For Nature/With Nature: New Sustainable Design Scenarios

Table of Contents

1. Nature and Digital Technologies

   1. Frontmatter

   2. New Scenarios for Sustainable Design Toward an Integrated Approach Between Bio-Inspired Design, Biomimetic Materials, Generative Parametric Modelling, Additive Manufacturing

      Lucia Pietroni, Jacopo Mascitti, Davide Paciotti, Alessandro Di Stefano

      Abstract

      The definition of Circular Economy identifies the design as a strategic tool for the radical change of the linear economic model. The cultural debate on the role of Design for Environmental Sustainability is focusing on the importance of a circular and bio-inspired approach to accelerate the change. Bio-inspiration becomes necessary for designers to increase the environmental performance of artefacts and to transform, from linear to circular, the production and consumption model. Nanoscience, supported by nanotechnology, has carried out major shifts in the scientific paradigm, enabling us to gain new insights into natural phenomena and processes that were previously impossible to understand and replicate on macro and micro scales. Nanoscience can explain in new ways the characteristics of nature, observed at the nanoscale, and enabling the nanotechnology to replicate some specific performances of biological beings. This scientific paradigm shift is rapidly bringing new perspectives to the design culture to enhance the environmental sustainability of products, processes, systems, and services, supported by other significant technological innovations driven by digital transformation of the design and production methods and tools. Today, promising new scenarios are opening for sustainable design, based on an integrated approach between bio-inspiration, the application of biomimetic materials, the use of generative parametric modelling software, and the rapid and additive prototyping/manufacturing. This paper aims to explore the highlights and perspectives of such integrated design approach that could trigger the radical transformation of the traditional process of ideation/design/production of industrial products, also through some case-studies of bio-inspired design and products.

   3. Human-Robot-Human: The Natural Dimension of the Telepresence Robotics Design

      Lorenza Abbate, Claudio Germak

      Abstract

      The telepresence robotics, a declination of social robotics, has introduced a new concept of the naturalness of human–machine relations, which have turned into human–machine-human relations. The robot becomes a mediator between people at a distance who today communicate with their face and voice through a screen, but who could complete their human characteristics through their body tomorrow. The concept of ‘naturalness’ in the field of telepresence robotics refers to two dimensions of ecology: environmental ecology, through the energy savings associated with possible distant relations without the need for travel; human ecology through person-to-person (s) communication, conducted with a natural transposition of the human figures with their expressions, gestures, voice and behavior. We are therefore moving towards a new humanism of robotics (robo-ethics) in which the machine is not designed to replicate man (cyborgs) but becomes an extension or prosthesis of the real person. The person and the machine together become members of an ecosystem where human relationships, even if at a distance, are at the center of the new performance, in terms of ‘naturalness’, offered by the robotic machine. The chapter provides an unpublished overview of interdisciplinary studies on the evolution of the concept of telepresence robotics. These are experiments in which the contribution of design to developing the telepresence service in different social contexts and of a robotic machine that can be characterized in its embodiment and interaction with the person is fundamental.

   4. Custodian Communities and Land Care for the Future

      Maria Carola Morozzo della Rocca, Chiara Olivastri, Giulia Zappia, Mario Ivan Zignego

      Abstract

      The lockdown due to Covid-19, the Russian-Ukrainian war and climate emergency have all undermined the foundations of a highly globalised economy, demonstrating the need for new and alternative ways of development to increase economic and social welfare. In this complex and fragile scenario, Design can contribute to a change of paradigm, providing visions, strategies, services and products that are able to lead to a more sustainable future, supported by a deglobalised and territorial economic model, closer to nature and for nature itself. One example is the Interreg Maritime IT-FR CamBio VIA project where the contribution of Design—in synergy with a multidisciplinary partnership—has made it possible to enhance rural communities actively involved in livestock farming and in the production of handmade and high-quality food. These communities that we call ‘Custodian Communities’ can evolve from small and local manufacturers to a network of developing enterprises through a Design Thinking approach. The communities can develop as a sort of widespread ‘industry 5.0’ thanks to user-centred strategies and digital technologies, still keeping artisan and human centric features but, at the same time, being digitally evolved, resilient, sustainable and able to produce additional value both for production and for environmental enhancement. The essay aims to provide an overview of the role of Design in the Interreg project and will be structured as follows: Introduction; The role of Design and the strategies adopted; Elements for a stable paradigm shift of local economies; Impact on the local area and community; Future opportunities.

