Engaging students in Circular Design: teaching experiences with (future) architects and designers.

In recent years, an increasing number of Architecture and Design Schools are investing in new teaching programs on sustainability and circular economy, considering crucial the training of new professional figures with wide-ranging skills. The paper reports the outcomes of four-year teaching experiences on the topic of circular design with (future) architects and designers, developed as part of the course Designing and Developing the Circular Economy, conducted at the Politecnico di Torino in Italy. The activities that characterize the training course focus on interdisciplinary teaching and learning experiences such as confrontation, learning-by-doing and hands-on activities with a systemic approach. These activities refer to: testimonies of actors working in the social, business and research spheres; "circular" readings derived from the international scientific debate; design sprint and self-construction workshops based on the principles of Reuse, Repurpose, Upcycling, Disassembly; and development of circular economy scenarios in real contexts. These experiences prepare the students to become professionals aware of the challenges of the circular economy, able to reflect critically on the challenges and difficulties relative to the theme, to experience the transformation of matter from waste to resource, to use with confidence tools to activate networks and circular economies at the local scale.