News Publication! Design, Doppiavoce, 2026

Posted on 10 Aprile 2026 by admin

Il design contemporaneo si configura come un campo in continua evoluzione, in cui teoria, pratica e dimensione culturale si intrecciano costantemente.

Il volume propone una riflessione sull’evoluzione semantica e disciplinare del design, mettendo in relazione prospettiva storica e analisi teorica per interpretarne le implicazioni nella società contemporanea.

Attraverso un linguaggio accessibile ma rigoroso, Design affronta temi centrali quali il ruolo del progetto, le dinamiche culturali e le sfide attuali legate alla sostenibilità, all’innovazione tecnologica e alle nuove forme di pensiero progettuale.

Il libro si rivolge a studentesse e studenti, docenti e a un pubblico più ampio interessato a comprendere il design come strumento critico per leggere la complessità del presente.

Contemporary design can be understood as a constantly evolving field in which theory, practice, and cultural dimension are deeply interconnected.

The book offers a reflection on the semantic and disciplinary evolution of design, linking historical perspective and theoretical analysis in order to interpret its implications within contemporary society.

Through an accessible yet rigorous approach, Design addresses key topics such as the role of design practice, cultural dynamics, and current challenges related to sustainability, technological innovation, and new forms of design thinking.

The book is aimed at students, educators, and a broader audience interested in understanding design as a critical tool for interpreting the complexity of the present.

Art and Science: Natura Obscura

Posted on 3 Novembre 202517 Novembre 2025 by admin

Exploring Nature through Images

Swedish photographer Lena Granefelt, in her most recent exhibition NATURA OBSCURA (October 4, 2025 – January 17, 2026) at Passagen in Linköping, presents a compelling fusion of art and science, inviting viewers to explore the hidden layers of nature through photography. The three interwoven projects – Flora Supersum, A Linnaean Collection, and Kompost-Metamorfos – investigate the delicate interplay between life, decomposition, and transformation.

In Flora Supersum, the artist captures plant life at its most vulnerable stages, revealing the quiet beauty in decline. Each image encourages contemplation, suggesting that endings are not merely closures, but openings to new forms and possibilities. A Linnaean Collection reflects on humanity’s long history of cataloguing and classifying the natural world, prompting viewers to reconsider how we perceive and value living things. Finally, Kompost-Metamorfos, created in collaboration with Håkan Kvarnström focuses on the microscopic processes of decomposition and renewal. Using innovative techniques such as scanning electron microscopy, the project reveals vibrant life forms that normally remain unseen, transforming what is often overlooked into a stunning visual experience.

This artistic approach not only stimulates aesthetic reflection but also engages with the scientific dimension, demonstrating how methodical observation and visual representation can dialogue. Granefelt’s work highlights the hidden rhythms of the environment and encourages us to consider natural materials and processes not only as objects of study but also as poetic and narrative elements. The exploration of plant microstructures, decomposing matter, and life cycles becomes an interdisciplinary investigation, enriching design projects and offering insights into the materiality, transformation, and hidden potentials of materials themselves.

The exhibition’s installation further enhances this immersive experience, arranging the photographs in sequences that guide visitors through the life cycles and transformative processes of nature. The careful use of subdued lighting and contemplative spaces emphasizes microscopic details and textures of natural materials, turning scientific observation into an engaging aesthetic encounter.

In summary, integrating Granefelt’s work into the thesis underscores how art and science can collaborate to expand our understanding of materials, fostering a sensitive and critical perception that informs design, material research, and their visual representation.

Photo credit: Gianluigi Viscusi

NEW PUBLICATION | MADIA

Posted on 11 Settembre 202511 Settembre 2025 by admin

I’m pleased to announce the publication of my latest article as part of the Provocative Objects and Places series, curated by the the Design History Society.

