The project artefacts were developed starting from a key question that was part of the survey we distributed to people in markets. The question was: “For what reasons, besides buying goods, do you go to the market?”.
This open-ended question allowed the project to move beyond assumptions and to actively listen to how citizens experience and value urban markets in their everyday lives. The responses revealed a rich set of motivations related to social interaction, walking, atmosphere, routine, and well-being, highlighting needs that are often overlooked in market communication.
These insights became the foundation of the communication campaign. Rather than imposing predefined messages, the project translated citizens’ voices and expressed needs into accessible and recognisable design elements.
Non è solo un mercato - Nicht nur ein Markt
Giulia Galli Elena Galvani Beatrice Guerra
What if markets were more than just places of consumption?
Starting from this question, the project investigates the role of urban markets as social, ecological, and cultural infrastructures within everyday city life. Focusing on Bolzano, the project addresses the decreasing presence of people aged 20-50 in local markets and the disconnection between consumers, local food producers.
Through field research, mapping activities, questionnaires, and dialogue with municipal stakeholders, the project identified a lack of visibility, communication, and shared knowledge as key barriers to market participation. In response, an integrated communication strategy was developed, combining physical and digital tools such as posters, a market map, social media content, and an informational totem placed at market entrances.
Rather than redesigning the market itself, the project rethinks how markets are communicated and experienced, positioning them as accessible public spaces that foster social interaction, support local producers, and encourage seasonal, sustainable, and locally rooted food practices.
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Poster
Map
Poster
Totem
Postcard
Documentation
Bolzano Open City Laboratory
