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The study presented here aims to demonstrate the advances of the in fieri Project: Design and Competitive Integration in the Estrada Real Territory (PER), in the context of material, immaterial and historical culture, in a route corresponding to eight cities of the Estrada Real (ER) in the region of Minas Gerais - Brazil. Through the research partnership between the Design School of UEMG and Politecnico di Torino, we saw the need, continuing as a second phase of this project, to define effective actions, throughout the breadth and scope of design, which should be able to articulate and enhance the development of the territory in question, having as basis the increase in value of the local identity and culture, in pursuit of socioeconomic and environmental balance. This research involves the opportune participation of students and teachers from both Athenaeums, in a design action that also includes the insertion and distribution of territorial marketing in the Estrada Real through the following pilot localities: São Brás do Suaçuí, Entre Rios de Minas, Casa Grande, Lagoa Dourada, Resende Costa, Coronel Xavier Chaves, Pratos and Bichinho. Actions aimed at the increase in value of local products and services have been established through the recognition of the territorial potential and skills, as well as through the communication relationship between these means and the investigated context, in order to strengthen and propose new systems of production and services that respect the regional vocation and establish creative and innovative cooperation networks of sustainable emphasis. In this second phase of the research, we show the results of the project alternatives that were generated, analyzed, improved and developed by the Italian-Brazilian work team (POLITOUEMG), in which we prospect possible project issues, such as: information networks, sustainable handicrafts, local nature, typography with regional icons, mapping of local cultural events, merchandising products for hotels and restaurants, local music and melodies (ER Net, Eco-art Zoo, Zoom in on Nature, (Re) Write, Calendar, Info-tools for food and table, Book of Musical Traditions). We emphasize that all concepts to be developed focus on the interface "territory, sustainability and design" and seek to contribute, in an original and innovative way, with the many actions inherent to the Estrada Real territory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This project aims to present a joint initiative for cultural and territorial recovery through design, that have been carried out by the Politecnico di Torino, the Minas Gerais State University and the Minas Design Center. The project involves professors/ tutors and students from Industrial Design Courses of the both universities, using resources and tools for training at distance between the regions of Minas Gerais (Brazil) and Piedmont (Italy). The main focus of research is to apply the design to enhance cultural assets in certain specifi ed places of interest along the Estrada Real ("Royal Road"), in the state of Minas Gerais. The project is considered an experimental model for the development and cultural and territorial enhancement, based primarily in the tourism and economic development potential, which is estimated by the Government of Minas Gerais to be 1.25 billion dollars and 2.5 million tourists/ year in 2010. The study will include training activities and a cultural project involving Brazilians and Italians communities. The main expected results are: (a) applying the perspective of design to improve the territorial competitiveness, through the development of research and analysis of elements of identity; (b) the development of product design and services based on the territory resources and sustainable development; (c) the exchange of knowledge and experience, through the interaction between the institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]