Arabeschi di Latte, a group of Florentine architects interested in food design, took part in Geodesign together with the architecture studio Avatar and the New York architect Peter Lang with the workshop entitled: "Io non butto via niente" (I throw nothing away). (Partner company: Scuola di Piazza di Mestieri)
Q. Could you describe your project for Torino Geodesign?
A. The project "Io non butto via niente" is a zero impact "catering service" that starts out from the motto "recover, use what we already have available and waste nothing"!
Beginning with this idea, we worked with students and teachers, initiating research to produce an edible container re-using residue from brewing, produced within the Piazza di Mestieri school. Having found the material, experiments began that led to the production of the "3 bite" boat-shaped pastry container divided in three parts corresponding to the three canonical moments of a "tasting": savoury, drink, sweet. This tray is a prototype that it would be interesting to develop in a permanent workshop to be able to continue to work on this fascinating theme. The first step towards this goal has been the construction of the blog "Io non butto via niente".
Q. What do you think of initiatives like this, where design abandons its more glamorous aspects to embrace ethically socially useful themes?
In our opinion, the future of design lies in the interaction of social practices and culture in a context of sociological analysis, of spaces designed and objects belonging to everyday life.
Torino Geo-design has offered an excellent point of view, that of everyday life, of implementing social practices that can transform a need into a realistic and reproducible design.
Design that has not stopped producing items needed by small and large self-organised communities that have begun to market these products to survive thanks to them.
When design manages to transform bad into good, starting from a common goal of building a socially useful expression, to create a basis of consensus and approval around a project, "glamour", aesthetics and pleasure arrive as a consequence and feed on a beauty full of meaning and harmony, "do-it yourself" beauty. The observation of these realities makes it possible to open designers' eyes, offering a clearer perception of customers' needs.
Q. We are half-way through a special and important year for Torino. Can you give an interim judgement on what has been done so far? Proposals? Criticisms?
A. What is happening in Piemonte is fascinating. The region has a lot to offer and should be taken as an example for the rest of Italy. Just think of the Slow Food movement, Eataly, Artissima and naturally Torino Geodesign, an operation which, whatever the technical and organisational difficulties, has shown itself able to present worthy, creative proposals of social utility to the institutions, communities and companies.
Too often in Italy, these are separate worlds. In contrast to other countries, Italian institutions do not put their trust in the creative force of designers to improve the quality of life in our cities, and even companies are unlikely to take risks in this direction.
Geo-design has made it evident how this collaboration is possible and desirable for ethically fair social progress. We believe that this is a very important step forward.
Interview with Civico13 and Vered Zaykovsky
link to:
Torino Geodesign
The mobilisation of collective intelligence. 48 projects for Torino
Info:
Torino Geodesign
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