THE I.C.E. WORKSHOPS EXPERIENCE. DESIGN ORIENTED SCENARIOS FOR TERRITORY DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION IN MERCHANDISING DESIGN.

Today we notice a pressing question about the transformation process for the production of cultural heritage and goods, the change of the shape purposes and the creation of new cultural scenarios, dictated by the new contemporary demands and relationships. From an issue to be protected, the local culture is taking on the role of a tool for the revitalization of an area and for an "high knowledge rate" innovation of the project and the production. Design, with its practical value for the project, provides a solid and methodological reference, vector of innovation for territorial development, assuming the director role of the process, leveraging its analytical capabilities around the strategic needs and the application potential. This paper describes a design oriented enhancement action of the territory, the I.C.E. project ("Innovation, Culture and Creativity for a New Economy"), added in the EU cross‐border Territorial Cooperation Programme Greece‐Italy 2007‐2013. The Creative Workshops for product design and merchandising for the strategic competitive enhancement for Apulia brand identity (Italy South Eastern Region), carried out during the whole 2015, have focused on collaboration between the great local craftsmanship skills and strategic knowledge of design discipline.