At this UAL DESIS event, chaired by LCF Researcher Dr Francesco Mazzarella, Professor Ezio Manzini will discuss the scenario of collaboration, proximity, and care, in the current era marked by wars, walls and hate.

15 years of transformative social innovation have shown us that it is possible to go upwind. That means that it is possible to think, to make things happen, to build parts of the world in contrast with the dominant tendencies. Today, the headwind is much stronger than ever. Therefore, going against it is more difficult. And yet, it is also more necessary than ever. But we must know how to do it in the new context. That is, by countering the winds of war, the construction of walls and the culture of hatred that blows against us.

Following talk, Francesco will be in conversation with Ezio to discuss the context of DESIS as a pluriversal contact zone, the activities of the UAL DESIS Lab and the Cluster ‘Design from the Margins’, as well as the potential for Design (PhD) researchers as change-agents contributing to social purpose and place-making. UAL PhD researchers will have the opportunity to interact with Ezio, share perspectives, receive feedback and advice on their Design journeys towards social change.

Speaker biographies

Professor Ezio Manzini has been working in the field of design for sustainability for over three decades. Most recently, his interests have focused on social innovation, considered as a major driver of sustainable changes. From this perspective, he founded DESIS, an international network of Design Schools active in the field of design for social innovation and sustainability. Presently, Ezio is President of the DESIS Network and Honorary Professor at Politecnico di Milano (Italy). He has been guest professor in several Design Schools world-wide. In 2024, the Design Research Society awarded him the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Dr Francesco Mazzarella (Reader in Design for Social Change at London College of Fashion, UAL) is a design researcher, educator, and activist. His work at Centre for Sustainable Fashion, UAL explores ways in which design activism can be used to create counter-narratives towards sustainability, in and through fashion. Francesco is a member of the Design Council Expert Network, Fellow of Advance HE, Co-founder of the DESIS Cluster ‘Design from the Margins’ and of the Cumulus Working Group ‘Design Education for Social Change’.

Sailing Against the Wind