Conference Agenda

Basing on the European and Milanese context, the paper develops and presents a preliminary reflection on urban food systems, specifically related to local Alternative Food Networks (ANFs) and how their relational and geographical proximity, that might facilitate or prevent forms of care through collaboration. The authors introduce the Food System Matrix that analyses 16 case studies to investigate the main issues connected to the territorial scope and the purpose of the selected cases. Finally, the paper proposes the concepts of 'proximity' and 'care' as a framework for understanding systemic and sustainable change in food-related services, emphasizing relationships, inclusiveness, and resilience. This work lays the foundation for future investigations into AFNs for sustainable food systems, highlighting the role of design and collaboration in promoting positive social impact.

In recent decades, there has been a growing momentum in adopting public and private food procurement initiatives as policy instruments to improve the quality and affordability of the food provided in public and private sectors to reach so-cial and environmental sustainability. This includes logistics, service innovation and multi-stakeholder involvement in designing solutions. This paper examines the influence of food systems on facilitating future systemic transition in urban neighbourhoods and peri-urban areas. It does so by analysing case studies and building upon the objectives of an ongoing national research project that will test alternative food networks on university campuses. The article examines al-ternative systems that can serve as catalysts for communities by establishing in-terconnected service-provider sites. Cases have been examined through design lenses, including design for social innovation and spatial and service design.

Transitioning to a circular economy requires transforming practices across the Ready-to-cook product value chains through shared knowledge. However, generalised solutions rarely succeed, but must be tailored to each context. This study explores using participatory design-informed “infrastructuring” to collaboratively develop novel methods tailored to stakeholders’ existing practices. The Seafood AGE project serves as a case study. We developed two remote, distributed facilitation methods using accessible digital platforms. These engage stakeholders in mapping current practices, analysing responses to speculative fish products, and exploring feasibility of prototypical circular approaches. Key findings demonstrate the potential of co-creative infrastructuring to bridge design research and industry. This enables customised transitions aligned with diverse real-world con-texts. This has implications for design researchers seeking to employ participatory methods that enable stakeholders to co-create context-specific knowledge food systems and futures aligned with circular principles.

Neighborhoods can be seen as experimental hubs where innovative design strat-egies are tested within local communities, addressing the social and environ-mental issues that impact global cities and promoting more equitable futures. In current times of crisis, amid substantial food waste, urban areas are witnessing a growing phenomenon of vulnerable groups suffering from food poverty, often coupled with limited access to fresh food. This scenario has led to a proliferation of diverse charitable initiatives, concurrently fueling researchers' exploration of sustainable food commons and circular systems. However, to foster community-driven development of such models, it becomes imperative to structure services around local, proactive, and situated stakeholder networks. This paper delves in-to the core insights concerning inventive design solutions to establish situated partnerships with the double aim of fighting food waste and supporting a neigh-borhood-centric circular food redistribution service for vulnerable residents, en-acted by Off Campus Nolo (Polimi DESIS Lab) within Nolo neighborhood in Milan, Italy.