With the contribution of the "Laboratori dal Basso" initiative – an action of Puglia Region – in collaboration with PazLab, we created in the summer of 2013 a free research and co-design workshop named: "X , a variable in search of identity” on the theme of generative and parametric design, held in Castrignano de'Greci (Lecce).
The topics of the lab were: generative and process design, interaction design, parametric typography and typographic features with the creation of IT tools.
The goals of the lab: to develop at least three IT tools for communication design and typography; to develop awareness of the re-positioning of the figure of the communication designer; to face the challenge of flexibility with theoretical, methodological and IT tools and to broaden one's professional and cultural horizons, to connect in a single group distant reality and experience, which would not otherwise have the opportunity to connect and relate; to develop a critical awareness of the operators who relate to this area: mathematicians, engineers, planners, designers, analysts, programmers.
↳ Here the final report of the workshop
Some of the teachers: Salvatore Zingale, Luciano Perondi, Mauro Bubbico, etc.
A second free workshop was held in the summer of 2014, with the same narrative frame but a new title: "XYLAB".
The letters X and Y respectively identify two research and co-design workshop on the topics of new publishing and videomhacking.
The numbers doubled compared to the first edition, with the involvement of over 100 people from all over the world: Italy, Iran, Australia, Japan, Bulgaria, Germany and France.
We shared with the participants methodologies and technologies to make existing production segments more efficient, through lowering production costs, stimulating self-production as a form of self-entrepreneurship and developing hybrid design skills, the result of contamination between different professions, thus opening up to new opportunities.
Some of the teachers involved: Salvatore Iaconesi and Oriana Persico, Alessio Erioli, Silvio Lorusso, etc.
XYLAB is a project created by FF3300 together with INUIT association, with the support of Pazlab.
X's project manager was Alessandro Tartaglia, Y's project manager was Alessandro Balena.
Lucilla Fiorentino has worked as assistant project manager and Letizia Indolfi as organizational secretary. The communication team was made up of Michele Bozzi, Marika Mastrandrea and Pippo Fuina.