Abstract

Research developed to meet the needs expressed by some companies producing materials and semi-finished products almost exclusively used for building applications. The purpose was to widen or to identify new market areas for these contexts characterised by a problematic diversification of products. In addition to objectives of increasing sales and brand diffusion, the research dealt with how to orient new products towards sustainability and consensus. In this light, the aim is to define experiential products with which the user is directly involved in the construction or adaptation of the product to his or her specific needs. This research, involving companies in the region of Piedmont, resulted in thought-provoking meta-design proposals for developing and identifying viable production opportunities. More specifically, this experimentation was made possible thanks to technologically innovative interventions on the characteristics of the material (cement) or semi-finished product (alveolate polycarbonate sheets), with the introduction of more sophisticated production processes that could also be used by the end consumer. For example, the introduction of oxides and ferrites in mixtures of cement brought the product to a new range of uses (magnetized cement), as well as the creation of pre-packaged kits for the do-it-yourself construction of cement accessories (small bags of cement and economic and disposable pneumatic moulds) were designed to be supplied directly to the end user: this innovative participatory fruition of the product offers an alternative to the “ready-made” product Similarly, the implementation of a special heat forming technique applied to the honeycomb panels (an existing technology that was not yet available in the company) could extend the market range (micro-greenhouses for terraces and modular room dividers for interiors).