   5. Design, Nature and Digital Technologies: Artificial Intelligence’s Ethic for Techno-Social Innovation and (Digital) Sustainability

      Francesco Monterosso

      Abstract

      Contemporary “digital” societies are going through a phase of chaotic growth that imposes the search for a new balance between nature, humanity and technology. Technicistichal dystopias—datacracy (De Kerckhove 2016a), surveillance capitalism (Zuboff 2019), prepotency of algorithms, deep fake, etc.—impose a rethinking of societies in the direction of a “digital humanism” (Nida-Rümelin and Weidenfeld 2019) based on the challenge related to the major transversal issues of the present-future such as sustainability, equity and inclusivity. In this dynamic, changing and generative scenario, to trigger new forms of transformation of the world, it becomes essential to transition from the project of “things” (analog) to the project of “relationships” (digital) (Floridi 2020a) and vice versa. New artifacts, products, environments and hybrid services allow to prefigure and elaborate unusual spaces of complex interaction typical of the Infosfera (Floridi 2017). New technical-productive, social-cultural, natural-artificial spaces, which are configured as a new, complex and challenging hybrid digital ecosystem (Iaconesi and Persico Iaconesi 2015, 2016, 2021a, b, c; Manzini 2021) in which design must act by innovating behaviors and languages. Starting from these considerations, the paper presents a theoretical reflection that intertwines key issues of contemporary debate on the ecological and digital transition, investigating, in particular, the complex relationships between artificial intelligence (but also algorithms, big data, IoT) and design culture/disciplines. The theoretical framework is followed by one significant project experience that highlight the correlation between technological social and cultural innovation guided by design and by a renewed ethical approach through which it is possible to conceive a new kind of artifacts/services that, through new rituals, practices and collective and connective actions, lead to new forms of expression and sensitivity (Iaconesi and Persico Iaconesi 2019, 2021b).

   6. Hydro-Symbiotic Morphologies: Generative Design Processes for Hyper Arid Ecosystems

      Michela Musto

      Abstract

      The Hydro-Symbiotic Morphologies project, presented as part of the Master of Science in Emergent Technologies and Design of the Architectural Association School of London by the architects Yasmine Rougab, Carlos Zulueta, and Michela Musto in 2013, explores the possibility of establishing a residential settlement in the hyper-arid area of the Atacama Desert, the driest one on Earth. The research revolves around the design of fog-catcher systems capable of providing subsistence tools in a future that sees the phenomenon of desertification dramatically advancing. The fog collection method has been proven to be a sustainable technology to provide fresh water for drinking and plant watering. To manage efficiently this precious resource, the project employs food towers, and a belt of fog catchers, those are the spaces where aquaculture, fish farming, and purification of water happen and become part of a highly efficient ecosystem. All the stages of the design had been approached with a biomimetic overture, detecting the fundamental survival strategies of the rare life forms living in hyper-arid ecosystems and translating their relevant geometries and behaviors in complex sets of data ready to be manipulated through algorithms and generate optimized forms enabling the creation and management of a complex system designed to accommodate life in the desert. The research highlights along the design process the existence of a capillary symbiosis between nature and digital matter, in this system the understanding of one allows the simulation and the iteration of the features and performance of the other. The design is driven by a bottom-up process and makes extensive use of generative data-driven design strategies led by a bio-inspired approach. The biomimetic inspiration is supported by the use of digital simulation tools marking the step for a new trans natural symbiosis, even in places not considered, until now, to be colonized by humans.

