This document discusses using systemic design to support sustainable local development. It proposes designing an ecosystem to connect local economic actors and resources through collaborative relationships, shifting from linear to circular economies. Case studies are presented of students applying systemic design approaches like holistic diagnosis and input-output analysis to analyze territories and individual activities. The goal is to optimize resource use and minimize waste by considering relationships between all system components rather than individual parts.

1. Chiara Battistoni, Silvia Barbero
Department of Architecture and Design
Politecnico di Torino
Turin, Italy
SYSTEMIC DESIGN FOR TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENT:
ECOSYSTEM TO SUPPORT
AUTOPOIETIC LOCAL ECONOMIES
RSD7 Conference, 24-26 October 2018, Turin
Department of
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN
TRACK 4: TERRITORIAL METABOLISM AND FLOURISHING ECONOMIES

2. This research
wants to demonstrates the
need and importance of:
LOW-CARBON
SYSTEM
IC
DESIGN
DESIGN
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
ENVIRONM
ENTAL
SUSTAINABILITY
ZERO WASTE SOCIETY
SUSTAINABLE local DEVELOPMENT
- systemic design projects for the
manufacturing sectors;
- their implementation;
- SDecosystem to obtain a
sustainable local development
RSD7 - Systemic design for territorial development: ecosystem to support autopoietic local economies - Battistoni, Barbero Department of
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN
RSD7 - Systemic design for territorial development: ecosystem to support autopoietic local economies - Battistoni, Barbero Department of
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

3. Preliminary research
It wants to demonstrates the
need and importance of:
LOW-CARBON
SYSTEM
IC
DESIGN
DESIGN
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
ENVIRONM
ENTAL
SUSTAINABILITY
ZERO WASTE SOCIETY
SUSTAINABLE local DEVELOPMENT
- systemic design projects for the
manufacturing sectors;
- their implementation;
- SD to obtain a sustainable local
development
design an
ECOSYSTEM TO SUPPORT
AUTOPOIETIC LOCAL ECONOMIES
RSD7 - Systemic design for territorial development: ecosystem to support autopoietic local economies - Battistoni, Barbero Department of
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

4. from past analysis of
different territories (geographical areas)
and economic and productive realities
STATE-OF-THE-ART territory
Val di Susa
Torino (35km)
Francia
(20km)
Sestriere
Pragelato
Perosa Argentina
Pomaretto
Fenestrelle
Usseux
Roure
Pinasca
Inverso Pinasca
Villar Perosa
Porte
San Germano
San Pietro
Val Lemina
Pinerolo
VALGIOIE
COAZZE
GIAVENO
SusaValley
ChisoneValley
2°BeltofTorino
RIVI
ÈRE LA BARGUELONNE
R
IVIÈRELASÈRE
RIVIÈRE
LA
G
IM
ONE
RI
VIÈRE LA
SÉOUN
E
RIVI
ÈRE
LE TE
SC
OU
RIVIÈRE LE LEMBOULA
S
RUIS
SEAU
LE
LAMBON
RIVI
ÈR
E
LALÈRE
RUISSEA
U
L'AYRO
U
X
RIV
IÈ
RE
LA
LUPTE
RIV IÈRE LE TA
RN
RIVIÈRE L'AVEY
RO
N
RIVIÈR
E L'AVEYRON
E
-
-
Valence d’Agen
Beaumont de
Lomagne Verdun sur
Garonne
Moissac
Montauban
Caussade
Caylon
*
Montech
Castelsarrasin
ALTITUDE (m)
< 100
100-200
200-300
300-400
>400
ALTITUDE MAX:
505 m
ALTITUDE MIN:
47 M
LA GARONNE
LETARN L’AVEYRON
plateauargilocalcaire(Causses)
canal du midi
quercy
historicregion LOT
AQUITAINE
GERS
HAUTE-
GARONNE
AVEYRON
bay of Biskay
Zelaia
Eguen
Aulesti
Munitibar
Bolibar
Markina-xemiein
Erribera
Ondarroa
Erbera/San Andres
Ispaster-elexalde
Lekeitio
Lea
Artibai
Avigliana
Chivasso
Volvera
Poirino
Moncalieri
TORINO
Collegno
Ciriè
1° Urban Belt
1° cintura
2° Urban Belt
2° cintura
Macugnaga
Ceppo Morelli
Bannio Anzino
Vanzone-San Carlo
Mergozzo
OrnavassoAnzola di Ossola
Premosello-Chiovenda
Vogogna
Pieve Vergonte
Piedimulera
Calasca-Castiglione
Lago
Maggiore
Zermatt
(Svizzera)
Pallanzeno
TORINO
PIANALTO
DI POIRINO
FEUDO DEI
NOVE MERLI
DORSALE
DEI LAGHI PO
F
N
all these graphic
representations are made
by authors or by students
in ‘Systemic Design’
course at Politecnico di
Torino in varoius years
RSD7 - Systemic design for territorial development: ecosystem to support autopoietic local economies - Battistoni, Barbero Department of
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