Read the full article here: Provocative Objects: The Madia

NEW Publication | De la peste au Covid

Posted on 10 Settembre 202511 Settembre 2025 by admin

De la peste au Covid. Imaginaire épidémique et poétique de la contagion

Il s’agit de cerner, en empruntant diverses approches critiques, quelques facettes de l’imaginaire épidémique qui s’est profilé au fil des siècles pour en dégager les principaux invariants thématiques et anthropologiques.

Dans le volume, il y a ma contribution intitulée Le paysage post-pandémique dans la série américaine Z Nation. L’humain à l’épreuve de la « vie nue ».

Il s’agit d’étudier le rôle structurant et la dimension symbolique de deux espaces romanesques ou plutôt de deux topoï omniprésents dans la plupart des dystopies post-apocalyptiques portées à l’écran : la route et l’espace d’abri. Sera également abordé l’imaginaire zombique dans Z Nation à la lumière du concept de « vie nue » tel qu’il a été défini par Giorgio Agamben, c’est-à-dire cette forme de « survie » exposée en permanence aux dangers extérieurs.

Acheter l’article https://classiques-garnier.com/de-la-peste-au-covid-imaginaire-epidemique-et-poetique-de-la-contagion-le-paysage-post-pandemique-dans-la-serie-americaine-z-nation.html

Acheter l’ouvrage https://classiques-garnier.com/de-la-peste-au-covid-imaginaire-epidemique-et-poetique-de-la-contagion.html

The Story of the Barbican Architectural Project in London

Posted on 19 Luglio 202419 Luglio 2024 by admin

Once upon a time in the heart of London, amidst the ruins and rubble left by World War II, a bold vision began to take shape. The year was the 1950s, and the city was in desperate need of rejuvenation. Architects Chamberlin, Powell, and Bon embarked on an ambitious journey to transform a bomb-damaged area into a beacon of modern urban living. This vision would become the Barbican Estate, a model of brutalist architecture and urban renewal.

Barbican, LONDON 2024 © Gianluigi Viscusi

Imagine a place where concrete giants rise towards the sky, their raw, geometric forms creating a striking silhouette against the London skyline. The Barbican Estate was designed to be more than just housing; it was envisioned as a self-contained urban, where residents could live, work, and play harmoniously. The architects drew inspiration from the ideals of functionality, durability, and community, with the aim of creating an environment that was resilient.

Central to this vision were the three iconic residential towers: Cromwell Tower, Lauderdale Tower, and Shakespeare Tower. These concrete behemoths soared to 42 stories, offering residents breathtaking panoramic views of London. These towers were not just homes; they were vertical neighborhoods, with each apartment designed to maximize light and space, creating a sense of openness amidst the dense urban fabric.
Surrounding the towers, the estate featured an array of terraced housing blocks. These were no ordinary homes; they were designed with private balconies and access to lush communal gardens. Here, neighbors could meet, children could play, and a sense of community could flourish. The architects believed these shared spaces were crucial for fostering social connections and enhancing the quality of urban life.
At the heart of the Barbican Estate lay the Barbican Centre, a cultural jewel that would become one of London’s premier arts venues. Within its concrete walls, a world of creativity and inspiration unfolded. The Centre housed a concert hall, theaters, cinemas, art galleries, a library, and exhibition spaces. It was a place where art and culture thrived, drawing visitors from all over the world and enriching the lives of the residents.

The Barbican was more than just buildings; it was a carefully crafted environment where public spaces played a central role. Landscaped gardens, tranquil lakes, and cascading fountains were interwoven with pedestrian pathways, creating a serene and inviting atmosphere. These public spaces were designed to be enjoyed by everyone, offering a respite from the hustle and bustle of the city.
In a groundbreaking move, the architects designed the Barbican with elevated walkways known as “podiums.” These walkways separated pedestrian traffic from the streets below, creating a safer and more pleasant experience for residents. It was a pedestrian, where one could stroll without the noise and danger of vehicles, enhancing the sense of tranquility and community.

