Environment, Moving spaces (TAM)

Research focus

The Peer review has evaluated this group as Good

Research focus is on changeable and moving spaces, in transport – especially by water - and in temporary equipped buildings. While the fittings in means of transport tend to be permanent because of technical constraints, more and more nowadays buildings tend to be fitted by flexible and changeable equipment. These kinds of spaces are both marked by severe requirements of flexibility, lightness, usability and aesthetic qualities. Main research topics are: a. methods and tools for interior design, aimed to improve comfort and well being, saving energy and taking into account the concept of sustainability. This research field is internationally named IEQ, Indoor Environmental Quality, but main studies are carried out about building construction: the TAM is developing studies in the described special spaces too. b. Aesthetic and functional qualities of sailing and motor boats, from the design of interiors to the products ones. Italy has the world leadership in the nautical and naval sector: research is needed for developing innovation to maintain such position and to prepare high level professionals. c. Technical and aesthetic analogies and differences between buildings and boats in their facilities and fittings: innovation is often coming from hybridization and cross-pollination between different fields: boats and buildings present interesting exchange processes in typologies, technologies and way of use. d. Experimentation in teaching methodologies: natural scale mock ups are been designed and built up with the staff of Stage Setting Lab to experiment with new and more efficient methods in design training, using and testing recent international researches about human kinds of intelligence. Teaching and research activities are strictly connected. Three mainstreams have been carried out: 1. design and start up of high level courses: a) the two years master course in Nautical and Naval Design established at La Spezia in 2005 and carried out by Politecnico di Milano and by Università di Genova; b) the one year master in Yacht Design, established at Politecnico di Milano since 2000; c) a few seminars and lectures for professionals in the field; 2. setting of natural scale mocks ups, either for training in yacht design (mock up is a boat interior space) and for training interior designers (mock up of internal spaces, civil, commercial, exhibit, and so on). 3. testing new and cleaner technologies for boat building such as “Infusion” made at Stage Setting Lab (construction of small experimental sailing boats).

Departments

Dipartimento di Industrial Design, Arti, Comunicazione e Moda (INDACO)

Professors

Full Professors
Silvia Piardi
Assistant Professors
Andrea Ratti