5. Holistic Diagnosis (geography, economy, demography, culture, ..)
STATE-OF-THE-ART territory
example of Holistic Diagnosis made by students in ‘Systemic Design’ course at Politecnico di Torino in a.y. 2015/2016
just published in Battistoni, C., Barbero S. (2017). Systemic Design, from the content to the structure of education:
new educational model. In: 12th EAD Conference - Sapienza University of Rome (IT), 12-14 April 2017
RSD7 - Systemic design for territorial development: ecosystem to support autopoietic local economies - Battistoni, Barbero Department of
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

6. competitive relation
with other companies
products are buyed and sold
internationally
LINEAR ECONOMY
STATE-OF-THE-ART territory
Box by AliWijaya from the Noun Project
Gear by ImageCatalog from the Noun Project
Gears by SELicon from the Noun Project
RSD7 - Systemic design for territorial development: ecosystem to support autopoietic local economies - Battistoni, Barbero Department of
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

7. competitive relation
with other companies
waste remains
on the territory
products are buyed and sold
internationally
LINEAR ECONOMY
STATE-OF-THE-ART territory
Box by AliWijaya from the Noun Project
Landfill by Yu luck from the Noun Project
Outfall by Luis Prado from the Noun Project
Gear by ImageCatalog from the Noun Project
Gears by SELicon from the Noun Project
RSD7 - Systemic design for territorial development: ecosystem to support autopoietic local economies - Battistoni, Barbero Department of
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

8. STATE-OF-THE-ART territory
if we analyze their current production model
with input-output analysis (energy and matter flow)
with quantitative and qualitative approach
Box by AliWijaya from the Noun Project
Landfill by Yu luck from the Noun Project
Outfall by Luis Prado from the Noun Project
Gear by ImageCatalog from the Noun Project
Gears by SELicon from the Noun Project
RSD7 - Systemic design for territorial development: ecosystem to support autopoietic local economies - Battistoni, Barbero Department of
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

9. STATE-OF-THE-ART - single activity analysis
example of local activity made by students in ‘Systemic Design’ course at Politecnico di Torino in a.y. 2015/2016
just published in Battistoni, C., Barbero S. (2017). Systemic Design, from the content to the structure of education:
new educational model. In: 12th EAD Conference - Sapienza University of Rome (IT), 12-14 April 2017
example of local activity made by students in ‘Systemic Design’ course at Politecnico di Torino in a.y. 2015/2016
just published in Battistoni, C., Barbero S. (2017). Systemic Design, from the content to the structure of education:
new educational model. In: 12th EAD Conference - Sapienza University of Rome (IT), 12-14 April 2017
RSD7 - Systemic design for territorial development: ecosystem to support autopoietic local economies - Battistoni, Barbero Department of
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