Barbican represented a bold experiment in urban living, where high-density housing was seamlessly integrated with cultural and social amenities. Its brutalist architecture, with its raw concrete and uncompromising forms, sparked both admiration and controversy. Yet, over time, it has earned a place in the hearts of many and has become a celebrated part of London’s architectural heritage.

Today, the Barbican Estate is designated as a Grade II listed building, acknowledged for its architectural and historical importance. It continues to be a lively residential community and a cultural landmark, attracting visitors from around the globe. The Barbican is a living testimony to visionary architecture.

The story of the Barbican Estate is one of transformation and innovation. From the ashes of war, a concrete utopia emerged, blending residential, cultural, and recreational functions into a cohesive and influential urban project. The Barbican continues to inspire, offering a glimpse into what urban living can achieve when guided by bold vision and thoughtful design.

Exhibition. Simone Leigh

Posted on 18 Agosto 202322 Febbraio 2024 by admin

Simone Leigh

Apr 6 – Sep 4, 2023

ICA (Institute of Contemporary Art), Boston

Simone Leigh, ICA BOSTON 2023 © Gianluigi Viscusi.

Simone Leigh (1967, Chicago) represented the United States at the Venice Biennale in 2022. The works shown at the Biennale are on display at the ICA in Boston providing an overview of the artist’s output in ceramic, bronze, and video.

His art speaks of decolonization, participation, social innovation, immaterial culture, of the artist’s role in the material realization of his works through the questioning of otherness.

For over two decades, Leigh has embraced a polyphonic artistic vocabulary that elaborates on Black feminist thought, an intellectual tradition that values and centers the experiences of Black women.

Informed by rigorous attention to a wide swath of historical periods, geographies, and artistic traditions of Africa and the African diaspora, the artist often combines the female body with domestic vessels or architectural elements to point to unacknowledged acts of labor and care.

Clay forms the basis of most of Leigh’s artwork, including her bronze sculptures, which are first modeled in clay.

The exhibition traces the artist’s visual language through distinctive motifs, including cowrie shells, braids, facial vases, and faces.

Leigh fuses different cultural languages by mixing references to 19th century West African art, the material culture of early black Americans and colonial history.

Accompanied by an important monograph, the exhibition itinerary offers visitors the opportunity to experience the complex work of this artist who makes the female figure (in this regard, remember the work of Niki de Saint Phalle) the center of her formal research.

NEWS Publication | Mediacene N. 28 (2022), Elephant & Castle

Posted on 10 Marzo 202322 Febbraio 2024 by admin

Mediacene

Ecomediatic Sensitivty / Sensibilité éco-médiatique

« We now live in the Mediacene, a geological era characterized by the crucial impact of technologies of perception, information and transport on the historical and environmental context in which we live. Having become real living environments, the contemporary media are regulators of a multi-modal sensitivity on which our awareness of the challenges and pitfalls of the now full-blown ecological crisis depends. This issue offers some food for thought on the current state of the discourse on media ecology, in search of a new eco-systemic paradigm for describing the relationship between living beings and the planet.»

« Nous vivons actuellement dans le Mediacene, une ère géologique caractérisée par l’impact crucial des technologies de la perception, de l’information et des transports sur le contexte historique et environnemental dans lequel nous vivons. Devenus de véritables milieux de vie, les médias contemporains sont les modulateurs d’une sensibilité multimodale dont dépend notre prise de conscience des enjeux et des pièges de la crise écologique désormais manifeste. Ce dossier offre un aperçu de l’état actuel du discours sur l’écologie des médias, à la recherche d’un nouveau paradigme écosystémique pour décrire la relation entre les êtres vivants et la planète. »

Contributors

Franca Franchi, Adriano D’Aloia , Jacopo Rasmi, Giuseppe Previtali, Laura Cesaro, Jan Christian Schulz, Chiara Rubessi, Valeria Burgio, Emiliano Guaraldo, Jérémy Damian, Anna Caterina Dalmasso, Paolo Berti, Vincenzo Di Rosa, Matteo Quinto, Marta Rocchi.

https://elephantandcastle.unibg.it/index.php/eac/issue/view/22

Visualiser des données météorologiques: représentations des phénomènes atmosphériques

Chiara Rubessi

Abstract

Data visualisation technology has made many databases visible and intelligible, and the issue of accessing, analysing, using and visualising data is one of the problems of the digital society. In this perspective, the representation of weather phenomena raises a series of questions about the visualisation modalities adopted. How are the data of meteorological phenomena represented? From this question, the contribution aims to analyze some 2D representations of meteorology through the tool of data visualization in order to observe the way atmospheric phenomena are rooted in the mediation technology.