   7. Hyper-Nature: Slow Manufacturing and Artificial Intelligence for a Conscious Fashion System

      Roberto Liberti, Silvestro di Sarno, Valentina Alfieri, Cristina Cannavacciuolo

      Abstract

      The current state of emergency, caused by climate change, highlights how nature is ‘rebelling’ against the pervasive actions of man. The anthropocentric scenario, outlined since the technological achievements of the late nineteenth century, seems to be coming to an end to make way for a new concept of hyper-nature. Crises—in their semantic meaning—are, for us, occasions for ‘discernment’: the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has confronted us with the ‘resilience’ of nature and its ability to regenerate itself autonomously; indeed, during the lockdown and the state of long human inactivity, nature itself has demonstrated its extraordinary self-regenerative process. From an ethical point of view, this emergency leads us to adopt a ‘minimalist’ lifestyle also with respect to energy consumption, which implies a substantial reduction in consumption as well as a more conscious approach by stakeholders within the fashion supply chain. There are still few companies that, to date, make choices that respect natural balances, many others instead adopt simple greenwashing actions. It is necessary, therefore, to rethink the Designer/Nature relationship on the basis of a new awareness on the one hand of the role of the designer as a professional capable of bringing form and function, profit and sustainability into dialogue, and on the other a new vision of nature no longer poised between subordination and rebellion but in total balance. Artificial intelligence seems to be coming to the aid of the definition of this fruitful dialogue: the use of CAD/CAM software makes it possible to meticulously manage the consumption of natural resources used during the production phases, as well as to reduce waste and refuse thanks to advanced precision and simulation systems for prototypes. In this sense, design must become a methodological process connected to the productions and cycles of nature itself; only in this way will we be able to speak of Hyper-nature, a condition of equilibrium in which the ideas-actions of man/designer are evaluated upstream of the processes, in anticipation of the minimum impact on ecosystems.

   8. Intertwining Fashion Practices Toward Industry 5.0 Through a Design-Driven Approach

      Daria Casciani

      Abstract

      Technology is the oikos of contemporary humanity, able to modify the earth’s ecosystem, contributing to the co-evolution of life of all species, particularly human beings. In the Technocene, the relationship between nature and society is strongly influenced by technological dominance. However, Industry 5.0 strategies suggest an opportunity to change this condition by leveraging the technological potential through more sustainable, resilient, and human-centric approaches and optimizing existing resources through systematic prevention of physical, social, urban, and process waste. This article focuses on the role of design in driving a positive holistic, sustainable transformation through digital technologies (e.g., additive manufacturing, laser cutting, collaborative robotics, 3D modeling, and simulation) in fashion, textile, and apparel applications. Expanding on case study analysis, this paper discusses how to re-center human beings, hybridizing craftsmanship with technologies toward safer, more creative, and sustainable design and manufacturing processes via connected supply and value chains. A framework is presented where design drives a paradigmatic shift to (i) reduce waste and polluted resources via circular harvested materials and cross-sectoral partnership; (ii) enhance human labor ecosystems and upskill the artisanal workforce via fashion-augmented craftsmanship/non-standard fabrication; (iii) revive local crafts expertise and cities via nearshoring production; (iv) align better with customers via on-demand hyper customization through experience activated interactions. This article highlights the importance of an interdisciplinary perspective among fashion, science, society, craft, and technology for a synergistic and sympathetic relationship between society and nature.

   9. Centring and Decentring the Human: New Alliances with Nature and Technology in Fashion Materials

      Giovanni Maria Conti, Paolo Franzo

      Abstract

      This contribution investigates two major perspectives that characterise the fashion industry in the twenty-first century and the relationship between humans, nature and technology. The first perspective has to do with the centring of humans and their needs in design, in a systemic and holistic way, leading to the evolution of Industry 4.0 into 5.0; the other perspective is an awareness of the limits of an anthropocentric vision and the need to look beyond the human in search of collaborations with the non-human, nature and technology. Through a literature review and a discussion of some case studies, this contribution explores these two perspectives and their interrelationships. These two trajectories are not alternatives, however, but instead intertwine, thus bringing to the attention of contemporary fashion design an ecosystem composed of humans, plants, animals and technologies.

   10. Rely on Available Resources: Designing Sustainability Education Technologies for Low Resources Scenarios

       Alessandro Pollini, Gian Andrea Giacobone

       Abstract

       The urgency of effectively delivering the message of sustainability challenges, such as climate change, and fostering social and individual change is vital. Sustainability Education plays a crucial role to empower young generations with knowledge, values, attitudes, and tools to deal with the climate emergency. The averseness and readiness of people to alter personal behavioral patterns to change the negative effects of the events is quite low. Still, most people carry on with their existing behavior, with many may be less inspired to act or to take it seriously. Resistance to change seems to be a very natural human response especially since “Equity, access to resources and technology, social and human capital, and access to risk-spreading mechanisms all function simultaneously as determinants of adaptive capacity and as prerequisites to sustainable development.”. This research aspires to innovate Sustainable Interaction Design (SIxD) in the specific field of Sustainability Education beyond the establishment of an experimental design-driven and human-centered discipline for motivating behavioral change through digital technologies. In particular, our research will contribute to evolve the SIxD field as it gathers data towards devising pervasive processes, educational platforms and tools that may catalyze societal transitions toward sustainability through design, i.e., how interactive systems can be used to promote more sustainable behaviors, as well as sustainability in design, i.e. how scarcity and optimization of resources can be used as critical lens in the design of digital technologies themselves. Since marginalized communities often lack the material means to successfully implement technology-enhanced learning, this research fosters an empirical perspective on intersectional design by assuring scalability of the solutions and graceful degradation in case of low resource educational scenarios. It thus assures Sustainability Education for all and prevents the overload of individuals, the isolation of groups and the break of community exchange.

