10 years of Eco-Social Design* and now?
BASIS Vinschgau Venosta (South Tyrol, Italy)
21 – 23 May 2026
Join the Constellation
Following our call for papers and visual essays, the By Design and by Disaster team is excited to open the floor for hands-on workshops.
Since 2013, this conference has served as a platform for connecting diverse fields—design, art, science, activism, and rural/urban development. As we mark the 10th anniversary of the Master in Eco-Social Design at the Free University of Bolzano, the 2026 edition is not just a celebration, but a critical juncture for reflection and forward-looking strategy. We invite you to join us at BASIS Vinschgau Venosta for a lively mix of collective inquiry, practical making, connection, and exchange. More in this year’s conference.
The 2026 Focus: “Preguntando Caminamos”
‘asking, we walk’, motto of the Zapatista movement.
In these overwhelming times of crisis, conflict, and collapse, the urgency to join forces has never been greater. We are looking back to look forward: What has worked? What must change? How do we counter political depression with collective empowerment?
We are seeking workshops that address these questions through three specific tracks:
Track 1: Learning and Teaching (Pedagogies for transformation)
Track 2: Practices and Projects (Concrete actions and case studies)
Track 3: Strategies and Structures (Organizational and legal forms, alliances, movements, …)
You can get more in depth descriptions of the tracks in the call for papers and visual essays.
What We Are Looking For
Got something urgent to say about crisis, design, or the world we’re walking through? 📢
We are searching for seven people, initiatives or small cooperations to share their stories or practices that are reclaiming the future and co-creating it now.
We’re looking for bold, honest, unexpected contributions which inspire present and future action, strategy and research.
Your format? Up to you.
Talk.
Performance.
Song.
Live act.
Something we haven’t seen before.
As long as it fits into 7 minutes or less. ⏰
Submission Guidelines
📩 Send your application at designdisaster@unibz.it by March 30th.
Your submission must include the following:
→ 1 page A4 with text and supporting visuals (no more and no less!)
→ An introduction of yourself
→ 3-5 keywords related to the subject of your talk
→ An abstract / brief explanation of your seven-minute talk, and how it relates to this year’s focus
This isn’t about perfect presentations.
It’s about sharing something real.
Step up. Take the mic. 🚀
To stay up-to-date
You can subscribe to the By Design and by Disaster newsletter and follow our blog and social media channels (FB, IG, LI, mastodon). Please help spread the word. Here you can get an impression of past conferences: 2025 – 2024 – 2023 – 2022 – 2021 – 2020b – 2020a – 2019 – 2018 – 2017 – 2016 – 2015 – 2013
Image based on an artwork by Annika Tretter of the course of Peter Senoner IG: @AnnikaEileenTretter