Meteorology, Visual form, Data visualization, Representation, Phenomenology.

https://elephantandcastle.unibg.it/index.php/eac/article/view/194

NEWS Lancement|Rencontre Le discours critique en art & en design. Pratiques et enjeux contemporains

Posted on 10 Giugno 202222 Febbraio 2024 by admin

Lancement de l’ouvrage **« Le Discours critique en art & en design-Pratiques et enjeux contemporains »**

Présentation de l’ouvrage **« Le Discours critique en art & en design-Pratiques et enjeux contemporains »** par l’unité de recherche Design & Création en présence des intervenants des journées de rencontres du même nom organisées en 2020-2021.

Jeudi 16 juin à 10h30-12h30, en présentiel à l’auditorium de l’Esadse ou en webinaire.

Cité du design
Auditorium de l’Esadse
rue Marius Patinaud
42000 Saint-Étienne

« La critique fait aujourd’hui l’objet de nombreuses études, colloques et publications qui se concentre sur ce discours particulier et qui participent d’un renouvellement de l’histoire de l’art. On s’intéresse également à ces espaces traditionnels de diffusion que sont les revues. En France, les Archives de la critique d’art sont un acteur important du développement de ce champ de recherche.
[…]
La critique, dans tous les cas, se place au croisement de différents champs de connaissance sans en appartenir à aucun. Si elle est une discipline, un domaine spécifique d’activité reconnu y compris sur le plan professionnel avec des instances comme celle de l’AICA [Association internationale des critiques d’art], le statut de son discours reste ambigu. On pourrait d’ailleurs soutenir qu’elle appartient pleinement au domaine de la pratique. C’est cette pratique de la critique contemporaine que l’unité de recherche Design & Création a souhaité analyser durant ces rencontres en abordant ses diverses orientations et ses enjeux actuels. Initiées au moment du vernissage de la première édition de « Après l’école – Biennale Artpress des écoles d’art » (2020) et devant s’achever pendant la Biennale du design finalement reportée pour cause de Covid-19, ces rencontres ont été pensées comme imbriquées avec les événements dans lesquels l’École d’art et design de Saint-Étienne est partie prenante, faisant de l’école un lieu ouvert et vivant mais également un lieu de production et de stimulation de la critique. »

Avec

Juan Albarrán Diego, Professeur d’ histoire de l’art a l’ Université Autonome de Madrid

Yann Aucompte, Professeur Agrégé section supérieure de design graphique DNMADe graphisme, didactique, médiation, édition Lycée Jean-Pierre-Vernant de Sèvres, France

Elisabeth Couturier, Journaliste et critique d’art

Xavier de Jarcy, Journaliste à Télérama

Simone Fehlinger, Designer-chercheure, responsable du Deep Design Lab, Cité du design Saint-Étienne

Jean-Jacques Gay, Directeur et curateur accès)s, Docteur en Science de la Communication et de l’Information, membre de l’équipe CITU du Laboratoire Paragraphe de l’Université de Paris 8

Elise Goutagny, Doctorante en design graphique, Université Paris 8

David-Olivier Lartigaud, Docteur en arts, professeur à l’Esadse, co-responsable du Random(lab)

Isabelle Le Pape, Cheffe du service Art, Bibliothèque nationale de France

Xavier Lowenthal, Auteur, dessinateur, théoricien de la bande dessinée et fondateur du groupe et de la maison d’édition « La Cinquième Couche » (5c)

