This paper examines the role of design as a catalyst in experiential food education through the Curortò project, a therapeutic garden established within the G. Di Cristina Children's Hospital. Grounded in a theoretical framework that integrates experiential learning, participatory pedagogy, and sustainability, the study reinterprets food as a vital medium for reconnecting individuals with their environment and local heritage. Employing a participatory action research methodology, the project involved hospitalised children, healthcare professionals, educators, and local community actors in a collaborative design process aimed at transforming the conventional hospital setting into a dynamic educational ecosystem. The intervention, inspired by local traditions and historical practices of urban agriculture, utilised recovered materials and hands-on cultivation activities to foster agroecological awareness and enhance cognitive, emotional, and social well-being. Detailed observation, field diaries, and qualitative interviews provided evidence of significant improvements in children's understanding of seasonal food cycles, resource management, and circular economy principles, accompanied by reduced stress levels and increased operational autonomy. The project further demonstrated the potential of design to mediate complex interactions between food, nature, and social innovation, thereby fostering collective responsibility and community resilience. As a contribution to the literature, the research proposes a comprehensive, multidimensional conceptual model that articulates how design can reconfigure care environments and promote sustainable food practices. This model encapsulates the transformative processes observed within the Curortò project and offers valuable theoretical insights for future applications in contexts characterised by vulnerability and the need for social innovation. • Design enables situated food education in therapeutic hospital environments. • The project applies PAR to co-design multisensory learning environments. • A conceptual model maps design’s systemic role across education and proximity. • Food is reframed as a relational medium in fragile urban and institutional contexts. • Children learn food systems through cultivation in a therapeutic hospital garden.

This study investigates how a mixed-methods approach and system modelling can uncover latent individual needs and their interrelationships to inform the design of longevity planning services. It employed constructivist grounded theory, exploratory factor analysis, and causal loop diagram (CLD) through 69 in-person experiments in Boston, US, controlling for age, gender, income, and assets. Data collection included pre- and post–experiment surveys, semi-structured interviews, and the integration of grounded theory and factor analysis to enhance CLD's efficacy in addressing longevity planning needs. The study identifies five key factors—health, lifestyle, social well-being, housing, and quality of life—and examines their interplay to advance service design. Combining system dynamics with qualitative research, the method captures the connections between sequential events and the complex interrelationships of people, time, and behaviour. The integration of CLD contextualizes data, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of variable interrelationships. This study contributes to design studies through three aspects: 1. An innovative mixed-methods approach integrating grounded theory, factor analysis, and CLD, 2. Advancements in service design research through systemic modelling of user needs, and 3. An emphasis on user-centered design that addresses multidimensional concerns. The findings offer evidence-based insights, enabling design researchers to develop more effective and inclusive longevity planning services and systems, while enriching the theoretical foundation of design for longevity. • Developed a mixed-methods model integrating Causal Loop Diagrams (CLD), Constructivist Grounded Theory (CGT), and Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) for longevity planning services. • Emphasized holistic longevity planning service and system design, focusing on health, quality of life, and social infrastructure. • Conducted in-person experiments with 69 participants to uncover latent needs and their relationship with longevity services. • Created a CLD system model with 45 causal links and six feedback loops to map longevity planning service system dynamics. • Proposed future research on sustainable, user-centered longevity planning service ecosystems.