Ride a bicycle since childhood: contributions of the design for the identity of Aveiro

Abstract

The ongoing research aims at understanding the role of design in management and strategic communication of projects in co-creation systems, whose goal is to create a facilitator model of processes that promote and develop products – bicycle ecosystems services. We strive to reinforce the bicycle identity character in the Aveiro region, since, up to the mid-20th century, bicycles used to incorporate the routines of families in this region. However, the importance of bicycles decreased over time, mostly due to the growing prominence of cars in the city. Bearing in mind that identity is a process in permanent mutation, contemplating habitus, we consider that the development of a new sense of belonging concerning bicycles entails their introduction in early childhood education. From this perspective, we present a set of projects designed in accordance with the goals set by Horizon 2020, hoping to create experiences that may integrate bicycles into the community habitus, being experience here understood as the “result of common phenomena experienced both collectively and individually and kept in memory.” (Rodrigues, 2003:10).