Re-industrialisation is now emerging as a strategic priority.
The concepts of industrial sovereignty and energy transition no longer apply solely to the economy, but outline a vision for society.
In this context, the issue of design cannot be treated as a minor detail. It shapes the way in which we conceive, materialise and implement these changes.
However, the industry is currently undergoing a transformation. Automation, digitalisation, the integration of environmental requirements and partial relocations are redefining the very architecture of technical systems. Far from reviving the 20th-century model, today's reindustrialisation is characterised by a systematic, interconnected and energy-constrained production process.
The aim of this special issue of Azimuts, edited by students from the first session of the Local Tools post-master's programme, is clear: to document, analyse and explore these transformations without succumbing either to industrial nostalgia or to an abstraction disconnected from real-world infrastructures. That means combining critical thinking, planning and practical implementation.