Eliciting and activating the added value of Design research on/for craft innovation

This paper proposes theoretical considerations for elaborating clear and applicable parameters to evaluate and orient the design research in the craft sector in order to recognize and enhance its added values. These reflections stem partially from the international project “Contemporary Authentic”, which used design driven strategies for activating craft heritage in Milano. Such heritage is an ecosystem of distributed and quite traditional knowledge and expertises, rooted in places, people and activities (some of which also endangered), weakly connected with industry but still represents an important socio-economic asset. Emerging signals show that local initiatives of co-creation, auto-production and collaboration between craft and design have a potential for bridging this market with a new craft industry and production, characterised by a contemporary style and vision but respectful of the original cultural values. In mapping these initiatives and in elaborating a peculiar design strategy for promoting craft innovation through transmission and re-contextualisation in new cultural intensive products, the Contemporary Authentic project questioned topic such as authenticity (as balance of tradition and innovation), cultural sustainability (ownership, control and impact of the design processes), typicality and identity (territorial touristic promotion and local development) and quality certification system, concepts that makes the design action recognizable and replicable. Proceeding from the projects findings on the role of design in the process of craft activation, the paper aims at further elaborating some evaluating parameters for eliciting the design driven value for craft: this preliminary list includes the measurable grades of situativity, reproducibility, relationality/connectivity, transmissibility, sharing and re-applicability of craft that can be promoted and innovated through design research and development both at the material and immaterial level looking for a smart craft heritage policies platform.