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This book presents volume two of the proceedings of the "What's Around Design?" meeting, held October 2024 in Algarve, Portugal. The chapters here cover a wide variety of topics related to design futures and how design and specifically biodesign can contribute to sustainability. The book's coverage includes but is not limited to biodesign, speculative biofutures, nature-based solutions, and strategic design for green transitions. All chapters in this book were subject to double-blind peer review.
About the author
Américo Mateus is Lecturer and Researcher at ISMAT – Lusófona Group, Portimão, and Integrated Senior Researcher at CIAUD – Research Center in Architecture, Urbanism and Design, FAUL – COFAC. His research focuses on Participatory Design, Nature-Based Solutions, Circular Economy, Biodesign, and Innovation, with extensive involvement in European research and innovation projects. He serves as Expert in Taskforce 6 – Co-creation of Nature-Based Solutions of the European Commission and is Director of the Nature-Based Solutions HUB Portugal, appointed by the EU NetworkNature. With more than 60 applied research projects implemented, his work embodies a strong vision of “Science for the Market” and is widely recognized in the fields of design and innovation facilitation. He is a frequent national and international speaker on Design, Creativity, Circularity, Biodesign and Nature-Based Solutions. Currently, he is Senior Researcher in five European projects and Principal Coordinator of the Erasmus+ Project COCOON. Shorter if needed: Américo Mateus is Lecturer and Researcher at ISMAT – Lusófona Group, Portimão, and Senior Researcher at CIAUD–FAUL. His work focuses on Participatory Design, Nature-Based Solutions, Circular Economy, Biodesign and Innovation. He is Expert in Taskforce 6 of the European Commission and Director of the Nature-Based Solutions HUB Portugal (EU NetworkNature). With more than 60 applied research projects, he is recognized as an innovation facilitator and frequent international speaker. He is currently Senior Researcher in five European projects and Coordinator of the Erasmus+ Project
Susana Leonor is Professor at ISMAT – Lusófona Group where she directs the Bachelor’s in Communication Design and Creative Technologies. She holds a PhD in Design from the University of Aveiro (2016) and her research focuses on participatory processes, co-design, and pedagogical innovation. She has coordinated and participated in several European projects, including COCOON, EURIDICE, CECAM, and BiomaterialKIT, and in Horizon 2020 projects URBiNAT and Co-Create, where she led tasks on participatory design and co-creation. Her main research interests include Speculative and Critical Design, Biodesign, and sustainable futures.
Carla Paoliello is an Assistant Professor at UÉvora, focused on collaboration, traditional practices, eco-consciousness, care, identities, and territory dynamics. She is currently investigating Nature-Centred Design. Graduated in Architecture and Urbanism from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (1995), master's and doctorate in Structural Engineering from UFMG (2001 and 2008), the latter recognised by the Scientific Council of the Faculty of Sciences and Technology of Universidade Nova de Lisboa. Post-doctorate from the University of Lisbon in the Design Section of the Center for Research and Studies in Fine Arts (2015-2016). In 2020, she finished another PhD in Fine Arts at the University of Lisbon, specialising in Product Design.
