Catálogo de publicaciones - libros

Cities are directly affected by most of nowadays global challenges and, at the same time, represent the places where innovation processes aiming at sustainability and equality find fertile ground to thrive. The overwhelming challenges embedded in city life for individuals, families, civil societies and governments can, and must, be seen as opportunities for innovation, diffused equity, more diligent foresight and, above all, pragmatism. In fact, it is not only due to the urbanization trends that we turn to cities when we look for solutions to the wicked problems that the world faces. Free from national and global politics, cities are, more and more, places where creative problem-solving flourishes (sometimes out of necessity, sometimes by purposeful construct).

Three key concept domains are considered and explored in a unitary framework. They are: , the only possible response to global crises, aiming at transforming behaviours and practices towards systemic changes and transition; , a way of creatively conceiving, developing and driving forward new practices for undertaking large scale transitions; and , seen as the environments where problems present themselves in the most socially relevant way and at the same time as key opportunities for testing and adopting forms of innovation which target global challenges. The chapter positions the three key concepts in relation to the most relevant academic references and to the current debate on innovation processes.

The relationship between cities and innovation in present times can be regarded from a distinctive perspective. As it is vital to rethink our development patterns, in order to contrast global warming and its ominous threats, cities are themselves concrete materials for innovation. Therefore, cities challenge the very same concept of innovation by adding the long-term perspective to its social assessment framework. Cities are therefore seen both as hotbeds of creativity and innovative culture and places where different actors (policy makers, civil servants, NGOs, citizens, start-uppers, entrepreneurs, etc.) receive continuous stimuli to engage in innovations that fulfil specific needs (be they market, organisational or community related).

The focus of design studies has shifted from a product-centric perspective to a perspective in which value is defined by and co-created with the consumer, rather than embedded in the output. The reasoning hence focuses on the interplay between innovation and design processes. Moving from an earlier conceptualization of design-driven innovation, the attempt is to define the space of interaction between the different components of the innovation process. In this way a 3D innovation space can be sketched where different practices and experiences can be mapped. Through this exercise the key hypothesis of this work is empowered: no innovation is possible without design.

The dynamics of change in urban systems are observed interrogating how the interplay between design and the urban dimension can contribute to sparking or fastening the various pathways of innovation. Embedment is a key concept to understand those processes, which unfold mainly as co-evolution processes. The act of embedding represents a design endeavour complementing and empowering the efforts on the innovation axes of meaning and function (see the 3D model), which generates value by infrastructuring practices (design-enabled resource aggregation) targeting critical challenges and problems of the contemporary (urban) world.