Abstract:

Following the pandemic, there has been an increased discussion on human spaces. Initially, the debate centred around the domestic environment. Subsequently, with the resumption of in-person work, there has been a growing imperative to enhance the functionality and hospitality of public spaces. The study of public spaces' dynamics has involved the working and educational environments. Specifically, the reflection has been on permanent environments such as university campuses.

The Laboratorio di Sintesi Finale of section I1 is explicitly predicated on this premise.

This course, the final design laboratory of Politecnico di Milano's three-year Interior Design degree program, gives the 57 enrolled students the chance to work on a project that will serve as the focus of their thesis.

Students are expected to design spaces on Politecnico's three campuses in Milan to maximise the user experience of events and services.

The demands of the university world today include areas that can guarantee increased campus livability and attractiveness, as well as flexible and adaptable spaces, areas for socialising, areas for sports and areas for autonomous food consumption.

The intention is to engage students in working on permanent or temporary locations, as well as dedicated and interstitial spaces, both indoor and outdoor.

The faculty team is multidisciplinary and includes professors and specialists from the fields of architecture, interior design, product design, and materials expertise due to the diversity and scope of the work.

Giving students the assistance they require to present their research and projects effectively is crucial.

Consequently, the Laboratorio di Sintesi Finale aims to give students practical tools for analysing design problems in the larger framework of cultural, social, and technological changes (discoveries, new lifestyles, and new technological scenarios). Students are required to create an interior design project that narrates and represents their ideation process using a range of methodologies and digital and non-digital media.

During the research phase, the students have to develop printed layouts, videos and presentations to represent their project; at the same time, they collect case studies on preset boards that summarise the analysed projects and artefacts.

The expected results are an in-depth representation of the research analysis and a description of the concept phase. The final documents must include technical and analytical aspects, mainly in hard copy, and emotional and conceptual aspects, represented through videos. The case studies have been explored in depth in several course steps and are a reference throughout the design phase.

The rules provided for the layout and organisation of the material make it possible to obtain coherent papers in proportions and format for the final exam. Moreover, being graphically consistent, all the documents are also ready to fit coherently into a possible format for an exhibition.

At the end of the course, with the theoretical input on interior design, material selection and practical guidance on writing and editing a thesis, the students have acquired a method of representing and communicating the project.

Keywords:

Education, interior design, case studies, university campuses, public spaces, communication supports.