The school aims to instil the idea of using nature as a main resource for sustainable design
Date: 24 July 2019
This year’s Atlantic Wonder: Routes of Nature and Design Summer School has invited Gabriele Oropallo, Senior Lecturer in Critical and Contextual Studies, to teach at the school as a member of its guest faculty.
The school, now in its second year, takes place in Madeira, Portugal from 23 to 30 July. Students will learn how the natural sciences can provide tools and methods for observing, analysing and understanding nature.
Working in the Laurissilva Forest, students will go on and walks and attend workshops run by professional botanists and biologists, exploring ways to discuss the natural sciences with non-scientific audiences, and to enhance discussions within the local community about how to build more sustainable, nature centric ways of living, educating and designing.
Gabriele said: “It’s refreshing to see the students test my ideas on design and nature by prototyping projects out in the open. It gives me the chance to rethink my understanding of design for conservation and its objectives.
“Design emerges as a form of communication through which participants articulated ideas and concepts to hold a conversation and stave off impasse. Design practice can do this regardless of whether, if ever, a design goal was attained.”