Project anticipation: when design shapes possible futures in the built environment

This paper discusses the motivation and pathways which led to the organisation of the first International Conference on Project Anticipation which took place in Trento on 9th November 2015 and focuses on one part of the working sessions: ‘Design shapes futures’, which refer to built environment themes. After establishing the initial framework of the relationship between project and anticipation, three categories within the possible relationship between Project and Anticipation are identified, each of which is explained in accordance with the reports presented during the Conference: 1 – Sustainability in design and architecture 2 – The city of tomorrow 3 – Neuroscience and perception This introduction provides an initial summary description of the topics and themes of each session, leaving a more profound analysis to the individual contributors to this publication.