A systemic approach to concrete constructions

Abstract

In recent years the term design has been overexploited in popular magazines, newspapers and on television. Schools and universities have increased the courses on offer which now include very different design disciplines, from social design to systemic design. The latter, in particular, is the ability to outline and plan the flow of matter and energy from one system to another, within metabolization processes which reduce the ecological footprint and generate a remarkable economic flow. Today designers are asked to strategically design a scenario that doesn’t focus only on product innovation as an end in itself, but involves developing broader issues which require the input and expertise of other fields of learning. These issues necessarily include non-traditional economic and industrial models (i.e. Circular Economy, Blue Economy and Bioeconomy). This paper aims to create bridges between the world of construction engineering and design practices based on non-linear industrial models. It stimulates a discussion about systemic design challenges in relation with the concrete structures, evidencing some challenges, open questions and possible new directions.