AGATHÓN | International Journal of Architecture, Art and Design

The contribution of Architectural disciplines to tackling poverty and hunger and ensuring health, well-being, quality education and gender equality

2025-06-27T08:52:36+00:00

Volume 17 of AGATHÓN marks the beginning of a new series dedicated to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda. This volume focuses on the first five goals – No Poverty, Zero Hunger, Good Health and Well-being, Quality Education, and Gender Equality – through projects, research, and experimental practices. The editorial emphasises the strategic role of design disciplines in contributing to the achievement of these goals, advocating for systemic, multidisciplinary, and multiscalar approaches capable of enhancing synergies and reducing trade-offs. In a global context marked by delays, inequalities, and interconnected crises, project – understood in its broad and transdisciplinary meaning – emerges as a tool capable of activating social, cultural, and ecological transformations. The selected contributions demonstrate how design can address crucial issues, including dignified housing, access to water and education, food security, mental and physical health, urban regeneration, social inclusion, and gender equity. Through case studies, replicable models, and operational tools, this issue offers a critical and forward-looking interpretation of the project. It emphasises the need for an integrated vision that transcends disciplinary, regulatory, and cultural boundaries, promoting a more open academic sphere and a project-oriented practice driven by spatial justice. The editorial calls for a collective commitment from the scientific community to recognise design as a transformative and responsible act, capable of connecting knowledge, space, and rights.

Towards native integration of inclusivity in meta-design – The COmeta experience

2025-06-28T16:34:02+00:00

This article introduces an approach that integrates meta-design and inclusive design within the design process. Rooted in an ongoing PhD research project, the approach responds to design’s complexity and evolving role within contemporary social and cultural contexts. The research seeks to define inclusivity in a broad and situated manner and to develop a method for embedding it into both research and educational practices, preparing future generations of more responsible designers. The aim is to formulate and validate research practices that can be transferred to other educational and professional contexts, fostering a design culture that values diversity from the earliest stages of the process. Integrating inclusive principles into meta-design, i.e. in the research activities that define the meaning and direction of a project, allows for early consideration of issues often addressed only in the final stages or treated as secondary concerns. As early empirical findings presented in the paper suggest, such a transformation demands an iterative process of critical and cultural reflection and revision.

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Received: 25/03/2025; Revised: 17/04/2025; Accepted: 21/04/2025

Pro-social materials – Sustainable models powered by quality education

2025-06-28T16:53:51+00:00

A ‘quality education’ is a fundamental engine for reducing social inequalities. However, vulnerable communities often do not have access to training programs that provide skills related to circularity and sustainability issues. In this light, the paper illustrates a research project that explores an innovative educational framework centred on developing sustainable materials starting from local by-products, fostering a connection between the University and the territory. The Bioloop Factory project exemplifies this approach by integrating co-design methodologies, principles of circular economy, and community engagement: through participatory processes, the project facilitated knowledge transfer, offered new opportunities to vulnerable communities, and supported the development of inclusive small-scale production chains (micro-supply chains), proving to be a replicable model for sustainable development.

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Received: 14/03/2025; Revised: 19/04/2025; Accepted: 21/04/2025

Addressing food insecurity – Leveraging empathy and Design Thinking to achieve transformative learning

2025-06-28T17:13:22+00:00

This paper explores how Design Thinking methodologies can address UN Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger), emphasizing the transformative role of empathy and emotional engagement in fostering innovative solutions. Through a participatory workshop at an international conference, participants critically examined the systemic, cultural, and emotional dimensions of food insecurity. The workshop integrated experiential learning, guiding attendees from personal emotional responses to collaborative problem-solving. By leveraging interdisciplinary teamwork, participants developed technological, cultural, and community-based strategies for tackling food insecurity. Over 80% of attendees deepened their understanding and felt more confident in addressing food insecurity in their communities. This study underscores the pedagogical value of Design Thinking in food systems education, demonstrating how empathy-driven, participatory approaches can drive systemic change.

