CONTEMPORARY DESIGN FACTORY

_{Is a project by Tellurico Design Studio. Realised with the support of Stimuleringsfonds NL. Hosted by DOPO? Space Milan.}

_{Contemporary Design Factory” is a theoretical, practical and performative exploration of the work of contemporary designers, who are no longer tied to industrial production, but whose multidisciplinary approach requires new forms of thinking, new production processes and new economic articulations. The contemporary reinterpretation of the factory concerns first and foremost production: we move from the

production of serial objects made by a company to the creation of unique or limited series which combine design, art and craftsmanship.

The project was born to investigate a paradigm shift: design is a discipline associated with the Industrial Revolution, but over the last few decades, it has begun to evolve radically embracing major social transformations of our time, becoming a domain capable of connecting different spheres of knowledge and languages, from the arts to the sciences and crafts. Today, we consider design as a privileged arena where divergent perspectives can meet. While, theoretically, it is very interesting to look at the transformation of design and investigate its potential in different spheres of society, on the practical side, we see that the work of the designer can be precarious, confusing and ever-changing.

To address such broad and complex topics, “Contemporary Design Factory” transformed DOPO? into a place for both cognitive and material production. The research project began with a series of conversations between professionals working in various capacities in the world of design: designers, PR, gallery owners, curators, entrepreneurs and researchers. Some of the topics investigated during the conversations — the proper valorisation of working time, poetic possibilities in the distribution of products, and the conflict between research and consumption — were visuall translated by graphic designer Giulia Boccarossa with three flags.

In the concluding part of the residency, Tellurico Design Studio produced a new series of objects, experimenting with shapes, finishes and typologies. With this design residency, Tellurico Design Studio raises a fundamental question: how to rethink the four steps in design theorised by the historian Renato De Fusco - design, production,

sale and consumption — from a contemporary perspective?}

^{Concept and Design: Francesco Pace}
^{Grafic Design: Giulia Boccarossa}
^{Curator and Research Contributor: Salvatore Peluso}
^{Techinical Support: Giacomo Grippa}
^{Typology: Residency Programme & Solo Show}
^{Years: 2025}
^{Photo Courtesy: Fabrizio Vatieri Studio}