Fabrizio Valpreda

Fabrizio Valpreda is an Associate Professor at the Department of Architecture and Design (DAD), Polytechnic University of Turin (PoliTO), where he actively contributes to teaching, research, and innovation in design. He is a member of the Interdepartmental Center for Service Robotics (PIC4SeR) and serves as the scientific director of virtuaLAB - Design Polito, a laboratory dedicated to digital fabrication, 3D prototyping, and visual communication. His academic work bridges the undergraduate program in Design and Communication and the Master’s program in Systemic Design, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and open knowledge sharing.

His research interests are centered on open source design, digital fabrication, systemic design, and education for sustainability. He promotes the integration of FabLab practices and maker culture into academic curricula, emphasizing local production and global technological fluency. His work aligns with principles of the circular economy and open access to design information, supported by his expertise in human-computer interaction and industrial design.

Fabrizio Valpreda has been actively involved in doctoral education, serving on multiple doctoral colleges including Design and Technology: People, Environment, Systems and Technologies and Methods for University Education at both PoliTO and the University of Palermo. His pedagogical innovation is further demonstrated through his participation in the Mentoring Polito Project (M2P) and TLlab-Polito, where he helps connect experienced educators with emerging teaching professionals.

Among his notable recognitions is the XXVI Compasso d'Oro - Youth Award (2016), awarded by the Association for Industrial Design (ADI), Italy, for the TooWheels open design project. He has also led research initiatives such as the industrial design of a portable water filter (2015–2016) and co-founded Felfil, a startup incubated at I3P, PoliTO’s innovation hub. These reflect his commitment to translating academic research into real-world, sustainable solutions.

Valpreda plays a key role in linking academic design with local craftsmanship and micro-production through his role as Academic Mentor at Fablab Torino (since 2019). This hybrid engagement supports experiential learning and strengthens ties between education, research, and regional artisanal ecosystems. His leadership in virtuaLAB provides students and researchers with hands-on experience in advanced prototyping and digital modeling tools.