Envisioning Design Strategies for Intangible Cultural Heritage Activation

This paper aims at presenting innovative design strategies for the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) ‘activation’ in the age of ‘heritage continuum’. The principal claim is that, in response to an age of crisis and turbulence (climate change, conflicts, post-pandemic recovery) and to the nowadays scenario of digital transformation (metaverse and phygital and smart reality) “caring ICH” means, more than a simple revitalisation, making it sustainably practiced or, rather, ‘activated’ to bring value, creativity and innovation, being a guiding resource for promoting social and economic development, more inclusive societies and intercultural understanding and collaboration, and new cultural production and co-creation. For doing this, ICH needs to be approached ‘designerly’ as a cultural ecosystem that binds together cultural contents, museums, cultural institutions, archives and digital repository, territory, communities, users and stakeholders. Moreover it is crucial pushing creatively forward beyond stereotypes the concept of valorization from mere conservation to an updated idea of safeguarding and taking care, addressing the lively and evolving nature of ICT, namely its adaptation and transformation, in order to allow for ICH to be re-enacted and brought back into use and meaning for contemporary society. After a critical literature review on design for Cultural Heritage, the essay focuses on the potentialities of the actual scenario of ICH valorisation, and then, identifying and analysing interesting case studies and using theoretical reflection, presents some strategies to sustainably address the global challenges of the ICH activation (experience, interpretation, practice and re-use) to come.