Romain Mathieu, Docteur en histoire de l’art contemporain, enseignant-chercheur et responsable du laboratoire d’expérimentation des modernités à L’Esadse

Kader Mokaddem, Professeur de Philosophie et Esthétique

Jean-Claude Paillasson, Graphiste et réalisateur de films d’animation, professeur à l’Esadse, responsable du Labo Images-Récits-Document

Lorène Picard, Enseignante en design graphique et cultures numériques, doctorante en recherche-création au laboratoire ECLLA de l’UJM et au Random(Lab) de l’Esadse

Philippe Roux, Enseignant-chercheur à l’Esadse et au MAMC de Saint-Etienne Métropole

Chiara Rubessi , Docteure de recherche-Enseignante-Designer, UGA, Université Grenoble Alpes Lab. Cinesthea et CEREFREA Villa Noël, Université de Bucarest

Aurélie Voltz, Directrice générale du Musée d’art moderne et contemporain de Saint-Etienne Métropole

PLUS INFORMATIONS

Oskar Nikolai Hansen. Open Form.

Posted on 3 Gennaio 20221 Novembre 2024 by admin

01.-HANSEN-Portrait-01 — Presentazione della teoria della Forma Aperta di Hansen, AICA congress in Wroclaw (1975). Photography: Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts Museum.

In questo articolo parleremo della visione degli spazi dell’architetto Oskar Nikolai Hansen (Helsinki,1922-Varsavia, 2005).

In this article, we will discuss the vision of living spaces as proposed by Oskar Nikolai Hansen (Helsinki, 1922 – Warsaw, 2005).

Architetto visionario, progettista, teorico, pedagogo, pittore e sculture.

Visionary architect, designer, theoretician, pedagogue, painter and sculptor.

Interessante è la visione degli spazi abitati dall’uomo di Hansen teorizzata nel concetto di Forma Aperta, che prevede la concezione di un progetto variabile così da poter accogliere nel tempo l’intervento dei fruitori – che diventavano a loro volta co-autori dello spazio.

Interesting is the vision of space as inhabited by Hansen, who theorized about Open Form – a space shaped by its inhabitants and their activities. This idea permeates all of his subsequent work, forming a theory that embraces art as a process and actively engages the viewer, recipient, and user.

Sistema lineare continuo. — Studio sul sistema lineare continuo, Linear Continuous System (LSC). Study on the Linear Continuous System (LCS).

Ampliamento-Zacheta — Zacheta Gallery, Varsavia, Polonia, 1958, Oskar and Zofia Hansen.

Progetto di monumento ai caduti di Auschwitz-Birkenau, Polonia 1958 — Progetto di monumento ai caduti di Auschwitz-Birkenau, Polonia, 1958-59. Project for the Monument to the Victims of Auschwitz-Birkenau, Poland, 1958-59.

Forma Aperta. Questa teoria voleva dare una risposta ai problemi che l’architettura del dopoguerra stava affrontando, ma anche aprire un dibattito critico sul movimento moderno (CIAM, International Congresses of Modern Architecture, 1928-1959). Infatti, le critiche di Hansen vengono espresse verso i progetti di social housing dell’epoca. Hansen afferma che questi progetti sono il risultato di un’architettura chiusa.

Open Form. The theory he proposed was his response to the problems architecture faced in the post-war period. His critiques of the modern movement were also directed towards the members of CIAM (International Congresses of Modern Architecture). These critiques were fundamentally aimed at the social housing projects of that time. Hansen argued that these projects are the result of a closed architecture—an architecture that is predetermined and absolute before it is even realized.

Hansen è contrario alle architetture di tendenza modernista, che a suo parere non hanno la capacità di ospitare sia l’individuo che il collettivo. Al contrario, l’idea di un posizionamento del singolo nel collettivo dovrebbe concorrere a creare una migliore condizione di vita. Dunque, la Forma Aperta vede il suo principio fondativo nel riconoscimento dell’individuo come parte del collettivo. Un individuo che, potenzialmente, potrebbe diventare attivo e partecipe della creazione di spazi :

La Forma Aperta dovrebbe essere intesa come il riconoscimento del singolo all’interno di un collettivo.

