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Design often position itself as a force for good, given the overall function played in making useful, usable and culturally significant the value organisations create. Yet this story crumbles not just in the face of ecological extinction, but in an accelerating world that seems to be forgetting how life-affirming values are sustained, given that violence is always an option in relationships of any kind. This talk shares the story of a Catalan cooperative agency advancing just transitions in housing, food, energy, or material circularity, among others. In particular, it will focus on how, beyond good research, crafted interactions and organisational savviness, and a reading of the micro- and macro-economic and other key structural conditions in which our profession operates, can be at the centre of a pragmatic but committed design practice.

Forces

Format

Talk

Day

Thursday, Oct 15

Room

Aula L

Time

01:10 PM

Why is this conversation important now?

We are in post-sustainability, post-change, post-woke, post-whatever you want to call it times. The foundational ‘do good’ myths of design are crumbling, and design professionals feel lost. Furthermore, given the conditions of our profession, it is not odd to think that the general option will be for design to embrace even more hedonism and cynicism.

Who is this session for?

Designers (or other professionals) looking to find ways to sustain a transformative practice.

Key takeaways

Designers are workers, and the conditions in which we work affect our impact. There are several ways design practice can be enacted.

Transition designer committed to becoming a good ancestor. Founding member of holon, a non-profit cooperative advancing the role of design in just sustainability transitions. Experience in innovation aimed at addressing complex social, economic, and environmental challenges. Background in project management, facilitating medium-sized teams of highly specialized professionals engaged in dissolving complex problems. Mechanical Engineer specialized in Product Development from the University of the Basque Country and the University of Southern Denmark (SDU). MA in Advanced Design Studies (UPC-UB). Guest teacher at several design schools in Barcelona such as IED, BAU, Elisava or IAAC. Founding member of Espai Puntal, Slow Food awarded Bar, Restaurant and shop.

Designer and activist involved in projects enabling the everyday life of just sustainability transitions. Founding member of holon, a non-profit cooperative advancing the role of design in just sustainability transitions. More than a decade of experience in projects with organisations such as Interface Inc., UN Environment, EU Policy Lab, the Government of Catalonia, the City of Barcelona, Som Energia Coop or Girbau Corp. Teaching design in several design school in Catalonia and internationally. Founding member of EDIVI, a catalan network of design schools promoting design for social innovation and sustainability. PhD by the Open University of Catalonia on policy design and transitions in the cooperative housing sector. Founding member of La Borda, an internationally recognised housing cooperative offering affordable and sustainable housing.

Service Design Disrupted 26

 

DHub Barcelona
Plaça de les Glòries Catalanes, 38
08018 Barcelona, Spain

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