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The seminar series "Beyond Barriers - The many facets of the concept of accessibility," organized at the University of Bergamo, offered a valuable opportunity to reopen and nurture, according to a transversal and interdisciplinary perspective, the debate on the nature and evolution of the concept of accessibility, as well as on the fundamental design outcomes within the social context. The proposed contribution intends to outline, in its salient moments, the path taken, in the twentieth century, by the concept of accessibility: from the first barrier-free design perspectives to the most recent theoretical elaborations, passing through the focus of various orientations (Universal Design, Design for All) and the insights of revolutionary designers and architects (Papanek, Mace). In conclusion, from the rich debate developed during the seminars, some fundamental and promising open questions are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]