, ergonomia e antropometria e medidas do corpo humano, buscando aprofundar os conhecimentos acerca da temática estudada, por meio do conhecimento das principais limitações e potenciais para investimento na melhoria da qualidade do mobiliário de madeira maciça sem ajustes. Neste item, houve a organização dos dados pesquisados para a geração duas tabelas, com base nas dimensões dos seguimentos corpóreos humanos de usuários extremos (mulher percentil 5% e homem percentil 95%), apresentada por Felisberto e Paschoarelli (2000), seguindo também as recomendações de diversos autores de ergonomia, entre eles: Quaresma (2011), Kroemer e Grandjan (2005), Dul e Weerdemester (2004) e Moraes e Pequini (2000), viabilizando seu uso como parâmetro para o dimensionamento de mesas e cadeiras; pesquisa de campo, onde houve a coleta de dados por meio de formulário de pesquisa para anotação das medidas obtidas in loco nas marcenarias, a serem posteriormente comparadas com as dimensões das tabelas propostas; cálculos de estatística descritiva (amplitude total, desvio padrão e coeficiente de variação), visto que permitem apreciar o número total de valores encontrados em uma classe e mapear a diferenciação entre aqueles obtidos e os recomendados, e inferencial, com o propósito de facilitar a apreciação acerca da validade dos dados coletados por meio da aplicação do teste de t de Student. Com o resultado obtido, observou-se que o mobiliário em questão não é produzido com base em recomendações ergonômicas e/ou quaisquer tipo de estudo relacionado, uma vez que as medidas analisadas não se encontravam em conformidade com as recomendadas nas tabelas geradas e outras eram simplesmente ignoradas. Este fato termina por tornar os produtos menos atraentes, face ao desconforto gerado, quando utilizados por longos períodos, principalmente se comparados com móveis industrializados, tendo em vista que estes apresentam as mesmas condições de dimensionamento com menor preço de mercado.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/IFDP.2016.3000

Design e desenvolvimento de novos produtos através da transferência de conhecimento entre Brasil, Espanha e Portugal

Este documento relata a experiencia adquirida através de um projeto de cooperação internacional realizado entre quatro instituições de ensino e pesquisa, tendo em vista a aplicação técnica do conhecimento do design para a criação e desenvolvimento de novos produtos a partir do uso de três matérias-primas naturais distintas: pedra, madeira e fibra. Das metas almejadas buscou-se principalmente a capacitação dos discentes de Design do Departamento de Design e Expressão Gráfica da Universidade Federal do Amazonas (DEG/UFAM) para atuação e o desenvolvimento de novos produtos; a valorização de matérias-primas naturais da Amazônia, assim como o saber tradicional, cultural e do design; a capacitação de mão-de-obra de produtos artesanais com pedra, madeira e fibra; e a troca de conhecimento, tecnologia, experiência profissional e científica entre os seus participantes. O projeto foi desenvolvido com base em pesquisas qualitativas e quantitativas, com caráter descritivo, explicativo, exploratório e experimental. Foram realizados: levantamento de dados bibliográficos e de publicações científicas sobre as matérias-primas de estudos, além da pesquisa in loco e estudo de casos. Também realizou reuniões em equipes e aplicou como método de investigação a técnica focus group e a prática de forumulários de observação. Como resultados o projeto gerou 13 (treze) protótipos de produtos, desenvolvidos com base no conhecimento e técnicas partilhadas entre as instiuições parceiras, 1000 (mil) exemplares de catálogos apresentando as informações técnicas e científicas referentes aos produtos da pesquisa, e, por fim, fortaleceu as parcerias internacionais e institucionais envolvidas no projeto, com possibilidades de novas ações, em conjunto, para o futuro.

