Rappresentazione materiale/immateriale. Drawing as (in)tangible representation. 40° Convegno internazionale dei docenti delle discipline della rappresentazione (Milano, 13-14-15 settembre 2018)

The wish to open this Preface to the 40th Conference of Professors in Representation Disciplines - the most important of our yearly meetings, the first edition of which took place in May 3-4- 5, 1979 in Santa Margherita Ligure - with some thinking about the path that led us here is strong. It also easy, though, to renounce, because UID's Technical-Scientific Committee decided to adequately celebrate the anniversary, starting two years of celebrations and, most of all, reflections on "who are we, and where we come from", or "where we are supposed to go", considering that 2020 there will be the anniversary of our scientific society foundation (formally founded August 4, 1980). A specific work group of the UID coordinated by Vice President Mario Centofanti is working on the topic, and the first products have been prepared specifically for this Conference in Milan, whose program includes an specific session. It seems appropriate to point out how ultimately this appointment signs the entrance of the Politecnico di Milano amongst the most significant realities within representation scientific community. After Sapienza-Universitá di Roma, it is the seat with the greatest number of academics in the ICAR/17 scientific-disciplinary segment; for sure, it is the first in Italy in which our research and teaching activity begins to take on more broadly the fields of architecture, design and engineering. But only in the most recent years it managed to establish itself explicitly, especially thank to a group of young and motivated people, that finally found an influential, aware and recognized leadership in Rossella Salerno. After a series of significant ventures, even international, supported by the UID - such as "Brainstorming BIM. Il modello tra rilievo e costruzione" seminar, promoted by Cecilia Bolognesi in July 2016, the 5th INTBAU International Annual Event, organized in July 2017 by Giuseppe Amoruso and the ICGG 2018, 18th International Conference on Geometry and Graphics, ISGG's biennial appointment that took place last August on Luigi Cocchiarella's initiative - the organization of our annual Conference builds up a high end achievement. It is both for Politecnico di Milano and UID, the latter of which could not do without the important and continuous contribution from Milan. I thank Rossella, Michela Rossi, Andrea Rolando and all the fellows at the Politecnico for the great effort. This year the Introduction by Rossella Salerno allows me to by much briefer compared to previous ones. I will therefore limit my words to some considerations regarding the Conference's participation and a paper's cross-reading, not by focus, but trying to catch and highlight the macro-topics that seem to be cultivated. As UID President reading the accepted papers for the Acts publication, finalized to write the present Preface, is one of the most tiresome but in the meantime interesting and instructive experiences; it is necessary to realize the state of scientific activity carried out in our community. As a matter of fact the earliest results of underway research are offered to fellow's discussion and verification during the Conferences. much earlier than articles' formal publication or, in the case of broader topics, substantial monographs.