10. STATE-OF-THE-ART - single activity analysis
INPUT OUTPUT
example of local activity made by students in ‘Systemic Design’ course at Politecnico di Torino in a.y. 2015/2016
just published in Battistoni, C., Barbero S. (2017). Systemic Design, from the content to the structure of education:
new educational model. In: 12th EAD Conference - Sapienza University of Rome (IT), 12-14 April 2017
RSD7 - Systemic design for territorial development: ecosystem to support autopoietic local economies - Battistoni, Barbero Department of
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

11. STATE-OF-THE-ART - single activity analysis
example of local activity made by students in ‘Systemic Design’ course at Politecnico di Torino in a.y. 2015/2016
just published in Battistoni, C., Barbero S. (2017). Systemic Design, from the content to the structure of education:
new educational model. In: 12th EAD Conference - Sapienza University of Rome (IT), 12-14 April 2017
RSD7 - Systemic design for territorial development: ecosystem to support autopoietic local economies - Battistoni, Barbero Department of
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

12. STATE-OF-THE-ART - single activity analysis
example of local activity made by students in ‘Systemic Design’ course at Politecnico di Torino in a.y. 2015/2016
just published in Battistoni, C., Barbero S. (2017). Systemic Design, from the content to the structure of education:
new educational model. In: 12th EAD Conference - Sapienza University of Rome (IT), 12-14 April 2017
exploitation of
natural resources energivorous
problems....
waste production
RSD7 - Systemic design for territorial development: ecosystem to support autopoietic local economies - Battistoni, Barbero Department of
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

13. climate change
pollution
soil depauperation
fertility loss
....
limited natural
resource
temperature
increasing
....
....
....
waste management
STATE-OF-THE-ART
current major environmental problems
RSD7 - Systemic design for territorial development: ecosystem to support autopoietic local economies - Battistoni, Barbero Department of
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

14. The design discipline with its methodology and approaches
can represent a solution for the valorisation
of the material culture of a specific territory
(De Giorgi, 2008; Catania, 2011)
image retrieved from: De Giorgi (2017), design e território: reflexões e experiências do piemonte (itália) image retrieved from: https://www.ibs.it/design-territorio-sostenibilita-ricerca-innovazione-libro-vari/e/9788856841145
Catania, A. (2011). Design, territorio e sostenibilità: ricerca e innovazione per la valorizzazione delle risorse locali. Milano; Angeli.
STATE-OF-THE-ART territory
RSD7 - Systemic design for territorial development: ecosystem to support autopoietic local economies - Battistoni, Barbero Department of
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

15. IF
we look at
their production model
and the territory where they are located
with
a systemic approach
RSD7 - Systemic design for territorial development: ecosystem to support autopoietic local economies - Battistoni, Barbero Department of
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

16. shifting the attention from the single actors
to
the relationships that can be created among them,
is possible to obtain different results,
as the theory of system suggests:
“the whole is GREATER than the sum of its parts”
(Aristotle)
or better
“the whole is OTHER than the sum of its parts”
from Gestalt
(Koffka)
RSD7 - Systemic design for territorial development: ecosystem to support autopoietic local economies - Battistoni, Barbero Department of
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

17. systemic thinking applied to
- the project (design process)
- manufacturing sector (production process)
SYSTEMIC DESIGN
The borders of the traditional design discipline are enlarged
by the Systemic Design (SD) (Bistagnino, 2011) which produce
a step forward the eco-design
RSD7 - Systemic design for territorial development: ecosystem to support autopoietic local economies - Battistoni, Barbero Department of
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

18. 5 principal guide-lines:
output>input
relationships
autopoiesis
act locally
man at the center
SYSTEMIC DESIGN
output become input as
happen in nature
between the five natural
kingdoms
RSD7 - Systemic design for territorial development: ecosystem to support autopoietic local economies - Battistoni, Barbero Department of
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN
model production process
goal: zero emissions
environmental, social and
economic sustainability
(Bistagnino, 2011)