   11. Made in Italy 5.0. Knitwear Design Within the Fifth Industrial Revolution

       Giulia Lo Scocco, Martina Motta

       Abstract

       Starting from an examination of the fifth industrial revolution phenomenon applied to the Made in Italy clothing sector, this paper aims to investigate the present and future scenarios that Industry 5.0 opens up in the world of knitwear design. Unlike other design sectors, the convergence between physical and digital environments, which is at the center of the Fashion Industry 4.0 debate, is an established feature of the practice of knitwear, which still carries within it the craftsmanship of handmade techniques and the automation of the most up-to-date machinery and software. However, in the archetypal narrative of most Made in Italy sectors, the technological aspects tend to be neglected in favor of a communication based only on craftsmanship and manual skills, and knitwear is no exception to this phenomenon. In this scenario, craftsmanship also recalls a sustainable way of working through a savoir-faire traditionally attentive to the impact of its processes and a high-quality product that is ultimately more durable and more responsible towards the planet. Stemming from these premises, the authors of this investigation identify knitwear as an archetypal case study of Made in Italy, analyzing how far this narrative reflects reality and how the advent of Industry 5.0 can fit into this context.

   12. A Taxonomy of Design Practices for Sustainability Towards Planetary Health

       Cecilia Padula, Silvia Barbero

       Abstract

       This contribution is part of the research that aspires to investigate how scientific design research is involved in determining a new balance between human beings and nature to improve the living conditions of our species on Earth. First, the paper investigates the different paradigms of Health based on the relationship between human beings and nature, presenting the levels of consistency in the concept of Sustainable Development. Subsequently, the research dwells on the analysis of the main design practices approaches, i.e. Planet-Centric Design, Human-Centered Design, Non-Human Centered Design, and Humanity-Centered Design, that investigate the relationship between our species and nature, classifying them according to definition, keywords, approach to Health paradigms, and adherence to the concept of Sustainability within Sustainable Development. The aim is to take a position on which of the above-mentioned approaches offers a perspective that allows humankind to perceive itself as a community as well as to be “in nature with nature”, without conflict and matricide, accepting our finiteness and not denying death. Hence, design practices must be able to develop good practices for Sustainable Development towards Industry 5.0, respecting the planetary and social boundaries of the “Doughnut”. Finally, the paper dwells on the sustainability assessment methods of industrial practices to highlight the consistency between the criteria selected by the different tools, and the concepts of Sustainability and Health inherent in the methodological approach of design. It converges to identify under-researched aspects of implemented practices on which design can focus to develop Industry 5.0.

   13. Biomimetic Design to Support the Design of Individual Protection Device

       Alessia Schettino, Simone Martucci, Gabriele Pontillo

       Abstract

       The paper aims at describing an ongoing research based on the development of individual protection devices, characterized by the use of technological innovation and biomimetic processes, for the customization of the product according to the facial physiognomic characteristics of each user. To date, the state of the art, in the field of the development of innovative biomedical devices, shows an increasingly strong link between design and medicine, and a design based on the human-centered design approach is increasingly recurrent, in order to meet the needs of users, including the need to make devices customizable, suitable in the different contexts of everyday life, comfortable and practical to wear, and easy to dispose of. The ambition was, therefore, to reinterpret a particular type of personal safety equipment (PPE), the face mask, with the aim of increasing its usability. To do this, the research made use of an innovative design and production process, based on the use of the biomimetic approach for both the morphological and functional aspects of the project. In this regard, the inspiration from the bone texture—strong but light—and the gripping function of the fingertips of tree frogs, represent important references with respect to the research conducted. As far as the production aspects are concerned, the research made use of digital surveying and additive manufacturing (3D Printing—3DP), in order to realize a device that could be adapted to the user's needs, as well as easily reproducible and disposable.