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Received: 23/03/2025; Revised: 11/05/2025; Accepted: 15/05/2025

Divinfood, NUCs and agrobiodiversity – Agile Food Design and Living Labs for sustainable innovation

2025-06-28T17:38:36+00:00

This article explores the role of agile food design as a catalyst for innovation in agri-food systems, starting from the European project Divinfood, which aims to enhance underutilised agrobiodiversity, such as white lupin, through co-creation methodologies. The transdisciplinary approach, which combines scientific research and design, facilitates the creation of sustainable solutions for ecological transition. Through Living Labs, scenario-based design enables the generation of new synergies among agri-food supply chain actors, promoting the integration of creative skills to respond to sustainability challenges. The study highlights how collaborative and agile food design can contribute to a more inclusive, sustainable, and resilient agri-food system, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda.

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Received: 15/03/2025; Revised: 28/04/2025; Accepted: 30/04/2025

Urban regeneration and SDGs – Design approaches for reducing urban inequalities

2025-06-27T10:09:31+00:00

This paper explores the role of urban regeneration in implementing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 11 within European contexts, with a particular focus on the Italian case. Starting from a comparative analysis of social and territorial inequalities in Europe, the study highlights how the transformation of the built environment can restore centrality to marginalised territories and contribute to the construction of more inclusive and solidaristic cities. The comparison between European experiences, selected at the building scale, and Italian interventions, developed at the urban scale through the Integrated Urban Projects of the Italian PNRR, reveals different yet complementary approaches to implementing the SDGs. Central to this process is the technological culture of design as an integrated approach to urban transformation. The case of the R5 sector in Tor Bella Monaca (Rome) is presented as an operational paradigm of urban regeneration for territorial equity.

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Received: 07/04/2025; Revised: 19/05/2025; Accepted: 21/05/2025

Design, technology, and poverty – Devices for the design of architecture, objects, and society

2025-06-27T12:58:01+00:00

The paper analyses the contribution of Technological and Environmental Design and Architecture to overcoming poverty, one of the most urgent contemporary challenges, in line with Goal 1 of the UN Agenda 2030. Contextualising this issue in the global scenario, this paper critically illustrates some international events, research and good practices that are replicable and adaptable in similar contexts and are contributing to the cultural debate and action to eradicate poverty. It will be highlighted how the two disciplines can act in synergy as a pedagogical and economic tool, capable of promoting a culture of dignity and possibility for the design of architectures, objects, and societies, influencing, in a multidimensional way, the impact of poverty on people’s lives.

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Received: 27/04/2025; Revised: 06/05/2025; Accepted: 27/05/2025

Form follows emotion – Tailored design and regenerative approaches in healthcare environments

2025-06-27T13:26:31+00:00

This paper explores the evolution of Interior Design, focusing on the role of empathy and the emotional impact of spatial design in healthcare settings. Beginning with the twentieth-century principle of form / follows / function, design has gradually integrated emotional dimensions, as demonstrated by various Made in Italy experiments since the 1950s. In this context, this contribution examines regenerative design through a multidisciplinary lens that incorporates neuroscience, environmental psychology, and spatial definition. The Santa Croce and Carle Hospital case study in Cuneo illustrates how the humanisation of care environments can enhance patients’ well-being and foster resilience. Within this framework, the paper positions design as a driving force in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), contributing to an improved quality of life, and increased social sustainability.

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Received: 27/03/2025; Revised: 30/04/2025; Accepted: 03/05/2025

Doing and redoing – Opportunities and limits of co-design for public and welfare spaces

2025-06-28T12:19:59+00:00

The article explores the action-research experiences conducted by the Social Design Lab of the Politecnico di Torino and the Augmented City Lab of the University of Palermo, two research groups experimenting with participatory design approaches to address complex social challenges. The discussion covers different urban regeneration projects and co-design of spaces for public services, tools for social inclusion, and the transformation of local welfare systems. The role of participatory design and co-creation in promoting the active involvement of stakeholders is analysed, questioning the lasting impacts in terms of inclusion, care, and collective responsibility for the implemented interventions. The critical reflection also concerns the sustainability of these processes and their potential to trigger organisational and policy-related changes.

