An exploration of our multilayered design environment. We got familiar with IAAC's FabLab and its different fabrication tools, Poblenou district's diverse design ecosystem and Elisava university's printing and digital fabrication workshops. As responsible (future) designers, we aim to utilise resources available in our own design space, rather than extract resources from external ones. 

INSPIRATION

Our first week exposed us to plenty of sources of inspiration. Program directors presented their research agendas: from floating solar hydrogen labs to smart sensors for citizens, our directors emphasised on the need to move from survival to rebel and from extractive to regenerative technologies. Given the localised impact of these projects, my background in policy made me wonder: could policy and public institutions help to expand the scale of impact? An insightful reflection was also led by Laura Benitez on critical design practices as means for enhanced creativity, to envision possible rather than probable emerging futures.

SITUATING OBJECTS

We were asked to bring a object that represents us. The exercise consisted in
"deconstructing" our objects, going beyond their materiality to highlight the epistemic conditions in which they are situated. I brought my headphones because music is central to my life. Possessing headphones and a phone to use them indicates belonging to a certain socio-economic class. The music that I listen to with those headphones is also influenced by my cultural heritage, my experiences and my wider environment. This reflection triggered a better awareness of my position as a situated designer and the situated meanings held by objects.

We were given the liberty to co-create our own MDEF classroom. We worked together to arrange a comfortable space for reflection, collaboration, creation and... recreation :) I also got a first glimpse of the FabLab's superpowers as we used the CNC machine to build tables for our classroom's micro-lab. Lesson learnt: no matter the weather, do not wear a dress and open shoes when working with fabrication machines...