   14. Re-think. Re-design. Re-start: New Tools for a More Sustainable Fashion Design Process

       Maria Antonia Salomè

       Abstract

       The object of study in this research is the possibility of integrating new tools into the Fashion design process in order to implement the sustainability and productivity of the process. By new tools, we mean (a) digital prototyping with three-dimensional models as an additional tool to physical prototyping and (b) the introduction and application of zero waste methodology in pattern design. The study analyze the application of these tools in existing design processes and research testifying to the state of the art. The Covid-19 pandemic facilitated and, in some cases, intensified the use of new technologies in design processes and the development of new technologies to implement design phase transformation. At the same time, the pandemic period has encouraged and stimulated reflection on the issue of sustainability within the fashion supply chain, bringing to light the various possibilities offered by the design of a zero-waste mode. The increasing introduction of technology into production processes has accelerated and implemented the design possibilities of designers and style offices, improving the interaction between the creative and production sectors. Despite the adoption of various solutions, only a few companies have fully integrated 3D prototyping into their production workflows. Fashion schools and training programs have begun offering courses and modules to prepare future digital designers, but skepticism persists in the industry that hinders technological evolution.

   15. From More to Less: Carbon Neutral Enabling Technologies

       Antonella Violano

       Abstract

       Every need can be satisfied by reducing consumption and CO₂ emissions, ethically redefining priorities, changing the approach to conceiving and producing goods. “Industry 5.0” recognizes industry's role as a “resilient provider of prosperity and solutions,” putting the well-being of the environment and the worker at the centre of the production process, not only an accelerator of well-being but more importantly an enabler of change and innovation. Supply chain management (the cradle of the process) evolves the concept of “smart manufacturing for the future,” characteristic of Industry 4.0, towards the use of human creativity (critical and cognitive thinking) of experts (scientists, scholars, researchers) working together with efficient, intelligent and precise machines to produce resilient innovation. In these two terms, Innovation and Resilience, the ‘Ousia’ of the human-nature relationship is preserved. The strength of this nascent business reality lies in the concept: we are not only talking about innovative materials, but a production methodology that optimizes time, quantity and quality of input resources (among all, matter, but also energy and scientific know-how), processes and results, creating value chains of the Circular Bioeconomy, based on waste/scrap valorization. The innovative concept lies in defining the material ‘on demand,’ based on the physical and technical characteristics needed, both on the theoretical and application levels by promoting, as Faivre asserts, “a more resource-efficient, inclusive and sustainable growth model”.

   16. Environmentally Conscious Digital Interfaces: A Mindful Approach to UX

       Annapaola Vacanti

       Abstract

       Despite the common misconception that digital technology tends to “dematerialize” human activities, the environmental impact of the Internet is no longer negligible. As data traffic keeps growing at alarming speed, it is estimated that the entire network will consume 20% of global electricity production by 2025. Such energy consumption is a direct consequence of the great amount of time that we—and our smart devices—spend online. Although the cloud computing model allows to produce energy-efficient devices, data centers tend to consume more and more energy. At the same time, digital content is becoming heavier, mostly due to the growing importance of video streaming and the complexity of contemporary interfaces. Heavier websites and continuous content updates impact the energy usage of the network infrastructure and shorten the lifespan of the expensive devices that we use to access the Internet. Such a scenario requires web designers to acknowledge the environmental issue as a main driver in their efforts to optimize User Experience. Among the parameters that define the quality of a digital artifact, sustainability must play a central role, as complex, ultra-fast, and highly personalized interfaces may satisfy the user but represent a liability for our ecosystem’s survival. The paper proposes an analysis of energy-efficient websites, that clarify how designers can make environmentally conscious choices. Ultimately, methodological tools are offered to recognize, evaluate, and decrease the impact of digital interfaces on the Internet carbon footprint.

   17. Relationship Between Human and Rhythmic Dynamics in the Digital Interactive Experience

       Giorgio Dall’Osso, Michele Zannoni, Laura Succini

       Abstract

       Digital information connects with humans through multiple modes characterized by time and space. The development of interactive digital experiences highlights the need to develop a design methodology based on knowledge of the relationship between body, time and space. The state-of-the-art research around the topic of rhythm shows how it can be a container of knowledge for design. Through rhythm, perception acquires sensory information and translates it based on experience. Humans are used to reading rhythmic elements in space and time and are naturally influenced by them. At the social level, communities and individuals relate through rituals that are repeated over time and are punctuated by specific narrative sequences. The effects of rhythm within the fields of sociology, perception, art, motor behaviors, and physiology, testify to this inextricable link. Starting with the analysis of case studies linking rhythm and digital information, the research attempts to understand the ways in which specific digital rhythms are naturally experienced by humans. Through a biomimetic methodology, the research proposes an investigation with the aim of understanding how some rhythmic forms can activate communicative processes with users, their memory or with real spaces. The research uses a rhythmic analysis of user experience based on Cartesian time/information visualization systems. The findings highlight how the rhythmic dimension expresses instrumental design directions balancing the pervasive relationship between information and humans.