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Received: 25/03/2025; Revised: 22/04/2025; Accepted: 23/04/2025

Women-centred design – New trajectories for medical design

2025-06-28T14:45:49+00:00

The lack of attention to the specific needs of women in the design processes of health and wellness products has led to the proliferation of ineffective solutions and stereotypes that overlook the physiological, biological, behavioural, and socio-cultural characteristics of the female population. Through a critical review of international literature, this paper presents a selection of methodological approaches that place women ‘at the centre of design’. The selected case studies identify three possible design trajectories guided by: 1) biological and physiological matrices, 2) anatomical matrices, and 3) socio-cultural matrices. From this analysis, design principles emerge that guide strategies for developing appropriate and accessible technologies that can contribute to raising designers’ awareness and dismantling bias and stereotypes when integrated into the educational system.

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Received: 18/03/2025; Revised: 15/04/2025; Accepted: 21/04/2025

Digital temporality – The responsibility of Interaction Design in digital alienation

2025-06-28T15:42:33+00:00

The temporality of digital ecosystems has redefined the way we perceive and organise time, favouring efficiency and productivity. Designed for constant accessibility, digital technologies disrupt natural human rhythms, creating an uninhabitable sense of time shaped by ‘temporal techno-performances’, frenzied gestures and accelerated rhythms that significantly affect psychological well-being. This disruption has led to the emergence of ‘digital well-being’ as a critical aspect of mental health’. Interaction Design, as an interpreter of the relationship between humans and digital, has a responsibility to address these dynamics, rethinking design as an ethical and time-conscious practice. This paper proposes a critical design and social sciences literature review to assess how Interaction Design practices influence or can mitigate temporal alienation.

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Received: 15/03/2025; Revised: 24/04/2025; Accepted: 03/05/2025

The role of corporate archives in the era of blockchain and AI

2025-06-28T16:03:49+00:00

In the context of the digital transition, this contribution analyses the increasingly central role of corporate archives as custodians of collective memory. In this scenario, the application of AI proves to be a promising tool for facilitating the analysis and automatic indexing of documents, overcoming traditional physical barriers and making archival holdings easier to consult; at the same time, blockchain technology offers guarantees regarding source integrity and authenticity. Through the examination of three case studies, the collaboration between Museimpresa and Google Arts & Culture and the experiences of Italgas and Riva, the article aims to assess how these technologies are transforming the way corporate archives are accessed and used, opening new perspectives for education, research, and innovation, in line with Sustainable Development Goal no. 4 of the 2030 Agenda. The article also highlights the need for an ethical approach to using AI and the environmental impact generated by blockchain. The contribution is addressed to companies, researchers, and designers to promote a more conscious use of digital technologies applied to archival heritage.

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Received: 14/03/2025; Revised: 28/04/2025; Accepted: 02/05/2025

2030 Agenda for sustainable tourism – The Way of Santiago de Compostela and the Ancient Trasversale Sicula

2025-06-27T14:00:47+00:00

Sustainable tourism is a determining factor for territorial rebalancing and inclusive development in rural areas within the Sustainable Development Goals framework outlined in Agenda 2030. This paper employs a comparative methodology to examine two distinct cases: the Way of Santiago de Compostela, which is characterised by structured, multi-level management, and the more informal grassroots initiatives of the Ancient Sicilian Transversal, where governance largely relies on local associations and bottom-up initiatives. This study identifies the challenges and opportunities presented by each pathway, evaluating strategies and integrated interventions to foster architectural projects to achieve economic and social sustainability, widespread accessibility of places, and reduction of inequalities in rural areas.

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Received: 18/03/2025; Revised: 15/04/2025; Accepted: 23/04/2025

Urban welfare and regeneration – Sustainability and social inclusion for achieving the SDGs

2025-06-27T14:26:21+00:00

In the social inequality and climate crisis characterising the new urban issue, the need emerges to implement urban welfare policies that guarantee settled local communities the general right to the city. In this sense, urban regeneration, an urban strategy of social inclusion, economic development, and environmental sustainability, calls for cross-sectoral convergence and inter-institutional collaboration. In this thematic framework, the authors propose a reflection on the interconnections between urban welfare – understood as the right of settled communities to public cities – and the achievement of the SDGs, highlighting the complexity of the subject to the trade-offs that urban regeneration strategies are called upon to govern in order to reconcile the environmental and socio-economic dimensions of change, requiring an interdisciplinary and multi-level approach. This objective finds its expression in a critical reading of the interconnections between the various Goals of the 2030 Agenda, supported by examining an emblematic case study that promotes integrated governance as a tool to overcome urban fragmentation and systemic trade-offs that hinder the equitable development of contemporary cities.

