Designing Knowledge Otherwise: The Bembo Officina Editoriale as a Case for Alternative Academic Publishing

Bembo Officina Editoriale is an ongoing research and design project that addresses the epistemological, ethical, and technical challenges of contemporary scientific publishing. The project proposes an alternative editorial infrastructure in which automation serves pluralism, transparency, and free publications for researchers. The project has developed an automated, open-source workflow based on the Markdown-Python pipeline to generate fully editable InDesign output. This reduces production costs while enabling accessibility without compromising design quality, as demonstrated by the volumes already produced. Unlike most of the other experiences analyzed, the project is not limited to the technological infrastructure level of automation. The innovative challenge is to connect technologies with the management of the editorial process and the scientific and research policies of the doctoral program. The project is situated within a reflection on the historical continuity between typographical rationalization and algorithmic systems, suggesting that both shape epistemic authority in design research. BOE outlines the potential of collaborative peer review by integrating a double-blind review process that engages reviewers, editors, and authors in open dialogue through community-based public evaluation, promoting inclusiveness, accountability, and equity in disseminating design knowledge.