Digital Technologies to Promote and Valorise Design Culture

Industrial design, seen as cultural heritage, reflects both material production and creative thought of its era, yet often remains underexplored. In the Milan area—birthplace of iconic Italian design—former studios still preserve the spirit of the golden age. Though inactive, these sites remain tied to the processes and ideas that shaped them. Design research plays a key role in unlocking archives to build narratives, inspire new interpretations, and foster experiential learning. This chapter presents two cases of digital heritage enhancement: the digitisation of Giovanni Sacchi’s archive, connecting sketches, drawings, photos, and prototypes to reconstruct design trajectories; and Looking for Achille Castiglioni, a mobile app offering a geolocated tour of Castiglioni’s works in Milan, recontextualising them in their original sites. These examples show how digital tools can preserve, interpret, and share design culture, turning archival traces into accessible, dynamic experiences.