DESIG*ness Summer Schools begin: discover what’s happening in Milan from September 2nd!
We are excited to announce the start of the DESIG*ness Summer School Program 2024 on September 2nd in Milan. This program kicks off a unique educational experience where students from top art academies will learn about the importance of inclusivity and diversity in design. Over the next few months, they will participate in workshops and classes that combine practical and innovative approaches to inclusive design.
Students from Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti NABA in Italy, the Art Academy of Latvia in Riga, and Vilnius Academy of Arts in Lithuania are the main participants in this program. They will explore design fields such as public space, architecture, interior design, and digital design, with a strong focus on accessibility and disability inclusion.
The first workshop, "Play with Me" will be an inclusive exploration of social design and performative practices, shared by hearing and deaf participants (both native signers and oralists), under the guidance of leading professor Elisabetta Bianchessi (PhD architect and community designer, NABA and T12 Lab). Guided by experts from the DESIG*ness Teacher Training program, including Serena Crocco (theater director, NABA and Laboratorio Silenzio), Cecilia Banfi (performer, Laboratorio Silenzio), and Eugenia Giancaspro (poet, performer, and Italian Sign Language interpreter), the workshop will encourage participants to design relational objects that foster new forms of connection. The process will be supported by tutor Marta Prati (social designer), with Sara Pranovi coordinating Italian Sign Language and English interpretation. Associations such as Laboratorio Silenzio and T12 Lab are key collaborators in this initiative.
There it is the program, along with the story of the first stage of this adventure, which takes place in Milan at Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti, NABA on September 2nd.
- Focus on inclusivity and non-verbal communication: The program begins with workshops exploring social design and performative practices. Through activities that involve hearing and deaf participants, students will learn innovative ways to foster non-verbal communication and inclusivity. These sessions will include performative practices, physical training, and brainstorming to enhance creative collaboration.
- Collaborative learning and creation: As the program progresses, students will work together to create relational objects designed to promote interaction and connection between people of different abilities. These objects will integrate concepts of social design and artistic expression, building on lectures such as "Social Design: A Relational Approach", "The Performative and Artistic Use of Words." and "Relational Objects".
- Hands-on experience: Students will engage in practical sessions to develop prototypes, guided by physical exercises, group project development, and atelier work. These prototypes will be tested in real-world settings, focusing on usability and inclusivity, culminating in functional and meaningful designs.
- Final presentation: The week concludes with a public presentation on September 6th, where students will showcase the innovative objects and performative actions developed during the program. This event invites the broader community to engage with the program's outcomes and celebrate the students' work.
This exciting first stage takes place at Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti, NABA, in Milan from September 2nd to 6th. Each day offers a blend of lectures, practical sessions, and collaborative projects.
Are you curious to find out what will happen during the different stages? Stay tuned, as we'll keep you updated with the latest news and video highlights from the events in our partners' social media channels!