Experimenting with new processing and manufacturing methods for materials such as fabrics, metals, and paper, to expand the potential of artisanal manufacturing by rethinking tools, techniques, and processing methods. These are the main objectives of the "The Culture of Making" project, which involved the Design degree program at the University of the Republic of San Marino and the Institute of Industrial Design at the FNW University of Design and Art.
from Basel, Switzerland.
Just yesterday, the final event of an initiative involving 45 students and 12 faculty members took place at the university's Ancient Monastery of Santa Chiara, in the historic center of San Marino. Among those in attendance were Rita Adam, the Swiss Ambassador to San Marino, Italy, and Malta; Guido Cerboni, the Italian Ambassador to San Marino; Isabella Bizzocchi, the Director General of the University of San Marino; Laura Gobbi, the Vice-Rector of the University of San Marino; and the Director of the Bachelor's and Master's Degree Programs in Design at the Swiss institute. Werner Baumhakl.
"The project was launched with two international interuniversity design workshops in Basel and San Marino, during which experiments were developed with materials such as clay, metal, wool, and leather," explains Riccardo Varini, professor at the University of San Marino. "During a third phase of project development," he continues, "after selecting the most coherent experiments, the students created several concrete products such as an outdoor stool, a lamp, and a new semi-finished product in boiled leather. The prototypes have already been exhibited in various contexts, such as at the Milan Design Week last April."
The "Culture of Making" project involved, in addition to the two universities, the Swiss Embassy in San Marino, Italy and Malta, the Embassy of San Marino in Italy, the Department of Foreign Affairs and a series of partner companies such as Bucci Ceramiche of Pesaro, Associazione Botteghe del Mondo of Trento, the German company Vitra and the Swiss company Ruck Stuhl.
Before the presentation, the project was illustrated to the Captains Regent, Luca Boschi and Mariella Mularoni, during an audience.
