Hasta La Ideas

Dezeen promotion: Ventura Projects has revealed details of its inaugural Ventura Future exhibition, which will showcase work by emerging designers to tackle important world issues.

Dezeen is main media partner for Ventura Future, which takes place from 17 to 22 April 2018 as part of Milan design week. It is the successor to the well-known Ventura Lambrate district, which has now been cancelled.

Ventura Future will be held across three venues in Loreto, central Milan. These include a Milanese galley called Loft, the former meeting place of the futurist art movement, now known as FuturDome, and a former pharmacy faculty.

At the event, 82 designers will address prevalent issues brought about by technological advancements, such as limited resources and changes to the health care system, in order to show visitors how designers can help shape the future.

“The fact that our world is changing rapidly, and that we find ourselves facing environmental, social, political and technical challenges, should come as no surprise,” said Ventura Projects.

“We have hit exciting times in design history, wherein the world is increasingly embracing the ability of designers to think outside of conventional structures and produce radical solutions,” it added.

“Distinctions between the traditional disciplines are becoming less clear, demonstrating that cross- practice between designers, technologists, engineers and analytics is shaping better outcomes.”

Many exhibitors will aim to demonstrate the positive aspects of technological advancements, for the benefit of those that feel alienated by them.

For example, Brooklyn-based design studio UM Project uses its work to visualise networks, to imagine the future of smart homes and cities.

The studio has created an interactive wall-covering that combines conductive wallpaper with functional devices.

“Networks are becoming as familiar and friendly as the furniture in our homes – some kind of silent partner, a welcome embrace, a reassuring blanket,” said UM Project.

Other designers aim to raise awareness and come up with solutions for problems aroused by technological progression, such as plastic waste and the preservation of finite resources.

Rotterdam-based designer and “rubbish chef” Diederik Schneemann will present a project called Rubdish, created in collaboration with food, fashion and interior photographer Aldwin Van Krimpen, which sees waste transformed into appetising dishes.

Belgium-based Studio Plastique will also use the exhibition to pose the question: “Since when have resources become so meaningless to us?”

By creating tableware from sand, the designers hopes to draw attention to an underrated but important material.

The exhibition will also explore the topic of medical progress, including practical solutions for patients, and reflections on health and wellbeing.

Design Academy Eindhoven graduate Nienke Helder, for instance, will be showcasing a set of sensory objects designed to help women affected by sexual abuse.

Tamara Hoogeweegen, on the other hand, will be exploring the controversial issues regarding the genetic manipulation of unborn babies.

The event will also include the launch of the inaugural FuturDome Prize, which the organisers describe as “a worldwide contemporary disciplines prize to discover, recognise and give support to a future generation of creators”.

Ventura Projects was established in 2010, when founder Margriet Vollenberg launched the first edition of Ventura Lambrate. Since then, she has also set up Ventura exhibitions in London, New York and Berlin.

For this year’s Milan Design Week, the Dutch organisation will also host the second edition of Ventura Centrale, which takes over the derelict warehouses near the city’s central train station.

For more information about Ventura Future exhibitors, visit the Ventura Projects website.

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