Genova 2004: a test-bed for industrial design students to integrate cultural content and information technologies in cross-media platforms

Genova, European Capital of Culture 2004, is a tantalizing occasion to stimulate students to produce content that complements the official program and to experiment with a variety of media. Students choose one of the official calendar areas (the City of Arts, the Capital of the Sea, and the Contemporary City) and create cultural products and services related to their area. They are asked to consider the wide range of communication technologies available and to implement cross-media prototypes, with attention to the integration between classic television and new communication technologies, such as the internet or mobile phones. And they are asked to design interaction so virtual communities and peer-to-peer environments can share knowledge and experience. The students are enrolled in a five-year program in industrial design at Politecnico di Milano. The course is a fourth-year, semester-long laboratory. The presentation includes video of the student work.