Designers and studios from nine European Union countries showcase sustainable, future-focused solutions
Designers and studios from nine European Union countries showcase sustainable, future-focused solutions at ECO Solidarity 2022, presented by WantedDesign Manhattan, May 15-17, 2022.
Anmeldung
Leading designers and studios from nine European Union countries, represented by EUNIC NY, the European Union National Institutes for Culture, will introduce transformative solutions in the third iteration of ECO Solidarity at WantedDesign Manhattan, co-located with ICFF, on May 15-17, 2022. Launched in 2020 as an international, multidisciplinary initiative and movement, ECO Solidarity brings together a diverse group of design practitioners who explore radical sustainability in architecture, urban planning, product design and development, energy and waste, standing in solidarity in the face of the global humanitarian, public health, and ecological crises. The 2022 show includes an exhibition and two talks featuring participating designers and a diversity of experts.
With the goal of uniting design and other disciplines to create ecologically-sound, human-centered, hands-on solutions, ECO Solidarity is a collective act of resistance to the climate emergency through design. The remarkably applicable projects, which can be implemented on micro and macro scales, advance the circular economy, address the key principles of the European Green New Deal, and contribute to the implementation of the UN Agenda 2030 and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Encompassing research, craft, and technology—or a combination of all three—these projects offer a range of approaches, from investigating the daily life of our homes and cities to examining complex systems, processes, and practices that support a more equitable and sustainable future.
“Placing nature, environment, and people at the center of the design and production process and moving from conversation to action and implementing sustainable scenarios should be the design industry’s common goal,” said Odile Hainaut and Claire Pijoulat, Founders of WantedDesign. “As directors and curators of a major U.S. design event, we have the opportunity to give a voice to those pioneering active, scalable responses to environmental challenges experienced globally and locally.” More than ever, ECO Solidarity with its call to action, should find a receptive and engaged audience in New York this May. We are extremely proud to partner with EUNIC and nine of its cultural organizations to present the initiative and projects of talented European studios in New York.”
Participating designers and studios include: EOOS NEXT (Austria), Herrmann & Coufal (Czech Republic), Livable Platform (Flanders, Belgium), AHA Objects (Malta), NASDRA Conscious Design (Poland), SUSDESIGN (Portugal), Atelier Ad Hoc (Romania), crafting plastics! studio (Slovakia), and MOYA Birch Bark (Germany), representing the Goethe-Institut New York.
The concept of MOYA is based on the vision of establishing birch bark as an innovative renewable raw material, which not only enables us to create sustainable design concepts and showcase the characteristics of birch bark, but also reinvigorate an endangered trade. In their products, MOYA solely uses the best quality untreated birch bark. In contrast to the other tree species, the birch’s bark can be harvested once a year, without harming the tree. MOYA has been working with small family businesses in Siberia since 2015 and has set up two production sites in Tomsk (2019) and Ivanovo (2016), so that added value remains on-site and as many jobs as possible can be created. They ensure that old knowledge is passed on to younger generations and that old craft tradition is preserved.
Whether highlighting personal and environmental benefits of DIY (Herrmann & Coufal), transforming construction waste into outdoor furniture that functions as public art and reminds of the loss of significant buildings (AHA Objects), exploring the potential of alternative production materials, bioremediation and bioelectronics (NASDRA Conscious Design) or using design to raise visibility for local knowledge and to foster cross-cultural, multi-disciplinary partnerships (Livable Platform), the participating designers uncover new possibilities and contribute to changing common practices of the design industry and public. Embodying inclusion, collaboration and multiple perspectives, ECO Solidarity provides an opportunity for emerging European designers to present their work and participate in the wider discourse of WantedDesign and ICFF.
Attendees of WantedDesign Manhattan and ICFF will have an opportunity to hear the ECO Solidarity designers share their insights and vision in two informative talks held on the show floor. Talks are open to all fair attendees and the media, with no reservations required.
Sunday, May 15, 11: 30 am. ECO Solidarity, Part One: Doing It!
Moderated by Simone Rothman, Co-Founder, FutureAir
Presenters: Aha Objects (Malta), Atelier Ad Hoc (Romania), EOOS Next (Austria), Hermann & Coufal (Czech Republic), Livable Platform (Flanders/Belgium).
Monday | May 16, 11:30 am. ECO Solidarity, Part Two: Doing It!
Moderator: Jonsara Ruth, Design Director and Co-Founder, Healthy Materials Lab, Parsons School of Design
Presenters: Crafting Plastics! Studio (Slovakia), Moya Birch Bark (Germany), NASDRA Conscious Design (Poland), SusDesignHealthy and Sustainable Design Solutions (Portugal).
The 2022 edition is produced and presented in partnership with EUNIC NY, the European Union National Institutes for Culture, including the Austrian Cultural Forum New York in cooperation with Austrian Federal Economic Chamber and Vienna Business Agency, Delegation of Flanders to the USA , Czech Center New York, Goethe-Institut New York, Arts Council Malta in New York, Romanian Cultural Institute New York, Polish Cultural Institute New York, the Consulate General of Portugal in New York/ Camões, I.P., Consulate General of Slovakia in New York, and the European Union Delegation to the United Nations.
The exhibition is designed and curated by Deborah Wang, architect and artistic director of DesignTO. ECO Solidarity 2022 Advisory Committee includes Jonsara Ruth, co-founder and Design Director, Parsons Healthy Material Labs; Simone Rothman, co-founder, FutureAir; Laurence Carr, founder and CEO, Laurence Carr Inc.
ECO Solidarity was initiated by the Polish Cultural Institute New York in partnership with WantedDesign and eight European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC) organizations to address the imperative need for human-centered design in response to humanitarian and public health crises by focusing on ecology, the climate emergency, public health, wellbeing in public spaces, and how shifts in the economy affect people’s lives.
WantedDesign is a NYC-based platform dedicated to promoting design and fostering the international creative community throughout the year. Founded in New York City in 2011 by Odile Hainaut and Claire Pijoulat, WantedDesign has established itself as a constant and staunch supporter of U.S. and international design. Focusing on emerging and new ideas in design, its main trade event WantedDesign Manhattan was acquired by Emerald in 2019 and is now co-locating with ICFF at the Javits Center. wanteddesignnyc.com
The International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) is where designers, retailers, developers, and architects converge to exchange inspiration and ignite a competitive drive for contemporary residential and commercial interiors. With a selection of both established and emerging designers, the ICFF delivers a selection of the globe’s finest, most creative, individual and original avant-garde products showcased in one venue. Exhibitors from 36 countries come to the ICFF each year to showcase the newest frontier of high-end, contemporary interiors. Icff.com
European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC) is the European network of organizations engaging in cultural relations. Together with our partners, we bring to life European cultural collaboration in more than 100 countries worldwide with a network of 133 clusters, drawing on the broad experience of our members from all EU Member States and associate countries. EUNIC advocates a prominent role of culture in international relations and is a strategic partner of the EU, actively involved in the further definition of European cultural policy. EUNIC is a platform for knowledge sharing and for capacity building amongst its members and partners.
Media contact:
Dalia Stoniene, StudioStripe NYC
T: +1 718-316-5509 | E: dalia@studiostripe.nyc
Zurück
