The first three days had focussed on the already prepared designs, prototypes and ideas of the individual designers – on day 4 our hosts had planned a different approach: the 12 designers were split into 3 groups and given several “hidden treasures” from our participating archives to choose from and use as basis to elaborate ideas for two merchandising products each- one aiming at a general audience, the other targeting teenagers.
The groups had time until noon to draft and sketch some first ideas that were meant to be elaborated and presented the next day.
The afternoon was then again given to 2 inspiring visits:
1. Renowned designer Alvaro Catalan de Ocón welcomed the group in his new design studio, giving highly interesting and personal insights into his prized design projects, such as the “PET Lamps” – an ambitious and fruitful project that mixes the reuse of PET plastic bottles with selected traditional weaving techniques from different corners of the world in order to create unique handmade lampshades:
In the vicinity of the ACdO-studio lies the spacious complex of the “Matadero Madrid – Centre for Contemporary Creation”, the city’s former slaughterhouse and cattle market – one of the most singular industrial establishments of early 20th-century Madrid architecture, transformed in 2006 into a vibrant centre for contemporary arts.
Our designers had the chance to visit two exhibitions by organised by DIMAD (Madrid Designers Association):
- “Fresh Product” displaying the year’s best products designed by Madrid designers or produced by local businesses.
- “MARCA” a collection of objects for daily use, the result of collaboration between selected designers and manufacturing companies located in the province of Turin. The project is promoted and supported by the Turin Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with the Piemonte Agency.
