Background

Current global crises, including climate change and the pandemic, have exposed vulnerabilities in traditional industrial systems. This has highlighted the need for adaptive, resilient, and locally-anchored manufacturing models. The Local Accessible Urban Digital and Sustainable Factories (LAUDS) initiative, developed under the New European Bauhaus framework, addresses this by promoting sustainable, inclusive, and decentralised urban factories – small, flexible facilities emphasizing co-creation, digitalisation, and circular economy principles. This thesis is situated within the LAUDS project at SUPSI, in collaboration with Elisava, Barcelona School of Design and Engineering (UVic-UCC), and builds upon advancements in participatory design and open-source hardware to engage diverse stakeholders and foster culturally sensitive manufacturing ecosystems. Effective integration of digital tools for process documentation remains a key challenge, necessitating robust frameworks adaptable to varied urban environments.

Abstract of the Doctoral Thesis

This thesis investigates how design practices can facilitate the development of digital skills and enhance process documentation within Local Accessible Urban Digital and Sustainable Factories (LAUDS). Through an experimental framework embedded in the LAUDS project, it aims to generate practical guidelines for inclusive, accessible, and sustainable urban manufacturing. The research explores makerspaces as hubs for co-creation and collaboration, contributing to a cultural shift towards more resilient and community-centred industrial ecosystems.

Objectives

The primary objective is to examine how digital skills development, comprehensive process documentation, and open resources can enable the practical implementation of LAUDS factories within urban contexts. This will be achieved by establishing an experimental framework that bridges technological innovation with local community needs, leveraging makerspaces as collaborative hubs. The research seeks to develop guidelines supporting inclusivity, accessibility, and sustainability in decentralised, resilient urban manufacturing systems.

Feel free to connect if you are working in related fields. Best, Matteo Subet (aka Zumat).

How to cite this page:

Subet, Matteo (2025). Ledger: PhD proposal at the University of Vic. Retrieved on 18 December 2025 from zumat.ch/ledger/phdProposal-UviC-ELISAVA.html