Communication Design for Refugee Women. A Research Project for Sammartini Polyfunctional Centre in Milan

The paper is about the contribution of the Communication Design area, in the framework of an overall design research project about the reception of refugees in Milan. In particular, it focuses on the generation of a low-cost system of artefacts for the Sammartini Polyfunctional Centre for refugee women. The aim of the project was to improve their access to basic information for everyday life and to facilitate their orientation inside the structure. The work led to the production of a series of multilingual communication artefacts, designed to accompany the guests throughout their period of stay at the centre (from first reception until exit). The positive aspect of this design research project is not only in relation to the output of a single discipline (Communication Design); its value is linked to the whole research process and to the experience gained with all the actors involved: representatives of institutional and non-governmental organisations, volunteers, university researchers and professors, design students.