Designing future services for resilient mountain communities

The third and final workshop of the Specializing Master in Service Design marked the end of the didactic activities — and the beginning of our students’ transition toward the professional world.

Challenged by Regione Lombardia within the Alpine Space TranStat Project framework, the class was asked to design long-term service concepts for the Valmalenco community, focusing on four strategic areas: education, culture & events, science & nature, and health & wellness.

The journey included a full-day field visit to Valmalenco, allowing students to experience the territory firsthand and gather meaningful insights into the challenges of designing for mountainous regions, where seasonality and infrastructure shape everyday life. Far from a traditional service design brief, the challenge called for systemic thinking, sensitivity to place, and a vision for transformation. The proposals presented will now serve as input for future policy discussions within the region.

Some project highlights: ALPEX, a learning network for mountain education; Beyond the Trail, a cultural and events ecosystem; ValmaLab, a hub for environmental awareness and local research, and lastly Wellmalenco, a wellness platform for inclusive and sustainable tourism.

A special thanks to:

Leonardo La Rocca, Raffaele Verdelli, Massimo Martini, and Filippo Crucitti from Regione Lombardia

Stefano Sala, Laura Pasinetti and Federica Nova, from  Università degli Studi di Milano)

Enrico Tedoldi – Workshop Lead

Alice Brovelli, Gea Sasso, Elena Zordan and Francesca Sirianni, from Sketchin

The MSD Board is proud of all the students’ growth and commitment, and wishes them all the best in their journey ahead — toward designing systems and services that shape a more resilient, sustainable future.