19. methodology:
SYSTEMIC DESIGN principles
2.
3.4.
5.
1.
analysis of possible results
implementation
6.
analysis of outcomes
and feedbacks
from problem
to opportunities
Systemic project
Holistic Diagnosis
RSD7 - Systemic design for territorial development: ecosystem to support autopoietic local economies - Battistoni, Barbero Department of
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

20. From problems to opportunities
TURNING POINT
Box by AliWijaya from the Noun Project
Landfill by Yu luck from the Noun Project
Outfall by Luis Prado from the Noun Project
Gear by ImageCatalog from the Noun Project
Gears by SELicon from the Noun Project
RSD7 - Systemic design for territorial development: ecosystem to support autopoietic local economies - Battistoni, Barbero Department of
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

21. APPLICATION single activity
open living ecosystem
RSD7 - Systemic design for territorial development: ecosystem to support autopoietic local economies - Battistoni, Barbero Department of
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN
example of local activity made by students in ‘Systemic Design’ course at Politecnico di Torino in a.y. 2015/2016
just published in Battistoni, C., Barbero S. (2017). Systemic Design, from the content to the structure of education:
new educational model. In: 12th EAD Conference - Sapienza University of Rome (IT), 12-14 April 2017

22. relationship with local activities
output-->input
less use of energy and water
change of core business, improving and increasing
the incomes
zero waste
.........
.........
new opportunities
APPLICATION single activity
RSD7 - Systemic design for territorial development: ecosystem to support autopoietic local economies - Battistoni, Barbero Department of
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

23. autopoietic process
new relations
new activities
APPLICATION single activity
RSD7 - Systemic design for territorial development: ecosystem to support autopoietic local economies - Battistoni, Barbero Department of
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

24. com
plexity
paradigm
shift
financing
differentcom
petences
qualityandnotquantity
lackofresearch
andsim
ilarcases
RSD7 - Systemic design for territorial development: ecosystem to support autopoietic local economies - Battistoni, Barbero Department of
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN
beforeenvironm
ent-oriented
than
profit-oriented

25. problems in implementation phase
com
plexity
paradigm
shift
financing
differentcom
petences
qualityandnotquantity
lackofresearch
andsim
ilarcases
RSD7 - Systemic design for territorial development: ecosystem to support autopoietic local economies - Battistoni, Barbero Department of
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN
beforeenvironm
ent-oriented
than
profit-oriented

26. driven
bydesigncooperation
m
ultidisciplinarityand
interdisciplinarity
zerowaste
m
ultipleactors
andstakeholdersenvironm
ental,
econom
ic
andsocial
sustainability
Need to:
sustain the born of new economic realities
sustain the shift in the production model
RSD7 - Systemic design for territorial development: ecosystem to support autopoietic local economies - Battistoni, Barbero Department of
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

27. local
activity
local
activity
local territory
local
activity
local
activity
local
activity
local
activity
local
activity
local
activity
RESULTS ECOSYSTEM SD project
RSD7 - Systemic design for territorial development: ecosystem to support autopoietic local economies - Battistoni, Barbero Department of
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

28. ECOSYSTEM-
SD
research
center
local
activity
local
activity
local territory
local
activity
local
activity
local
activity
local
activity
local
activity
local
activity
RESULTS ECOSYSTEM SD project
RSD7 - Systemic design for territorial development: ecosystem to support autopoietic local economies - Battistoni, Barbero Department of
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

29. research
center
local
activity
local
activity
local
activity
local
activity
local
activity
local
activity
systemiceducation
local territory
rese
arch projects
RESULTS ECOSYSTEM SD project
ECO-SD
INCUBATOR
RSD7 - Systemic design for territorial development: ecosystem to support autopoietic local economies - Battistoni, Barbero Department of
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

