The Tracks4Crafts Annual Meeting 2025, hosted at Politecnico di Milano’s Department of Design, brought together partners and pilot representatives for three inspiring days of collaboration, reflection, and hands-on exploration.
The agenda spanned few key aspects of the project:
Innovation and Intellectual Property (WP1) – reflecting on the evolving role of crafts in a knowledge-driven economy.
Pilot experiments (WP5) – sharing progress and results from materials-driven initiatives.
Accelerator development (WP6) – including proposals for residencies, mobility schemes, and the development of the platform.
Business models and sustainability – aligning strategies for the future of crafts.
Project’s long-term contributions toward 2027.
Workshops tackled pressing themes such as Technology & Innovation, Materials Inspirations, Materials Dialogues, and Characterizations. Guided visits to Politecnico’s laboratories – including the newly established Biodesign Lab, led by the Materials Design for Transition research group – offered participants a chance to explore cutting-edge research and applications for crafts.
Hands-On Activities and Informal Connections
Alongside structured sessions, visible mending workshops, even meal breaks created opportunities for informal exchange and community-building. These moments underscored the value of collaboration not only in professional terms but also in cultivating a shared spirit across the project’s diverse network.
The meeting concluded with a half-day workshop in the Biodesign Lab, where participants experimented with their own materials and resources. This closing session embodied the project’s mission: bridging heritage and innovation through hands-on, material-driven practices.