Situated Design Practices
Faculty: Saúl Baeza
Last updated
Faculty: Saúl Baeza
Last updated
Our first session of the course took us on an enriching bicycle excursion through the Llobregat Delta, a place where history, community, and nature intertwine in complex and fascinating ways. This fragile yet vibrant ecosystem, located near Barcelona’s airport, reflects the ongoing tensions between urban development, agriculture, and environmental conservation.
One of the most striking moments of the day was our visit to Jaume, a local farmer whose life story is deeply intertwined with the transformation of the region. Having witnessed firsthand the dramatic shifts in land use, Jaume spoke about how the once-expansive agricultural fields that fed Barcelona have been gradually swallowed by the redirection of the river, port expansion, and ongoing urbanization.
Many farming families were displaced in the process, yet he has remained, preserving the memory of the area through a small museum in his home. With a collection of old tools, carriages, and artifacts, Jaume keeps alive the agrarian past of the Delta, even as looming projects like the proposed airport expansion threaten to erase what remains of its natural and agricultural heritage.
After harvesting fresh vegetables from Jaume’s fields, we continued our journey to Cal Negre, a collective farmhouse where art, sustainability, and community converge. There, we met Maria, who crafts ceramics using local clay, and shared a meal made from locally sourced rice and vegetables. The experience underscored how people continue to adapt and create new ways of living that respect the land’s history while reimagining its future.
Our excursion concluded at the Delta’s natural reserve, a breathtaking sanctuary filled with diverse bird species and peaceful beaches. However, the tranquility of the landscape was constantly interrupted by the roar of planes overhead, a stark reminder of the ongoing struggle between conservation and the relentless push for urban expansion. Jaume’s story serves as a testament to this conflict, illustrating how the history of Barcelona’s development is written not only in its skyline but also in the lives and landscapes that have had to adapt, or disappear in its wake.
During the visit, we had the chance to meet one of the falconers working at Barcelona’s airport, who explained how an ancient practice like falconry remains essential in a highly modernized environment. In open fields like airport runways, large flocks of birds pose a serious risk to aviation safety. By training falcons to naturally deter these birds, falconers provide an ecological and effective solution that reduces the need for more invasive control methods. It was fascinating to see how a centuries-old technique continues to play a crucial role in balancing human infrastructure with wildlife management.
During this second day of Situated Design Pratices, we had the opportunity to virtually meet Hibai Arbide, a journalist based in Lesvos, Greece, whose work focuses on migration and human rights. Hibai has spent years documenting the realities faced by refugees, exposing the injustices of European border policies. His reporting sheds light on the harsh conditions in refugee camps on Greek islands like Lesvos, as well as the larger, often overcrowded camps on the mainland that have become makeshift cities. Many refugees endure dangerous sea crossings, only to face illegal pushbacks and bureaucratic dead ends that leave them in limbo, relying on luck to find safety.
One of the most striking aspects of his work is how he uncovers the systemic barriers that trap refugees in cycles of uncertainty. He described the long and dehumanizing process of obtaining residency papers, which forces many to survive with almost no resources while awaiting an unpredictable future. He also revealed the growing use of invasive surveillance technologies in camps, such as AI systems that monitor emotions and gatherings, treating refugees as experimental subjects rather than human beings in need of protection.
Hibai’s work goes beyond reporting; it serves as a crucial tool for exposing the contradictions and cruelty of border policies. He contrasted the rigid, often violent enforcement of European borders with the nomadic Tuareg people, who have historically existed without national affiliations. This comparison challenges the way we think about borders, not as natural or necessary, but as political constructs that determine who has freedom of movement and who does not.
I deeply admire Hibai’s work and the way he uses journalism as a means of resistance and awareness. In a world where migration is often reduced to numbers and policies, his storytelling reminds us of the human lives affected by these barriers. His insights reinforced the importance of making people conscious of the injustices built into border systems and the urgent need for more humane, compassionate approaches to migration.
The third session of Situated Design Practices we had the chance to visit FOC, guided by the Jokkoocollective. The collective, founded eight years ago, has been working to bring visibility to alternative African electronic music. Before heading to the space, we walked through Montjuïc towards Zona Franca. Along the way, we talked about how the area has changed over time, from the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition to the 1992 Olympic Games, when parts of Montjuïc were cleared to reshape the city’s image. Many residents were relocated to Zona Franca, a neighborhood that now faces challenges linked to port expansion and social issues.
Once we arrived at Foc, we learned about its transformation over the years. Víctor, the founder, has turned it into a dynamic cultural hub, complete with a radio station, artist residencies, and a space for performances and events. During our visit, we recorded sounds from the space and later experimented with them in Ableton, using them as the foundation for new compositions. The focus was on free experimentation and collective expression, key values in spaces like FOC. The day ended with a listening session featuring some of Jokkoo’s creations. It was a refreshing experience that challenged common assumptions about African music, moving beyond the stereotype of traditional percussion to showcase the depth of electronic sounds emerging from the continent. It was an inspiring reminder of how music and sound can be powerful tools for storytelling and cultural exchange.
During the last session of the seminar, we had the chance to have a video call with Ben Ditto and discuss his work and way of thinking. It was an eye-opening conversation that gave us insight into his approach to digital culture, aesthetics, and technology’s role in shaping artistic expression.
Ben Ditto operates at the intersection of art, technology, and counterculture, constantly pushing the boundaries of digital aesthetics. His work engages deeply with internet subcultures, AI-generated visuals, and synthetic media, creating a style that is both unsettling and thought-provoking. Rather than conforming to mainstream digital aesthetics, he embraces the raw, glitchy, and surreal, forcing viewers to rethink their relationship with technology.
In my personal point of view, his work manifest a blurring of boundaries between humans and machines. His use of AI, deepfakes, and algorithmic creativity raises important questions about authorship and the role of technology in artistic expression. During our discussion, it became clear that Ditto doesn’t see AI as a tool to replace creativity but as a means to explore new forms of artistic expression. His work reflects both the utopian possibilities and dystopian anxieties of our digital age, where personal identity and reality itself are constantly shifting. Here his interesting channel just launched few years ago 👇
"Dittonation" also challenges conventional beauty standards, often embracing the grotesque and the uncanny. His visuals disrupt the polished, hyper-commercialized digital landscape, presenting an alternative vision that highlights the strangeness of our online existence. This makes his work not just visually striking but also socially and politically relevant.
What stood out from our conversation was his emphasis on subversion and resistance in digital art. He is not interested in creating comfortable, easily digestible visuals. Instead, he provokes, unsettles, and invites reflection. His projects remind us that technology is not neutral, it shapes culture, influences perceptions, and carries ideological weight.
Ultimately, Ben Ditto’s work challenges us to see the digital world differently. He invites us to embrace its chaos, question its structures, and rethink how we engage with technology and art.
