Transcultural Design

Transcultural Design reconceptualises heritage techniques in order to promote cultural sustainability and seek new models of collaborative practices for properly engaging communities. Addressing the question of ownership and exploitation of colonised cultures, it uses design strategies to explore cultural awareness and reconciliation. In doing so it connects divergent practices and conceptions of culture, like craft, value systems, heritage, and tradition, to stimulate their current and future economic and cultural growth.

Applying previously acquired knowledge to research on particular cases (e.g. fieldwork, craftmanship, interviews, desktop research, place-based learning etc), the students are encouraged to challenge cutting-edge processes to enhance the value of authenticity and to envision future scenarios for a transcultural-design attitude without losing the impressive legacy and identity of the local cultural know-how. Moreover, the unit values exploring the potential of integrating digital and advanced manufacturing processes informed by novel technologies (such as laser cutting, 3D printing, Arduino coding, soft wearables, etc.) into the traditional production of artefacts. The outcomes may include creating independent self-sustaining livelihood systems or challenging our contemporary viewpoint of living with tradition through design concepts, products and services of digital or manual innovation.