Design Space
Last updated
Last updated
We were also asked to reflect on and document the workspaces we'll have access to during our time in MDEF, encouraging us to think beyond conventional settings like university or studio. The concept of a hyperlocal and hyperconnected workspace pushes us to consider the broader network of people, materials, and tools we can incorporate into our practice starting from a individual prospection.
In my case, I started by comparing the tools, materials, and expertise I’m accustomed to with those available to me here.
The workshop focuses on moving from abstract concepts to concrete actions by exploring these weak signals and turning them into design interventions. Participants are guided through the process of mapping out ecosystems, playing with the Atlas' deck of signals, and collaboratively proposing new weak signals that could be relevant in their design spaces. By integrating these signals into my personal and collective design space, I could create strategies that address emergent challenges, anticipating future needs and opportunities.
Since I was 20, I’ve been on a journey that has taken me far from my home in Italy. First, I moved out of my country, leaving the familiar behind to experience the world in new ways. Eventually, I found myself in London, a city as vast as it is vibrant, yet full of challenges. During that time I encountered the realities of adapting to a new society and culture, learning how to integrate into a place where norms and traditions often felt foreign. This experience taught me resilience, but it also opened my eyes to the struggles that come with being a "migrant"!?!
Now, living in Barcelona, I feel as though I’ve embraced a new identity as a permanent migrant. Moving from one place to another, I’ve come to see beauty in this way of life.
Migration is more than a change of scenery; it’s an ongoing "Transformation". Each new culture I encounter shapes me into a more empathetic person, helping me understand others on a deeper level and breaking down the biases I may have once held.
This journey has captured in me a passion for exploring themes of empathy and belonging in my Design space. As a designer, I want to create experiences and objects that foster understanding, that challenge the stereotypes and barriers that keep us divided.
I believe design has the power to bring people closer together; and to dissolve the misconceptions that lead to discrimination. Building a world where everyone, no matter where they’re from, is seen and valued for who they are.
The workshop, as described in the syllabus, serves as a methodology for identifying emerging design opportunities by analyzing latent or subtle trends that indicate shifts in societal, technological, and environmental contexts. It encourages participants to look beyond the obvious and to detect weak signals that might not yet be prominent but hold potential for shaping alternative futures.
