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IDSS 2024
Italian Design Summer School: Art, Society and Industry, the 16h Edition
The ITALIAN DESIGN SUMMER SCHOOL (IDSS) is open to all students and professionals from all over the world interested in Italian Industrial Design.
IDSS offers a unique opportunity to experience the Italian environment by living in the city of Bologna, rich in tradition and located in one of the most
important industrial districts in Europe. Visits to local enterprises, cultural heritage sites and landmarks will allow students to understand and live
the Italian culture and society.
Partnerships
IDSS is a joint program of the University of Bologna with selected institutions. The Yuan Ze University of Taipei (Taiwan), the Shizuoka University of Art
and Culture (Japan), the School of Engineering of Dayton University (USA), the School of Engineering of University of Kentucky (UK) and the Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning
of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad issue credits to their students who attend and successfully pass the final exam of the Summer School.
IDSS is an eligible program for a Master Degree in Innovative Product Design proposed by the Department of Industrial Engineering at the University of Bologna
and the Department of Art and Design at the Yuan Ze University of Taipei.
Course content
The “Made in Italy” system
The course about the “Made in Italy” system describes what the Italian industrial districts are, and the main characteristics
of the Italian production system. The reasons for the “Made in Italy” success all over the world are analysed.
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Italian industrial design history
This course aims at deepening the principal points of the history of design and technology in the 19th and 20th centuries. Italian and European design
is analised in order to understand the thread of history in design and product evolution leading to our present-day
industrial society.
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Italian art history
An idea of the evolution of Italian art, focused century by century on an artist, a work of art or a significant event.
Art history as a container of eidetic and plastic-formal suggestions, referable even to design.
Some lessons will take place on site in museums and galleries.
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Concept freehand drawing
The aim is to propose some themes to exercise the freehand drawing. The intuition, the own interior and perceptive world, the hand and the fantasy are
the direct expressions of the inspiration. The process consists of understanding the method of the technical drawing for design and its potential of expression,
and the correct supports to realize sketches of daily used objects: from the quick sketch to describe form and shape to a more mature
and detailed drawing.
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Design methods
The lectures are dedicated to the description of the design methods used to develop or to improve a new industrial product, where methods and instruments for
the innovation are integrated and joined together in order to obtain the best result concerning both the economical and technical aspects.
Starting with design history and using matrices that are able to compare and identify the product characteristics that need more
attention, the course goes deep into the relation between the function and form of a product.
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Production processes and Additive Manufacturing for Design
Over 120,000 materials are at designers' disposal, and metals are strongly contending for primacy with advanced polymers, ceramics and composites.
A summary of methods for selecting materials is introduced, along with examples and valuable Computer Aided Engineering tools.
Product sustainability and performance optimisation are introduced. Innovative Additive manufacturing processes are discussed. Indeed, the design
of industrial products needs a deep knowledge of their relationships with materials and manufacturing processes.
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Computer Aided Design
Industrial designers use information technologies to develop a project up to the point of obtaining a virtual prototype that allows the realisation
of product definition. Therefore it’s essential for a designer to have knowledge of most advanced CAD-CAM systems in order to rapidly
and effectively find the best product solutions.
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Fashion and style
The first aim of this module is to introduce the Italian fashion world through a short description of Italian fashion history, origins, main stylists
and the present fast-fashion. The main characteristics of “Made in Italy” clothing and accessories, for which Italy is famous
and appreciated all over the world, will be described.
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Food Design
Food is a main issue in Italian culture and food design an important element of the Italian design and “Made in Italy”.
Several relevant Italian Food designers and objects are described during these lessons.
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Project Work
Project work allows students to apply to concrete case studies all those theories and methods they are learning.
A significant number of hours is dedicated to the practical elaboration of projects under the guidance of tutors.
Students, organized into groups, will develop innovative products using design methods and CAD instruments
in collaboration with local manufacturing enterprises.
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Seminars of professional Designers
Seminars of Italian Designers are proposed to allow students to dialogue directly with well-known professionals in the design world.
Designers will explain how and from what they take their inspiration and will answer students' questions.
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Visits to local enterprises
Students will visit some firms where significant industrial products of Italian Design are manufactured.
Prestigious companies (Ferrari, Lamborghini, Ducati etc.) whose brands are famous worldwide are located in the territories around Bologna. Some of them
will open their doors to our students! Specific visits will be dedicated to different sectors of Made in Italy (Fashion, Wellness, Food etc.).
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Visits to cultural, artistic and historical sites
Visits to Museums and artistic sites are organised under the guidance of the Art History Professors to complete the students' view of Italian history and style.
The University of Bologna is the most ancient in the world, and students will visit the University Museum of Palazzo Poggi.
They will enter the unique atmosphere of this prestigious historical institution.
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