Tracks

Track 1: [In]tangible Interaction 

 In an Era characterized by rapid technological and social change, ecosystems distinguished by human, artificial and environmental aspects co-evolve and are referred to as "hybrids". Project cultures, in the mentioned framework, assume a key role with the function of mediators between human agents and digital agents, between the tangible and intangible. The " in/tangible interaction" focuses on analyzing the mutations in the relationship between design and technologies, which acquires both tangible and intangible characteristics reflected in their impacts on society. These transformations make it possible to imagine new contexts of communication and knowledge for designing more inclusive and accessible experiences, and new design spaces in the sphere of more-than-human design and technology. The goal of the track is to investigate the role of design and the efforts of designers in representing and enhancing the tangible and intangible relationship with technology and its impacts at the social, environmental, and relational levels by fielding experiments on user experiences, data visualizations, and, more generally, interaction-interface systems capable of overcoming physical and cognitive barriers. Researchers, experts, designers, and technologists are invited to present their contributions, proposals for interdisciplinary experiments and ethical and practical reflections between design and technology as vehicles for social innovation, inclusion, and accessibility with a focus on defined application areas such as cultural heritage and the relationship between society and artificial intelligence, to outline future directions for a more sustainable and inclusive society. 

Track 2: [In]tangible projects

In the extensive debate surrounding the fate and future of contemporary cities, "Exploring the In/Tangible" seeks to uncover the intangible relationships that exist between the architectural project and the built environment. Numerous proposals, limited to a purely theoretical dimension and never realized, have made an essential contribution to the architectural debate by offering alternative scenarios regarding the future of the city, thus generating significant repercussions on the built environment. In the ongoing search for a definition of 'city' amidst evolving and interconnected urbanization processes, the representation of the city plays a crucial role. The depiction of new urban imaginaries is not merely a descriptive operation but a tool for understanding ongoing processes and projecting alternative realities. Emphasizing the importance of theoretical work in architecture as a catalyst for change, "Exploring the In/Tangible" aims to highlight projects that successfully shaped intentions and left intangible traces. Drawing is the tool that allows urban planners, architects, and designers to capture ongoing developments, imagine, and guide spatial and social transformations, recognizing that "it is precisely in theoretical work that architecture, as a form of knowledge and a way of understanding things, reclaims its space, which is that of thinking, criticizing, and, if possible, changing the space in which we live and struggle". We welcome contributions that explore further 'unbuilt projects', or aspects of them, to reframe the conversation on architectural design as a catalyst for change within the discourse on the contemporary city? 

Track 3: [In]tangible connections 

Public spaces have always played a key role in urban and territorial development: from a conscious reading of the built environment to historical-aesthetic perspectives and planning experiences, the role of these areas emerges as fundamental and contributes to the development of cities in their most tangible aspects. At the same time, these spaces and their policies are intimately linked to intangible aspects such as shaping identities, social inequalities and expressions of differences that can influence the well-being of the inhabitants (physical, emotional, economic and psychological) and impacting on the quality and development of urban life. Public spaces are thus configured as contested and debated places, where differences and conflicts that animate cities not only reveal themselves, but also meet and collide over their uses, meanings and designs, embodying different ways of inhabiting and thinking of cities. Collective spaces, and more generally built heritage, represent the place where the intangible networks of socio-economic interactions are manifested by becoming space, and occupy a central role in public life for their capacity to shape citizen relationships and to help direct the urban way of life. Even in marginal areas - such as urban peripheries, small towns or rural areas - public space becomes a decisive vehicle in the relationship between tangible and intangible traits; it now requires regeneration processes capable of preserving existing cultural realities, bringing out the polyphony of urban life and targeted development policies. Questioning the perspectives of these actions, in which actors - both human and non-human - are engaged, and critically reflecting on the interventions and processes involved in the design of public space remains a non-derogable issue. This track welcomes reflections, research and Italian and international case studies that recognise the value of the relationship between tangible and intangible aspects of public space, showing the quality of social relations and creating opportunities for encounter and inclusion, but also for conflict and contention. Awareness and reflection on this dualism become fundamental to foster the creation and change of social ties and to promote participation in urban life: through heritage enhancement activities, urban policies and projects involving local realities, the aim is to show how it is possible to transform public spaces into drivers of sustainable development, transformation and invention capable of responding to the needs and aspirations of those who live in these places, to overcome inequalities and social exclusions, to increase the quality of urban life and the expression of differences.