Integrated Design for Museums and Marginal Areas: Exhibit, Graphic and Interaction design

The paper presents a three-year case study (2019–2022) developed in partnership between Università Iuav di Venezia and the CarniaMusei Network, a consorOum of 40 small museums located in the mountainous Carnia region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia (Italy). The project was aimed to intertwine interdisciplinary design education with cultural heritage enhancement in a marginalized territory. Integrating exhibit, visual communication, and interaction design within an interdisciplinary pedagogical framework aimed at revitalizing peripheral heritage sites through culturally grounded, community-oriented design. The teaching and research programme engaged students in co-design workshops, scenario-based prototyping, and participatory reviews with local stakeholders, encouraging the development of ‘hybrid museum model’ that combines traditional exhibition functions with social services and public use. The educational approach emphasized a constellation of expertise, cross-disciplinary collaboration, fostering student growth in interdi- sciplinary thinking, participatory design skills, and methodological flexibility. The outcomes demonstrate how integrated design education can support cultural regeneration and development in rural contexts, offe- ring replicable models for rethinking museum functions in relation to territory and community. The project further illustrates how design pedagogy, aligned with real-world challenges, can act as a catalyst for institutional innovation and local empowerment. Ultimately, the insights gained from these practices provide a blueprint for reimagining design education as a transformative force.