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Received: 25/03/2025; Revised: 27/04/2025; Accepted: 30/04/2025

What kind of city – Urban regeneration between intersectionality and inclusion

2025-06-27T14:48:59+00:00

Public space design has traditionally focused on the experience of a ‘standard user’, typically a healthy male, which does not reflect the diversity of actual users. This methodological approach has systematically overlooked the specific needs of women, the elderly, and people with disabilities, resulting in a partial and non-inclusive understanding of reality. Starting from the need to adopt a systemic and integrated approach in line with the 2030 Agenda, and drawing on significant examples such as the cases of Vienna and Barcelona that highlight the intersectional perspective of gender in urban design, the article underscores the urgency of rethinking and managing public space through a cross-cutting design strategy. This strategy calls for the involvement of multiple stakeholders to foster more equitable and inclusive societies.

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Received: 17/03/2025; Revised: 18/04/2025; Accepted: 23/04/2025

Reimagining post-industrial landscapes through the lens of sustainable development

2025-06-27T15:24:24+00:00

This paper investigates the adaptive reuse of industrial heritage within the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) ì framework, addressing preservation, sustainability, and community development challenges. Often neglected or underutilized, industrial heritage sites hold significant potential for transformation into vibrant spaces that address social, economic, and environmental needs. This study presents a multi-scalar methodology integrating participatory planning, design innovation, and resilience thinking. Structured in five main sections – including a literature review, theoretical positioning, methodological framework, empirical case studies, and a synthesis – the paper aligns its contributions with SDGs 3, 4, 5, and 11. The outcomes demonstrate that adaptive reuse can become a catalytic mechanism for sustainable urban growth, equitable community engagement, and reinforced cultural identity. Through critical analysis of literature, policy, and community-based design practices, the paper contributes an actionable framework for repurposing post-industrial landscapes in the post-2030 sustainability era.

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Received: 26/03/2025; Revised: 18/04/2025; Accepted: 02/05/2025

Cultural identity and sustainable development – A methodological model for the Venetian Arsenal

2025-06-27T15:41:13+00:00

The redevelopment of the external paths of the Venetian Arsenal in Italy requires design responses in terms of functional performance, material compatibility with historical pre-existences, durability, and sustainability of the intervention. The site’s complex stratification, specific environmental conditions, and stringent performance requirements delineate seemingly conflicting demands to which the project must respond. The research proposes an operational methodology for evaluating intervention choices aimed at balancing them; through multidisciplinary investigations, parameters are outlined to qualify the design solutions derived from the analysis of international case studies. The evaluative model integrates conservation and innovation design strategies for historical sites through a careful site knowledge process.

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Received: 20/03/2025; Revised: 05/05/2025; Accepted: 07/05/2025

Osmosis, hybridisation, symbiosis – From biophilia to interspecies regenerative design

2025-06-27T16:08:40+00:00

This paper offers a reflection on a broader field of investigation developed through the activities of the NatureCity LAB at the University of Basilicata. The aim of exploring three operative categories is to focus on three processes through which the relationship between Architecture and Nature can generate spatial conditions for welcoming new alliances between humans and non-humans. Osmosis, hybridisation, and symbiosis are thus the key processes through which the regenerative potential of architecture, the city, and the landscape are investigated to ensure the well-being of the individuals who inhabit them. The research draws on a hypothesis, biophilia, a point of observation, the City of Matera, and case studies to trace a research trajectory around the Nature-City paradigm to outline a design perspective: interspecies regenerative architecture.