Scrap denim-PP composites as a material for new product design

The growing interest of manufacturing companies to use its scraps as raw material to design and develop alternate products has led them to news ways of processing them. The present project arises from a jeans manufacturing company’s interest on making an effort to reuse its daily denim scrap to manufacture a different kind of product without diversifying its capabilities. Some studies on denim-binder mixtures have been previously performed, amongst which binders such as corn starch and vinyl adhesives were used. In the present work some preliminary findings are shown using denim in its woven form combined with polypropylene, a common waste worldwide. The goal of this project is based on the assessment of some of the mechanical properties from the obtained mixtures in order to determine their attributes and possible fields of application in the process of designing new products. For that purpose, the materials’ testing was structured in four stages regarding the variables linked to the diversification of the mixes. In the first stage a sandwich-like material was prepared, consisting of two denim skins and a polypropylene core. In the second stage a multilayered “film-stacking” material was developed. In the third stage, a combination was developed consisting of polypropylene mixed with 5% weight of shredded denim. Based on these preliminary findings and the inherent attributes of denim, the fourth stage is a first attempt to use the obtained materials to design new products. In this process an introductory material-product mapping was used in order to provide early insights and define scenarios and user profiles. The results of the whole process yield a first approach to configure future experiments using combinations of denim scrap and other thermoplastic polymers in order to use them in new product development.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/IFDP.2016.3360

Interaction design of public electronics equipment: Approach to categorization systems and analysis model

Technological development has changed the way users relate to products, they are no longer passive receivers of functions to interact with increasingly complex systems. This research addresses the problem of consumer interaction with public electronic technology products. There are several studies dealing with the disciplines that study the interaction between the user and the electronic product (Preece, 2005; Johnson-Laird, 1983; Helander, 1997, Sutcliffe, 1995; Norman, 1990; Moraes, 2001), making it possible to obtain knowledge about human beings, technology and the way they operate. This research aims to identify the areas of interaction design that involve the human-machine system, in particular the disciplines that contribute to good usability. Six typologies are proposed that describe specific interface characteristics studied according to the model of complexity defined by Gomes Filho (2003). Exploratory research in Portugal identified twenty-six interactive systems. To characterize the public electronic systems, the study presents a structured analysis of the variables mentioned previously, in relation to both reliability and validity, as well as functionality. The results are compared with the literature and the implications discussed for the design of the User Interface System Model.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/IFDP.2016.3287

Efecto de las variables de la gestión de diseño en el producto terminado

Asumiendo que la función de diseño es un proceso que interactúa con otros procesos dentro y fuera de la organización con un alto impacto en el éxito comercial de empresa es necesario para comprender el fenómeno como tal en primera instancia ponderar sus características propias, comprender como son sus relaciones, analizar sus mecanismos de transferencia de información y cuál es el impacto de sus acciones en el producto final y su confiabilidad. Este proceso ha sido estudiado detalladamente en las últimas décadas con el objeto de sistematizarlo de modo de incrementar la competitividad del producto resultado mediante el aumento de la calidad, la reducción de costes y tiempo de fabricación. Si bien las propuestas metodológicas ofrecen variación y matices en la ejecución del diseño de un producto, todas comparten que el proceso creativo se concentra en las fases iniciales, particularmente en estas fases es donde se sintetizan las primeras soluciones (proceso de ideación) en su definición teórica a un nivel de abstracción que permite el desarrollo del concepto global y de los principios que van a regir al producto en cuestión. Consideramos que la gestión y el diseño como dos funciones o procesos en el cual interactúan diferentes actores tanto externos como internos pudiendo afirmar que de una manera o de otra están relacionados con la organización ya su vez se relacionan entre sí por medio de variables comunes. El objeto de la investigación fueron las pymes de la región centro de la República Argentina teniendo como objetivos la de investigar las características organizativas, la relación con los sistemas exteriores (clientes, proveedores, etc.), los circuitos de información entre la función de diseño y el resto de las funciones y su relación con el producto continuando posteriormente con un análisis estructural llevado a cabo por expertos de modo de poder determinar las variables sensibles del producto terminado y del modelo de gestión. Se observó el efecto de las variables de gestión en el producto realizando a través de la curva de Weibull de productos agroindustriales de baja y media tecnología, demostrando que la confiabiabilidad del producto es la variable más sensible de la gestión del diseño.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/IFDP.2016.3681