Abstract
The economic globalization and the worldwide connections enabled by the net have had a huge impact on the relationship between communities related to a territory. These phenomena are also the context in which other forms of aggregation - fluid and fast have been born, brought together by interests and cooperative scopes. The overlap between the global and local levels can, however, generate friction. The three actors of this relationship: People, as individuals and as communities, the physical spaces they experience, and the global digital dimension, therefore need a mediation interface that guarantees a balance. The three actors of this relationship: People, as individuals and as communities, the physical spaces they experience, and the global digital dimension, therefore need a mediation interface that guarantees a balance. So, what can be the role of design and technology in creating, maintaining and guaranteeing the connection between these entities? The paper discusses the role of design as an enabler of spatial and community relations, proposes a critical mapping of the approaches adopted through the critical analysis of three recent paradigmatic case studies.