73452 - Product Design T (G-Z)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the module, through the analysis of real design challenges—either presented in an extensive manner or experienced through full-immersion activities—and starting from the re-brief, the student will be able to structure the meta-design process, outline the design development, identify achievable outcomes, and develop an innovative product concept, ultimately reaching a comprehensive and complex design solution in all its elements.

Course contents

During the 2024-25 academic year, the Industrial Design T (G-Z) laboratory will explore the relationship between industrial product design and the theme of emergency. The project will focus on enhancing protection and well-being in situations where individuals may face physical or psychological harm.

The design theme aims to investigate the innovative use of light as a tool for safeguarding and protecting people. Specifically, it will examine the role of light in emergency situations to ensure safety, prevent accidents, and improve human well-being. This approach will be applied across a wide range of contexts, from domestic environments to extreme conditions such as high-risk workplaces or natural disaster scenarios.

The goal of the laboratory is to design new products specifically conceived for particular use cases where light can serve as a system that, among its many possible functions, interacts with individuals, facilitates orientation, provides feedback, strengthens psychological resilience, and influences peripheral attention.

Students will work on projects that explore the relationship between function and meaning while also considering the technical aspects necessary to develop artifacts that effectively respond to user needs.

The design of these new industrial products will be based on innovative processes that integrate human-machine interfaces, enabling seamless interaction between people and their environments.

Reflecting on the approaches, methods, and tools that design can adopt to interact with intelligent systems in product development also means questioning new ways of relating form, function, and interaction. In this scenario, physical artifacts communicate with the human body through multiple sensory channels—visual, auditory, and tactile—redefining the user experience.

Readings/Bibliography

Ravizza, D. (2001). Progettare con la luce: luce, visione, colore, progetto d'illuminazione d'interni, la luce in viaggio: sistemi a sorgente remota, illuminare ambienti per il terziario e ambienti domestici (Vol. 4). FrancoAngeli.

Rossi, M. (2008). Design della luce. Fondamenti ed esperienze nel progetto della luce per gli esseri umani. Maggioli.

Lefteri, C. (2012). Making It: Manufacturing Techniques for Product Design. Laurence King Publishing.

Zannoni, M. (2018). Progetto e interazione. Il design degli ecosistemi interattivi. Quodlibet.

Rawsthorn, A., & Antonelli, P. (2022). Design emergency: building a better future. Phaidon Press Limited.

Pietroni, L., & Turrini, D. (Eds.). (2022). Design for survival. MD JOURNAL.https://mdj.materialdesign.it/index.php/mdj/issue/view/16

Zannoni, M. (2024). Il design delle interfacce. Quodlibet.

Teaching methods

The Industrial Design Laboratory is structured through theoretical lessons, contributions from industry experts (professionals and companies), support for both desk and field research, and guidance in the design phase up to the creation of models and prototypes.

This approach reflects the course structure, which develops through interconnected phases: lectures, research activities, project development, prototype realization, and final evaluation.

The laboratory involves an in-depth exploration of the topic through the collection, cataloging, and analysis of case studies related to specific areas of intervention. After an initial phase of research and understanding, students will move on to defining design concepts, developed through sketches, models, and renderings. In the subsequent stages, the project will be refined in various aspects, including morphology, mechanics, functionality, ergonomics, and production processes, leading to the creation of a representative prototype.

Assessment methods

The teaching team will guide the design process in all its phases, supporting students during classroom activities and ensuring both group and individual review sessions.

Classroom work and reviews are essential steps in the learning process, making a minimum attendance of 70% mandatory.

Students will also be encouraged to participate in events organized by the degree program, including seminars with national and international experts, exhibitions, competitions, and other initiatives.

The exam will take place in a single session and will require the submission of the following outputs:
- In-progress assessments
- Sketchbook
- Descriptive book detailing the design process, from concept to prototype
- Technical drawings
- Full-scale (1:1) prototype
- Presentation

Each outcome achieved in the individual teaching modules will be evaluated based on criteria established by the responsible faculty members. These evaluations will contribute to the final assessment of each student, considering both collective and individual work.

The key factors in the overall evaluation will include:
- Active participation in the course
- Quality of the submitted work
- Punctuality in attendance and submissions

Teaching tools

VIRTUAL PLATFORM: Teacher-student communication; uploading of teaching materials; student submissions; student forums/community.
MIRO: For brainstorming and other forms of collaborative design.
Presentations/slideshows.
Individual reviews of students' project progress.

Group reviews of students' project progress.
Collaboration with external facilities (Model Laboratory, Photography Laboratory, Libraries, etc.).
Final exhibition of the projects.

Office hours

See the website of Silvia Gasparotto

See the website of Ludovica Rosato

See the website of Mario Fedriga