Hansen opposes modernist architecture, which, in his opinion, lacks the capacity to accommodate both the individual and the collective. The Open Form is founded on the principle of recognizing the individual as part of the collective an individual who has the potential to become active and involved in the creation of spaces.

Open Form shouls to be understood as the recognition of the individual in a collective .

Abitazioni a Lublino, Polonia, 1960-1966. — Lublino, Polonia, 1960-1966.

> Oscar Newman, CIAM’59 in Otterlo, Stuttgart, 1961, with contributions by J. Bakema, G. Candilis, G. de Carlo, J. Coderch, R. Erskine, A. van Eyck, B. and D. van Ginkel, G. Grung, H. Haan, O. and Z. Hansen, A. Josic, C. Polonyi, E. Rogers, A. Roth, A. and P. Smithson, J. Soltan, K. Tange, J. Voelcker and S. Woods.

The interdisciplinary experience of the Global Tools group 1973_1975

Considerando la complessità delle questioni di ricerca e di didattica che coinvolgono l’attuale campo del progetto, è interessante ricordare l’esperienza di un collettivo di progettisti attivi intorno al decennio del 1970.

Considering the complexity of the research and teaching issues that involve the current field of design, it is interesting to recall the experience of a collective of designers active around the 1970s.

L’esperienza Global Tools nasce in un momento storico che vede anche la società italiana animata dalla volontà di portare cambiamenti. Erano gli anni dell’esempio metodologico della scuola tedesca di progettazione di Ulm (1955-1968) e dell’affermazione del percorso del Good Design nella progettazione.

The Global Tools experience was born in a historical moment that also sees the Italian company animated by the desire to bring about changes.
These were the years of the methodological example of the German school of Design in Ulm (1955-1968) and the affirmation of the path of Good Design.

In questo contesto, il 12 gennaio del 1973 Archizoom Associati, Remo Buti, Casabella, Riccardo Dalisi, Ugo La Pietra, 9999, Gaetano Pesce, Gianni Pettena, Rassegna, Ettore Sottsass jr., Superstudio, Ufo e Zziggurat, si riuniscono presso la redazione di Casabella per dar vita al gruppo GLOBAL TOOLS, un sistema di laboratori di progettazione connessi per la diffusione dell’uso di materie e tecniche e relativi comportamenti.

In this context, on 12 January 1973 Archizoom Associati, Remo Buti, Casabella, Riccardo Dalisi, Ugo La Pietra, 9999, Gaetano Pesce, Gianni Pettena, Rassegna, Ettore Sottsass jr., Superstudio, Ufo, and Zziggurat, met at the editorial staff of Casabella to create the GLOBAL TOOLS group, a system of connected design laboratories for the dissemination of the use of materials and techniques and related behaviors.

Il gruppo GLOBAL TOOLS si pone come obiettivo di stimolare il libero movimento del pensiero progettuale. Lo strumento di ricerca di questo libero movimento del pensiero prevedeva l’ideazione di un programma di attività di ricerca di tipo didattico e produttivo rivolto al potenziamento della capacità espressiva. Il programma delle attività veniva redatto attraverso un sistema di bollettini esplicativi.

The GLOBAL TOOLS group aims to stimulate the free movement of design thinking.
The research tool of this free movement of thought involved the creation of a program of didactic and productive research activities aimed at enhancing the expressive capacity. The program of activities was drawn up through a system of explanatory bulletins.

I corsi che si terranno forniranno le nozioni base necessarie all’uso degli attrezzi e degli strumenti esistenti nei laboratori, nonché informazioni su tecniche specifiche apprendibili in altri luoghi collegati in modi diversi alla Global Tools. L’insegnamento avverrà intorno a temi quali: uso dei materiali naturali e artificiali, sviluppo delle attività creative individuali e di gruppo, uso e tecniche degli strumenti di informazione e comunicazione, strategie di sopravvivenza. (Documento n. 1, La Costituzione dal Bollettino Global Tools, 1974).”

