Design storytelling through archive materials

Industrial Design intended as cultural heritage is witnessing a period's industrial production and creative thought; this legacy needs to be shared with a broader audience. The Milan area is full of studios and ateliers, where most Italian design projects were born. Even though they are no longer operating, these locations are still linked to the creative process and convey the atmosphere of the golden age of Italian Design. Design research is essential in investigating archives' potential in constructing historical narratives and new research paths and learning tools. The paper describes two case studies for enhancing Design Culture through digital technology. A digitisation project for the archive of the famed Italian modeller Giovanni Sacchi to link heterogeneous data – sketches, technical drawings, images, physical models – to create an overall view of the design process and highlight the creative thought. The second describes LfAC, a mobile location-based application designed to lead visitors to discover Achille Castiglioni's projects in downtown Milan: works are valorised and brought back to life through contextual contents delivered to visitors' smartphones.