PATRIM, about a research experience

The paper presents a research experience, funded by Regione Liguria and developed since the beginning of the year 2021. The request was to get, among other materials and research outcomes, concepts for the park paths (for highlighting the access to the park from seven little different towns) conveying a sense of community and belonging for the locals together with a witness of the local traditions for visitors and travellers. The research group started to work on the paths, as it was pretty clear the request for prerequisite non-misleading, shared ‘signs’, presences of intangibles heritage and material culture, that could be read by visitors and felt as genuine by local inhabitants. The call was challenging, indeed, but through design-thinking, carefully detecting the semantics on the field along with sensing the narratives within the communities, an undeniable result could be performed. Kick-off was an exploration of case studies, even identifying what was unsaid within the request. Then, a series of field activities were handled, such as numerous site inspections and interviews. Through the narration of the research experience – in its methods and developments – along with the presentation of final outcome – in the form of the presented project – we aim to offer our personal viewpoint for the expression of material culture and local cultural heritage.