Perception and sustainable plastics. A digital tool to manage aesthetics and sustainability

Authors

  • Barbara Del Curto Politecnico di Milano (Italy)
  • Lia Sossini Politecnico di Milano (Italy)
  • Romina Santi Politecnico di Milano (Italy)
  • Flavia Papile Politecnico di Milano (Italy)

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.19229/2464-9309/12252022

Keywords:

sustainable plastics, material perception, digital design, aesthetics, material identity

Abstract

Today, designers find expression through project design but also assume an active role in the application of new materials, becoming both researchers and experts in the management of aesthetics and sensoriality. Sustainable plastics are relatively new on the market, but, despite considerable application interest, they do not yet have a clear aesthetic-sensory identity. This study explores the aesthetic-expressive properties of sustainable plastics according to the principles of CMF design and aims to investigate user perception. The data, collected through two surveys, has enabled the development of a digital tool to create greater awareness in designers wishing to approach design with sustainable plastics and enhance their perceptual effects.

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Author Biographies

Barbara Del Curto, Politecnico di Milano (Italy)

PhD in Materials Engineering, she is a Full Professor of Design. Her research focuses on the design of materials and surfaces, with particular attention to innovative and functional materials, nanotechnologies and functional surface treatments.
E-mail: barbara.delcurto@polimi.it

Lia Sossini, Politecnico di Milano (Italy)

She is a Research Fellow at the Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering ‘Giulio Natta’. Her work focuses mainly on analysing the perception of sustainable materials that combine elements of CMF design and sustainability.
E-mail: lia.sossini@polimi.it

Romina Santi, Politecnico di Milano (Italy)

PhD, she is a Researcher at the Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering ‘Giulio Natta’. Her research focuses on the effects of materials design on consumer behaviour, with a particular focus on the impact on sustainability.
E-mail: romina.santi@polimi.it

Flavia Papile, Politecnico di Milano (Italy)

PhD, she is a Research Fellow at the Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering ‘Giulio Natta’. Her research focuses on the transferability in corporate contexts of design methodologies to redefine the material selection process with a view toward sustainable production.
E-mail: flavia.papile@polimi.it

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Sample descriptive table (credit: the Authors, 2020). AGATHÓN 12 | 2022

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Published

31-12-2022

How to Cite

Del Curto, B., Sossini, L., Santi, R. and Papile, F. (2022) “Perception and sustainable plastics. A digital tool to manage aesthetics and sustainability ”, AGATHÓN | International Journal of Architecture, Art and Design, 12(online), pp. 280–289. doi: 10.19229/2464-9309/12252022.