Design, Nature, Culture and Tourism

Description

Peripheries is a very recent research group inside ID+, based on Madeira Island. We are an international and multidisciplinary team of teachers and researchers, reunited in a small and peripheral region of Portugal. The group emphasizes the significance design acquires in neighboring areas, beyond the big western decision makers. In times as we are now facing, where walls are asked to be built, and therefore intensifying limits, how can design enhance a more transnational knowledge, exchange of best practices and promote a more sustainable wealth being in peripheral regions?

Having these questions in mind the group has started to developed the research activities mainly in the fields of design education, sustainable design and design culture. The projects we have endure, present mainly strategies that helped either design students and local communities to understand the importance and relevance of sustainability, design processes and a more strategic and holistic design approach to the region problems. Its our aim to enhance applied research that reflect and could improve inhabitants and tourists lives and experiences considering the local culture and ecosystems.

Objectives

To work with local scientific and design communities building interdisciplinary research groups to dialogue, explore and develop a more holistic development regarding nature, tourism and culture in Madeira region. It's a group aim, to research about Design process and thinking related with nature conservation, preservation of natural and human ecosystems, introducing a more nature centric approach.

To link Design practice and applied design research with forms of hospitality and sustainable tourism, in order to generate in Madeira a synergistic point of interdisciplinary convergence in these areas.

To establish a more effective network of consulting and service provision of the group for the area of Design; identity and regional culture; continuing the group's goal of enriching knowledge transfer actions and linking research with the territory and communities.