Design the City

Course

In order to contribute to the social and economic progress of urban contexts, it is essential to understand the human dimension of open spaces, their amenities, services, usage modes, and the relationships they foster. The Advanced Training Course Design the City – Urban Regeneration and Inclusive Public Spaces introduces tools, methods, and approaches to enhance the physical, perceptual, and sensorial aspects of the city. The program trains professionals in sustainable design and management capable of creating habitable, welcoming, and community-recognized spaces. Below is a summary of the learning objectives:

• Learn methods to analyze different urban contexts, providing solutions for varied social, cultural, and economic needs.
• Develop skills to regenerate and activate existing public spaces in alignment with community needs.
• Master processes of co-design, co-construction, and co-management, encouraging community involvement and participation in neighborhood spaces.
• Apply design skills to create temporary setups for cultural and commercial events.
• Gain awareness of various furniture systems, installations, and urban equipment.
• Acquire tools to evaluate projects, highlighting the social and economic benefits of urban transformation.

The Advanced Training Course Design the City – Urban Regeneration and Inclusive Public Spaces lasts nine months. The curriculum spans 190 hours, including remote lectures and a project activity conducted either in-person or online.

• Theoretical lectures aimed at providing conceptual and technical knowledge for design.
• Contributions from industry professionals and discussions with participants on critical topics in contemporary urban design.
• A design workshop to apply acquired knowledge to a real brief proposed by a partner company or institution.

Didactics

Attendance

Attendance is mandatory for 75% of the teaching activities.

Didactic Modules

The Advanced Training Course consists of 190 hours and includes six theoretical modules and a workshop. The curriculum features live online lectures held on weekdays, while the design workshop will be conducted in person, with the option of remote participation. Below is a brief description of the teaching modules:

Module 1 | Hours: 30
Design of Urban Public Spaces
Themes and challenges of urban design for the contemporary city. Introduction to public space design and exploration of frontier topics on the modern city.

Module 2 | Hours: 20
Public Space and Participation
Processes and methods of co-design, co-construction, and co-management in collaboration with the community inhabiting neighborhood spaces.

Module 3 | Hours: 20
Public Space as a Lever for Urban Branding
Communication, events, and temporary setups for cultural and commercial events: the value of public spaces in urban attractiveness.

Module 4 | Hours: 20
Materials and Technologies for Public Space
The physical design of public spaces: trends and experiments in materials, urban furniture, light design, and sustainable digital technologies.

Module 5 | Hours: 20
Project Management and Evaluation
Procedures, regulations, relationships among stakeholders, and strategic-economic evaluations of urban development operations.

Module 6 | Hours: 20
Design for Social Impact
Sustainability and territorial development: tools and methods for designing and assessing social impacts in urban regeneration projects.

Module 7 | Hours: 60
Workshop
Development of a project under the guidance of a team of instructors and professionals: experimenting with the skills acquired during the course through an interdisciplinary and collaborative approach.

Title Released

Upon completion, participants will receive a certificate for the Advanced Training Course Design the City and 17 ECTS.

Employment Opportunities

Professionals in sustainable design and management of urban open spaces can work in public or private organizations, including: architectural and design firms; communication, urban marketing, and event agencies; cultural promotion entities; organizations for urban area regeneration and enhancement; public administrations; non-profit associations and organizations; companies operating in outdoor space development. Roles include:

• Designer of new or pre-existing urban spaces.
• Expert in public space regeneration and reuse.
• Activator of co-design processes promoting inclusive community participation and space design.
• Designer of temporary urban setups for local promotion events.
• Facilitator of socio-economic transformation processes in public spaces and evaluator of their impacts.

Admission

Requirements

The Advanced Training Course is open to candidates holding a university diploma and/or degree (old system), Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Academic Diploma (First or Second Level) in Communication Design, Architecture, Design, Interior Design, Set Design, or Fine Arts.

The committee reserves the right to admit candidates with degrees in other disciplines if the course complements their education or aligns with demonstrated professional skills and experience.

Faculty

Faculty: S. Attiwill, M. Carta, L. Crespi, S. Gonzaga, B. Hermida, E. Manzini, C. Martinez, F. Murialdo, D. Petrabissi, L. Reid, J. Roldan Martin, A. Strittmatter.