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Received: 15/03/2025; Revised: 29/04/2025; Accepted: 02/05/2025

Rethinking housing – Design and architecture for flexible and affordable living

2025-06-27T16:28:33+00:00

Architecture is called to face the challenges of an era marked by global change, economic instability, environmental crises, geopolitical tensions, and pandemic emergencies. One of the main fields of investigation through which a response can be articulated is housing, the core of the city, and a strategic area for identifying and experimenting with new paradigms capable of adequately addressing contemporary needs. This perspective is developed through housing case studies that contribute to an ecological transition, offering quality solutions for various ‘dimensions’ of living and segments of social demand, improving well-being and a sense of community. Starting from the current condition of housing hardship, an approach is proposed that moves away from the characteristics of permanence and immutability toward a redefinition of collective housing design as a space of flexibility, modularity, and affordability.

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Received: 15/03/2025; Revised: 24/04/2025; Accepted: 03/05/2025

Unveiling the invisible – Research projects for gender equality in the built heritage

2025-06-27T17:30:22+00:00

Why have women’s qualitative and quantitative contributions to construction often been forgotten or culpably omitted from official narratives? To answer this question, the proposed contribution critically reviews several actions and research projects the authors undertake. While the European project ‘MoMoWo’ and the intra-university project ‘Tecniche Sapienti’ focus on the object, namely the built heritage and the professionals, the ‘WAA’ project identifies the subjects who analyse and preserve the documentation related to this heritage. Beyond academic boundaries, the Italian Ministry of Culture also addresses the theme. The objective is twofold: to fill the gap in studies concerning the contributions of female designers in Italy and Europe and to trigger a process of knowledge and collaboration between subject and object.

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Received: 15/03/2025; Revised: 26/04/2025; Accepted: 28/04/2025

Inhabited forests – Architecture for health, well-being, and equality

2025-06-27T20:17:33+00:00

This paper presents the Right_TT research on urban forestry, shifting the approach from a technical and specialised conception, typical of agricultural and engineering sciences, to one that includes complementary qualitative logic. Starting from the critical issues of the ongoing territorial transformations, which have led to a downsizing of the objectives of the Ministerial Forestry Plan across the Italian territory, good practices and pilot projects are highlighted to refine action strategies. The impact of a new forested urban habitat appears, in the long term, to guarantee the survival of the human species and, in the short to medium term, to improve the quality of life, revealing connections between various Sustainable Development Goals: a healthy, democratic forest-city is a more equitable city, more welcoming to other forms and modes of life.

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Received: 15/03/2025; Revised: 16/04/2025; Accepted: 20/04/2025

The impact of urban models on social support – Between spatial justice and sustainable development

2025-06-27T20:33:41+00:00

Territorial disparities condition the well-being of communities, affecting access to essential services and the possibility of building and maintaining meaningful social networks. Differences in the distribution of infrastructure, the quality of urban spaces, and opportunities for social interaction can amplify isolation situations, especially impacting the most vulnerable segments of the population. This study, conducted in four municipalities in the Province of L’Aquila, analyses the phenomenon according to two dimensions: the spatial one, linked to urban planning and the location of primary services, and the social one, related to perceived social support. The results underline the importance of inclusive planning that promotes spatial justice and equitable access to services, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.

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Received: 18/03/2025; Revised: 23/04/2025; Accepted: 02/05/2025

Living the University – Guidelines for new campuses and public spaces for sustainable urban livability

2025-06-28T08:29:51+00:00

The role of university campuses is evolving from closed, self-referential spaces to open and inclusive urban infrastructures capable of responding to the needs of academic and city communities. This study analyses the liveability of university public spaces through a methodology that identifies guidelines for designing sustainable, accessible, and city-integrated campuses. The research tested these principles through three redevelopment and new construction projects at the University of Pisa, demonstrating how architecture can be a tool for urban regeneration. The adopted approach promotes social inclusion, well-being, and sustainability, creating a replicable model for future campus development, in line with SDGs 3, 4, 5, and 11.

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Received: 17/03/2025; Revised: 14/04/2025; Accepted: 23/04/2025

Promoting health and well-being – Tools for designing community health centres and healthy neighbourhoods

2025-06-28T09:01:36+00:00

Within the field of studies on the built environment as a determinant of health and in the context of the ‘urban health’ approach, this article illustrates the methodology used in the Quartieri Sani Hub (lit. Healthy Neighbourhoods Hub) research to develop decision-support tools for Public Administrations and designers in the creation of healthy neighbourhoods that promote well-being. These tools include design scenarios applied to two real contexts in Florence and technical guidelines of a meta-design nature. The presented methodology highlights a recursive process between architectural design and the development of operational meta-design tools based on data derived from a participatory and analytical process developed during the research.

