Polifactory is an interdepartmental research laboratory that explores the relationship between design and new digital manufacturing processes, promoting a new culture of making

About

Polifactory presented by the director, prof. Stefano Maffei (2021)

Polifactory is the makerspace – Fab Lab of Politecnico di Milano. New design and digital manufacturing processes are experimented with in this space, developing research on technologies and production/distribution models of circular transition in contemporary product-service systems.

Polifactory is involved in competitive research at the national and European levels, developing consultancy projects with institutions and companies.

Polifactory is an open place to investigate the future scenarios of advanced manufacturing: from distributed production to open hardware to the design of circular and digital product-service systems.

Polifactory is a container of services and activities for supporting the young talents of Politecnico and improving their ability to design and materialise innovative product-service solutions that integrate design and technology. It represents a cutting-edge experience of the Politecnico di Milano in experimental training.

From a scientific point of view, Polifactory operates in the disciplinary field of design with a focus on the areas of open innovation, user innovation and circular innovation. Polifactory develops product-service, process and system innovation projects moving along two lines:

  • from the idea to the market“, through the design, prototyping and (pre)incubation of product-services experimenting with co-creation paths and the experimental use of digital technologies.
  • “from product to policy”, through the design, prototyping and testing of pilot projects and demonstrators on an urban scale, for stimulating and enabling inclusive and sustainable social transformations.