Reversible Building Technologies and Unconventional Materials for the Circular and Creative Reuse of Small Centers

The paper describes the research experience transferred to the teaching activity of the authors through the description of design experiments carried out in small Italian centres, in which emergency conditions become drivers of innovation in the context of the Circular Economy and application of circular and creative reuse strategies of unused spaces. The post-pandemic conditions have accelerated the rethinking and shaping of neighbourhoods, cities and small centres, which have become places of social innovation and cultural growth, to all intents and purposes. At the same time, the key role of Design, widely reiterated by the European strategies related to the European Green Deal, draws attention to the activation of Open Innovation, Circular Design, Design for Disassembly dynamics, highlighting the social, economic and environmental impact of innovative and sustainable measures that focus on people and the environment, involving citizens in urban regeneration activities. The intervention strategies concern the rethinking of open spaces and meeting places in our cities through temporary, modular, off-site, mountable, demountable, aggregable structures to provide adequate services to citizens. Two case studies will be described as best cultural practices of design experiments oriented to the principles of Circular Building Technologies, Reversible Building Design, Design Thinking, providing students with scientific and technical competences on the topic, and transferring them to the construction sector.