“The courses to be held will provide the basic notions necessary for the use of the tools and instruments existing in the laboratories, as well as information on specific techniques that can be learned in other places connected in different ways to Global Tools. The teaching will take place around topics such as the use of natural and artificial materials, development of individual and group creative activities, use and techniques of information and communication tools, survival strategies. (Document No. 1, The Constitution from the Global Tools Bulletin, 1974).”

GLOBAL TOOLS Bulletin n° 1, Edizioni L’uomo e l’arte, Milan, June 1974, Cover by Remo Buti.

Il primo seminario del gruppo è descritto nel documento n. 4, The-Il-Program-ma.

The first seminar of the group is described in document n. 4, The-Il-Program-ma.

Le tematiche indicate riguardano il corpo, la costruzione, la comunicazione e la sopravvivenza considerati nel loro senso generale e come tematiche dell’esperienza individuale e collettiva. Ogni tematica sarà sviluppata da un gruppo di ” operatori ” che definiscono l’attività teorica e pratica.

The themes indicated concern the body, construction, communication, and survival considered in their general sense and as themes of individual and collective experience. Each theme will be developed by a group of “operators” who define the theoretical and practical activity.

GLOBAL TOOLS Bulletin n° 1, Documento N°4, The-Il-Program-ma, Edizioni L’uomo e l’arte, Milan, June 1974.

L’attività Body Corpo ideata da Dalisi, Mendini, Mosconi, Raggi e Pesce propone una ricerca sul corpo umano inteso come strumento primario inserito in un’analisi conoscitiva e interpretativa.

The Body Corpo activity conceived by Dalisi, Mendini, Mosconi, Raggi, and Pesce proposes research on the human body intended as a primary tool inserted in a cognitive and interpretative analysis.

GLOBAL TOOLS Bulletin n°2, Body Corpo, Edizioni L’uomo e l’arte, Milan, January 1975.

L’attività T-h-eor-y-ia, svolta dagli operatori Binazzi, Breschi, Recchioli e Buti, considera la nozione di teoria come “creatività pura” espressa attraverso azioni, comportamenti, pensieri, etc.

The activity T-h-eor-y-ia, carried out by the operators Binazzi, Breschi, Recchioli, and Buti considers the notion of theory as “pure creativity” expressed through actions, behaviors, thoughts, etc.

Tre temi di discussione vengono proposti per il seminario : 1. rapporti fra architettura e magia, 2. analogia sportiva, 3. creatività pura.

Three topics of discussion are proposed for the seminar: 1. the relationship between architecture and magic, 2. sports analogy, 3. pure creativity.

GLOBAL TOOLS Bullettin n°2, T-h-eor-y-ia, Edizioni L’uomo e l’arte, Milan, January 1975.

Si lavora soprattutto sui processi cercando strumenti per progettare con materiali leggeri, talvolta effimeri, che suggeriscono un ritmo di vita biologico.

The focus is mainly on processes looking for tools to design with light materials, sometimes ephemeral, which suggest a biological rhythm of life.

Parlando di materiali, l’artista Riccardo Dalisi approderà alla manipolazione della materia povera, nelle sue forme più diverse. Infatti, l’esperienza partecipativa dell’operatore Dalisi con i bambini del Rione Traiano nella zona sud-ovest della città di Napoli, dal 1971 al 1974, sembra collocarsi fra le posizioni dell’architettura della partecipazione (vedi il lavoro di Giancarlo De Carlo), le avanguardie dell’architettura radicale e anche dell’architettura in forma aperta della visione dell’abitare di Oskar Nikolai Hansen [https://www.chiararubessi.com/2017/03/23/open-form-oskar-hansen/]

