Situated Design Practices
Last updated
Last updated
Our first session of the course took us on an enriching bicycle excursion through the Llobregat Delta, a space where history, community, and nature intersect in fascinating ways. The Delta, located near Barcelona's airport, revealed itself as a vibrant yet fragile ecosystem full of stories and challenges.
We began with a visit to Jaume, a local farmer whose personal history mirrors the dramatic transformations of the region. He shared how the agricultural lands that once fed Barcelona were drastically reduced due to the redirection of the river and the port expansion. These changes displaced many farming families, but Jaume has preserved the area’s heritage through a small museum in his home. With artifacts like old tools and carriages, he honors the region's agrarian past, even as it faces potential threats like the proposed airport expansion, which could erase its natural spaces.
After harvesting fresh vegetables from Jaume’s fields, we headed to Cal Negre, a collective farmhouse with a thriving artistic and ecological community. There, we learned about their practices, such as Maria’s use of local clay to create ceramics. Over a meal of locally sourced rice and vegetables, we discussed how the collective merges art, sustainability, and community. A falconer also joined us, explaining his unique role in training hawks to keep birds away from airport runways, a fascinating intersection of tradition and yet modern necessity.
The excursion continued to the natural reserve of the Delta, a stunning protected area filled with diverse bird species and serene beaches. However, this tranquility was juxtaposed with the constant roar of planes overhead, a stark reminder of the tension between natural preservation and urban development.
The trip left me with a deep appreciation for the Delta’s complexity and a commitment to integrating these lessons into my design practice. This place, with its fragile ecosystems and resilient communities, is a reminder of the responsibility designers have to advocate for sustainable and equitable futures.
Hibai Arbide, a journalist based in Lesvos, Greece, shared insights into the harsh realities of borders and migration. He described the conditions in refugee camps on Greek islands like Lesvos, as well as larger camps on the mainland, which often become makeshift cities. Refugees endure dangerous sea crossings and face pushbacks that violate their rights, depending largely on luck to reach safety.
Hibai highlighted the long bureaucratic process to obtain residency papers, forcing refugees to survive with minimal resources while waiting for an uncertain future. He also discussed the implementation of invasive surveillance technologies in some camps, including drones and AI, which monitor emotions and gatherings, often treating refugees as experimental subjects.
Finally, he emphasized the damaging role of borders in Europe, contrasting them with the nomadic Tuareg, who exist without national affiliations. Through his documentation, Hibai seeks to expose these injustices and advocate for more humane approaches.