30. energy-matter-information
ECO-SD
INCUBATOR
new
activity
new
activity
research
center
energy-matter
i
nformation
local
activity
local
activity
local
activity
local
activity
local
activity
local
activity
systemic
local territory
rese
arch projects
education
RESULTS ECOSYSTEM SD project
spin-off
spin-off
RSD7 - Systemic design for territorial development: ecosystem to support autopoietic local economies - Battistoni, Barbero Department of
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

31. energy-matter-information
new
activity
new
activity
research
center
energy-matter
i
nformation
local
activity
local
activity
local
activity
local
activity
local
activity
local
activity
systemic
local territory
rese
arch projects
education
RESULTS ECOSYSTEM SD project
spin-off
spin-off
foster the shift in the production model
stimulate and create relationships
foster the born of new production model
(in or out)
ECO-SD
INCUBATOR
RSD7 - Systemic design for territorial development: ecosystem to support autopoietic local economies - Battistoni, Barbero Department of
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

32. ECO-
SD
ENGINEERING
SPATIAL PLANNING
DESIGN
BIOLOGY
COMPUTER SCIENCE
GENERATIVE
SCIENCE
ECONOMY
POLICY MAKING
BUSINESS
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
SYSTEMIC DESIGN
GEOGRAPHY
NATURAL SCIENCE
ARCHITECTURE
Its goal is to foster the reproduction of
productive processes acting as an
OPEN living SYSTEM
research
center
Designer as a
mediator
between
the different disciplines
(Celaschi, 2008)
RESULTS ECOSYSTEM SD project
ECO-SD
INCUBATOR
RSD7 - Systemic design for territorial development: ecosystem to support autopoietic local economies - Battistoni, Barbero Department of
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

33. RESULTS
local territ
ory
LOCAL
ACTIVITY
LOCAL
ACTIVITY
LOCAL
ACTIVITY
LOCAL
ACTIVITY
LOCAL
ACTIVITY
LOCAL
ACTIVITY
LOCAL
ACTIVITY
LOCAL
ACTIVITY
LOCAL
ACTIVITY
LOCAL
ACTIVITY
LOCAL
ACTIVITY
LOCAL
ACTIVITY
LOCAL
ACTIVITY
LOCAL
ACTIVITY
LOCAL
ACTIVITY
LOCAL
ACTIVITY
LOCAL
ACTIVITYLOCAL
ACTIVITY
LOCAL
ACTIVITY
LOCAL
ACTIVITY
LOCAL
ACTIVITY
LOCAL
ACTIVITY
LOCAL
ACTIVITY
LOCAL
ACTIVITY
LOCAL
ACTIVITY
LOCAL
ACTIVITY
LOCAL
ACTIVITY
LOCAL
ACTIVITY
LOCAL
ACTIVITY
NEW
ACTIVITY
NEW
ACTIVITY
NEW
ACTIVITY
NEW
ACTIVITY
NEW
ACTIVITY
NEW
ACTIVITY
NEW
ACTIVITY
NEW
ACTIVITY
NEW
ACTIVITY
NEW
ACTIVITY
NEW
ACTIVITY NEW
ACTIVITY
NEW
ACTIVITY
NEW
ACTIVITY
NEW
ACTIVITY
NEW
ACTIVITY
NEW
ACTIVITY
ECO-SD
possible future scenario
RSD7 - Systemic design for territorial development: ecosystem to support autopoietic local economies - Battistoni, Barbero Department of
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

34. ONGOIN (AND FUTURE) STUDIES
individuation of
contexts of application
analysis on case of ecosystems
already presents with similar goals
RSD7 - Systemic design for territorial development: ecosystem to support autopoietic local economies - Battistoni, Barbero Department of
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

35. silvia.barbero@polito.it
SILVIA BARBERO, Associate professor
chiara.battistoni@polito.it
CHIARA BATTISTONI, PhD student
thank you for your attention
RSD7 - Systemic design for territorial development: ecosystem to support autopoietic local economies - Battistoni, Barbero Department of
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN