Domus Academy participates in the 2024 edition of Milan Design Week with UNFOLD, an innovative project developed in collaboration with five international design schools aiming at “unfolding complexities” of our times through problem-solving and awareness-rising proposals.
UNFOLDING COMPLEXITIES: AN OPEN INVITATION TO DESIGN BEYOND CURRENT CRISES
On its initial call for ideas to the whole Cumulus school network, Domus Academy invited students to join the UNFOLD concept by developing project proposals able to unfold the complexities of our times to generate a positive impact, no matter how small or large.
UNFOLD is born with the aim of enhancing the designers’ capability to draw upon research and data to unfold the intricacies of wider crises into a simple and easily digestible design, with a clear and proactive outcome.
INTERNATIONAL TALENTS EXHIBITING AT BASE MILANO
April 16th-21st, open access
Tue-Sat 10.30am – 8.00pm
Sun 10.30am – 6.00pm
Among the applying projects, BAU College of Arts and Design Barcelona, College for Creative Studies (Detroit), Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Strate Ecole de Design teaming with Nottingham Trent were the belonging schools of the selected projects then showcased during the Design Week (April 16th to 21st) in the evoking setting of BASE Milano.
Domus Academy’s Masters students from the Design, Business and Experience areas also applied with their own contribution and interpretation of the concept.
The variety of cultural and academic background from the selected talents will provide the exhibition with the desired comprehensive approach, able to grant visitors a differentiated and rich experience.
CONFERENCE & ROUNDTABLE ON APRIL 18
Students and faculty will present their projects and the creative processes behind their creation, in a rich conference titled ‘Unfolding complexities: design for sense-making’ from 9.30am to 5.30pm. The access is by invitation only.
From 6pm to 7.30pm the roundtable ‘Design for complexity: plural perspectives on systems ambiguity’, in line with the concept of the project, will be attended by international designers, artists and experts Allison Rowe, Georgina Voss, Matt Webb and Silvio Lorusso and will confront the assumptions surrounding “design for complexity” in a world of daunting challenges, questioning the significance of designers contributions and seeking pathways to enhance their impact. By invitation only, online streaming available here
For further information contact events@domusacademy.it.
MEET THE SPEAKERS
SILVIO LORUSSO
Silvio Lorusso is a writer, artist and designer based in Lisbon, Portugal. He published Entreprecariat (Onomatopee) in 2019 and What Design Can’t Do (Set Margins’) in 2023. Lorusso is an assistant professor and co-director of the Center for Other Worlds at the Lusófona University in Lisbon and a tutor at the Information Design department of Design Academy Eindhoven. He holds a Ph.D. in Design Sciences from the Iuav University of Venice.
ALLISON ROWE
A strategic design leader with over a decade of experience guiding design, product, venture-building, and innovation teams. She catalyses new futures and use emerging technologies for social and planetary good — creating services, systems and businesses that transport us towards a happier and healthier world. Experienced in 0-1 product strategy and development across a wide range of sectors, from healthcare and construction to food and finance. She loves partnering with experts in science, technology, and sustainability to clarify knowledge into vision and transform radical ideas into responsible solutions.
GEORGINA VOSS
Georgina is currently Director of Supra Systems Studio at University of the Arts London, where she leads a multi-disciplinary team of researchers, artists, and designers in developing projects which explore technological, political, and ecological systems through creative practice. She is also embedded in MA Interaction Design, where she teaches across theoretical and studio courses.
MATT WEBB
Matt has collaborated with some of the world’s largest firms on design-led product invention using new technology for over 20 years. He was MD of two London startup accelerators with R/GA Ventures, and co-founder and CEO of pioneering design studio BERG, where they shipped connected products and got work into the New York MoMA. Over 2020—2022, as a consultant, Matt was part of the editorial team on an internal publication with the Google AI group, bridging the research and product organisations.