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Received: 15/03/2025; Revised: 18/04/2025; Accepted: 20/04/2025

Cohousing for women victims of violence – An Interreg project for gender equality

2025-06-28T09:19:33+00:00

The paper describes an Interreg project on cohousing and coworking for women victims of gender-based violence, outlining its context, motivations, objectives, phases, ongoing developments and reporting on the first results achieved. The project, called Femmes Libres, sees the transnational collaboration of public and private partners addressing the issue from different points of view. In the paper, however, showing the interdisciplinary approach of the partnership, the focus is mainly on the design aspects of the proposed housing model. It highlights architectural research in achieving SDG 5 and other synergistically related SDGs.

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Received: 14/03/2025; Revised: 17/04/2025; Accepted: 20/04/2025

Meta-design strategies for affordability in university housing

2025-06-28T09:44:30+00:00

Access to university housing is increasingly hindered by high construction costs, which inevitably lead to economically burdensome and often unaffordable fees. This situation limits the participation in higher education of many capable and deserving students who lack financial means. Through the comparative analysis of a set of affordable and international university residences, the paper investigates design and process paradigms which, at the building scale, suggest low-cost solutions that make such developments less economically demanding without necessarily compromising architectural quality. This ongoing research aims to develop a meta-design support tool for creating new university residences that are both low-cost and high-quality.

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Received: 17/03/2025; Revised: 25/04/2025; Accepted: 29/04/2025

Circular economy in developing countries – Sustainable construction practices in Kenya

2025-06-28T10:41:44+00:00

The article explores Circular Economy practices in the construction sector in Africa and, in particular, in Kenya, investigating how practices of reuse of construction products can lead to economic, environmental and social benefits. Although the Circular Economy is still a new topic in most African countries, some conditions can stimulate the interest of the sector: the growing investments in construction, the increase of construction and demolition waste and the significant presence of informal activities that reuse construction products reveal opportunities to develop appropriate circularity strategies. A ‘circularity for affordability’ approach is proposed as a strategic lever to fight poverty, exploring the following paradigm shifts: from linear to circular material flows; from unstructured supply chains to entrepreneurial networks; from informal settlements to affordable housing.

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Received: 17/03/2025; Revised: 27/04/2025; Accepted: 29/04/2025

Poverty and water infrastructure – A case study in Sub-Saharan Africa

2025-06-28T11:06:32+00:00

The World Health Organisation attributes a broad meaning to the term ‘health’, spanning peace and social justice (WHO, 1946), thus recognising health as a fundamental human right. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were launched to ensure all health aspects, aiming for integration between economic, social, and environmental sustainability (UNEP, 2015). These goals are universally relevant but context-specific in their application. Some marginal areas suffer endemic disadvantages due to the unavailability of essential resources, such as water, exacerbated by climate change. This article presents some outcomes of a research project by the Department of Architecture at ‘Roma Tre’ University aimed at building self-constructed infrastructure for healthcare, food, and water in marginal areas of Sub-Saharan Africa.

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Received: 14/03/2025; Revised: 20/04/2025; Accepted: 22/04/2025

Parametrictectura – A rural parametric design to enhance prefabrication and self-construction methods in Latin America

2025-06-28T11:56:57+00:00

The demand for affordable housing in rural areas in Latin America faces continuous challenges like resource scarcity and high costs. Traditional building methods often fail due to inefficiencies and inflexibility connected to the lack of infrastructure and economic investments in apart and disconnected areas. This research aims to create alternative rural housing in Latin America by developing a scalable and replicable housing model combining modular prefabrication and participatory self-construction. The goals include reducing construction time and resource use, enhancing quality and empowering users by involving them in the building process. The system comprises three modular subsystems produced through digital fabrication, ensuring precision, minimal waste, and optimal material use. Preliminary prototypes show reduced costs and faster construction while maintaining high quality. By reducing material waste and energy consumption, the project aligns with SDGs, benefiting rural communities.

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Received: 16/03/2025; Revised: 24/04/2025; Accepted: 02/05/2025