   18. Regenerative Design Approach for Twin Transition in Travel and Tourism Sector

       Asja Aulisio, Amina Pereno

       Abstract

       Nowadays, design is experiencing a turn towards complexity, from the product to the value-chain level, to tackle the challenges of new ‘phygital’ (physical + digital) socio-technical systems. This is opening designers to new advanced sectors but is also leading to reframing established research domains. Among those, Tourism is characterised by a highly complex and fragmented value chain, marked by a business-as-usual model that needs design-driven innovation. It has been a front-runner sector in e-commerce, but this has mainly affected booking processes and commercial transactions. A systemic transition towards digital innovation is still lacking. The design discipline has missed the holistic perspective needed to understand the mutual relationships between the actors in the system. This process is even more urgent considering the global and local impacts of travel experiences, which the pandemic has just paused but not stopped. Decision-makers are increasingly striving for a sustainable sector transition; hence the research community is advancing systemic reflections on a regenerative culture of tourism. Design can support this new scenario, exploring how tourism can generate social, environmental, and economic value and well-being within the visited context, improving the travel experience through sustainable behaviours. The chapter will address the complexity behind the socio-technical tourism system and the digital-physical experiences that travellers undergo to explore, plan, book, live and then remember and share a journey. Present and future strategies for regenerative tourism are examined to define the ongoing and forward-looking trends that can involve design disciplines. These include designing and managing sustainable dynamics through stakeholder engagement practices, mapping and using data and digital information, designing communication and physical products supporting regenerative travel experiences.

   19. Design Innovation Strategy for Waterfront Public Service Space in Shanghai, China: Lesson from Global Experiences and Expertise

       Xiaowen Wu, Feifei Song

       Abstract

       Waterfront public space is a significant carrier that exemplifies the vitality and image of a waterfront city, and its design capability plays an important part in forming the city’s image, brand, and cultural soft power. There are still many outstanding issues with the current design of urban waterfront space, such as the inability of the small space to adapt to a diversity of service content, the lack of clarity in the directionality of the demand for residential services, the limitations of digital service applications. This paper utilizes the micro-renewal practice of Huangpu Riverside public leisure service facilities as its research object and incorporates the concept of foreign exemplary cases to provide effective design recommendations for the future design of waterfront service space. The research refines the problems and summaries the design strategies of the research status of public service space using the methods of literature and case analysis. The current research findings are reflected in three aspects: Firstly, the functional requirements of public services have shifted from a single-function design to a green and composite-function design. Second, the application of digital mobile devices influences the facility utilization rate. Thirdly, public service facilities serve not only the daily requirements of residents, but also as an important conduit for urban cultural exchange. This research will contribute to the revitalization of waterfront public service space and the development of adaptive reuse design guidelines, thereby fostering the high-quality development of urban waterfront public space.

   20. Design for Movability: A New Design Research Challenge for Sustainable Design Scenarios in Urban Mobility

       Alessandra Rinaldi, Daniele Busciantella-Ricci, Sara Viviani

       Abstract

       This paper proposes a research approach for addressing new sustainable design scenarios about urban mobility, from a product and service design perspective. The contribution introduces trends for promoting sustainable mobility solutions, also connected to the theme of active and healthy ageing, ranging from improving walkability to micro and active mobility. We propose to focus on the ‘movability’ concept as a designerly term to address new sustainable design scenarios in urban mobility. This term was coined in the ’60s within Piaggio, an Italian mobility company, and describes an opposing perspective to the predominant car-centric model. The movability concept emphasises walkability and the usage of emergent technologies to support the human ability to move. Consequently, we introduce the ‘Design for Movability’ (DxM) concept for addressing contemporary mobility challenges from a product and service design perspective. Case studies to explore the DxM perspective are presented both from the literature and the ‘research through design’ experiences of a research laboratory engaged in sustainable urban mobility through product design. The paper reports the early results by analysing the identified cases from the literature, and emergent concepts from Design Sprint sessions with young designers. Finally, a framework is proposed to be used in product and service design to address contemporary challenges in urban mobility. The paper concludes by reflecting on DxM as a design approach that favours the natural human predisposition to walk, with advantages in terms of recovering the relationship between humans and nature, humans and urban environment, rising social interaction, and people and urban wellbeing.