Speaking of materials, the artist Riccardo Dalisi will arrive at the manipulation of poor material, in its most diverse forms. In fact, the participatory experience of the Dalisi operator with the children of the Rione Traiano in the south-west area of the city of Naples, from 1971 to 1974, seems to be placed among the positions of the architecture of participation (see the work of Giancarlo De Carlo), the avant-garde of a radical architecture, and also of architecture in the open form of Oskar Nikolai Hansen’s vision of living [https://www.chiararubessi.com/2017/03/23/open-form-oskar-hansen/]

L’obiettivo del laboratorio è quello di lavorare sul processo progettuale di un spazio per e con i bambini del rione stimolando forme di rinnovamento sociale. Nell’attività di laboratorio il progetto diventa così uno strumento, un processo per suscitare interesse e partecipazione tentando di riappropriarsi di uno spazio in degrado.

The goal of the workshop is to work on the design process of a space for and with the children of the neighbourhood, stimulating forms of social renewal. In the laboratory activity, the project thus becomes a tool, a process to arouse interest and participation by attempting to regain possession of a decaying space.

Fonte https://www.riccardodalisi.it/radicale/

Questi esempi di diverse esperienze sembrano confermare una svolta interdisciplinare e metodologica del pensiero progettuale che prendeva in considerazione anche discipline umanistiche come la musica, le arti visive e il teatro con lo scopo di indagare approcci diversi e molteplici al processo progettuale.

These examples of different experiences seem to confirm an interdisciplinary and methodological turning point in design thinking that also took into consideration humanistic disciplines such as music, visual arts, and theatre intending to investigate different and multiple approaches to the design process.

Il numero di maggio 1973 di Casabella, la rivista di urbanistica architettura e disegno industriale mostra in copertina la foto del gruppo Global Tools.

Casabella n° 377, May 1973, Cover design by Adolfo Natalini, Fonte Archive Casabella https://casabellaweb.eu/the-magazine/yearannata-1973-xxvii/

Casabella, n° 377, maggio 1973, direttore Alessandro Mendini, foto di Carlo Bachi dipinta e redatta da Adolfo Natalini. ARCHIZOOM ASSOCIATI : 1. Andrea Branzi – 2. Gilberto Corretti – 3. Paolo Deganello – 4. Massimo Morozzi – 5. Dario Bartolini (Lucia Bartolini) – 6. Remo Buti. CASABELLA: 7. Alessandro Mendini – 8. Carlo Guenzi – 9. Enrico Bona – 10. Franco Raggi – 11. Luciano Boschini – 12. Riccardo Dalisi 13. Ugo La Pietra. 9999: 14. Giorgio Birelli – 15. Carlo Caldini – 16. Fabrizio Fiumi – 17. Paolo Galli – 18. Gaetano Pesce – 19. Gianni Pettena. RASSEGNA: 20. Adalberto Dal Lago – 21. Ettore Sottsass. SUPERSTUDIO: 22. – Piero Frassinelli – 23. Alessandro Magris – 24. Roberto Magris – 25. Adolfo Natalini 26. Christiano Toraldo di Francia. U.F.O.: 27. Carlo Bachi – 28. Lapo Binazzi (Patrizia Cammeo, Riccardo Forese) – 29. Titti Maschietto. ZZIGGURAT: 30. Alberto Breschi (Giuliano Fiorenzuoli) – 31. Roberto Pecchioli (Nanni Carciaghe, Gigi Gavini).

BIBLIOGRAFIA INDICATIVA

Valerio Borgonuovo, Silvia Franceschini (a cura di), Global Tools 1973 1975. Quando l’educazione coinciderà con la vita, Nero Editions, Roma, 2018.

Global Tools

Recommended Citation

Rubessi, C. (2021) “L’esperienza interdisciplinare del gruppo Global Tools 1973_1975 | The interdisciplinary experience of the Global Tools group 1973_1975“, ThinkingSpaces, https://www.chiararubessi.com/2021/06/22/globaltools/