A research workshop exploring Victor Papanek's legacy through models, installations and hands-on experimentation, placing design at the heart of social and environmental responsibility.
Antefatto Logico
Didactical Project - Undergraduate Course in Interior Design - IED Roma
Academic year
2025/2026
Drawing on Design for the Real World, the groundbreaking book in which Victor Papanek redefined the role of design in society, students from the Undergraduate course in Interior Design took part in a research workshop led by Designers of Studio Orizzontale. The workshop encouraged participants to reinterpret Papanek's ideas in light of today's challenges, from accessibility and sustainability to the responsible use of resources.
Through research, drawings, diagrams and physical models, students examined some of Papanek's most influential projects, connecting them with contemporary design practices. The workshop also included a hands-on laboratory where students reinterpreted and built full-scale versions of the Living Cubes featured in Nomadic Furniture, exploring first-hand the principles of self-construction, ergonomics and spatial adaptability.
The outcomes of the workshop were presented in the exhibition Antefatto logico. Papanek and the New Frontier of Design, accompanied by a public talk reflecting on the enduring relevance of Papanek's work and its impact on contemporary design discourse.
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