Feeding Milan. Energies for change. (“Nutrire Milano. Energie per il cambiamento”).A framework project for sustainable regional development based on food de-mediation and multifunctionality as Design strategies.

Abstract This paper will show a strategic design project, promoted by the Politecnico di Milano-INDACO dept, University of Gastronomic Sciences and Slow Food Italy, which arose from the observation that in the Milanese urban area the demand for high quality, fresh food hugely exceeds the actual, available production, despite the presence of a large, potential “urban larder” known as Agricultural Park South Milan. The aim of the project is to design a system of services and infrastructures to develop a more efficient and effective Milanese agri-food chain, in order to shape a scenario of sustainable and innovative metro-agriculture. The Strategic Design contribution is twofold: on one hand it focuses on multifunctionality and collaboration among producers to achieve economies of scope; on the other hand, it fosters the relationship between the city and the productive countryside through de-mediation of the agri-food chain. This ongoing project started by observing the most promising cases of social innovation in the territory and is now working to strengthen them and diffuse such models through a Service Design intervention and the implementation of a pilot case. Within this approach, this paper will point out design tools and strategies to address such complex territorial issues