The human species can, if it wishes, transcend itself —not just sporadically, an individual here in one way, an individual there in another way, but in its entirety, as humanity. We need a name for this new belief.
Perhaps transhumanism will serve: man remaining man, but transcending himself, by realizing new possibilities of and for his human nature.

“I believe in transhumanism”: once there are enough people who can truly say that the human species will be on the threshold of a new kind of existence, as different from ours as ours is from that of Pekin man. It will, at last, be consciously fulfilling its real destiny.

Julian Huxley "Transhumanism" (1957)

This year, MAD Summer School 2019 is dedicated to BIOPHARMACY. We will focus on subjects of regenerative medicine, biotechnology processes such as fermentation, cultivation and bioprinting, as well as on research of the human body. During the 10 day intensive workshop, we will seek design solutions to challenges that concern the human body. In addition, we will focus on environmental relations in both macro and micro levels. Together with the students, we will address questions that derive as we work with these subjects. As a result, we will seek to discover whether research of the human body can affect the future of design, and hence the future of mankind. The conclusion of our research will be shaped by the students as well as tutors into speculative design concepts and experimental objects.

To understand design and craftsmanship to the bone, we must take action — do work, create things, experiment with space and materials. Design theory must be tested in real life. Only creative work can produce new values.

At MAD summer school, teachers and students live and work together, for only then students can make sure the teachers’ words and deeds are reflected in their daily actions, but the teachers can get to know the students better and provide them with the needed knowledge and advice.

MAD brings together designers, artists, craftsmen, and scientists – people who are unlikely to meet under different circumstances. Theories and hypotheses are tested in practice by creating new things and experiences. Philosophical foundation and realization of the works should be equal and meaningful. MAD embraces soft definitions of design and art, by creating useful and aesthetic objects. Crafts play a central role in teaching activities at MAD. Work with traditional materials such as wood, stone, clay and fiber students experience the passion of creating while at the same time being limited by the laws of materials and discipline of craft.

The name MAD for the International Design Summer School is derived from the keywords describing the concept of the school—Man and Design.

Barbara Ruech / Graduate of Science in Architecture at the University of Liechtenstein

Camilla Hoffmeister / Studying at the Faculty of Design and Art, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Italy

Carlota Rubí Hernandez / Graduate of Design for Art Direction at London College of Communication, Great Britain

Delphine Lejeune / Studying at Man and Well-Being department, Design Academy Eindhoven, Netherlands

Dominic Caudr / BA degree in Arts, University of Applied Sciences Salzburg, Austria

Emily Kanner / Graduate of Tulane School of Architecture in New Orleans, United States

Ints Ivanovskis / Graduate of Forsberg School, Stockholm, Sweden

Isabel Helena Redecke / Studying Product Design at University of Applied Sciences Potsdam, Germany

Joanna Jarza / MA degree in Product Design, Academy of Fine Arts in Gdańsk, Poland

Johanna Gschwandtl / Graduate of Arts and Design at the University of Applied Sciences Salzburg, Austria

Julia Grandfield / Studying Design Leadership for Business at Parsons School of Design

Julia Reif / Studying Communication Design at University of Applied Sciences Mainz, Germany

Kris Di Giacomo / BA degree in Fine Arts, Parsons School of Design, Paris, France

Lee Ji Yun / Studying Architecture at Akademie der Bildenden Künste in Vienna, Austria

Lisa Maria Meer / Graduate of Product Design department at Willem de Kooning Academy, Netherlands

Marie Declerfayt / Graduate of the Food Non Food department at the Design Academy Eindhoven, Netherlands

Martin Mjartan / Studying Phd at the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Slovakia

Multu Çaģsun Acemoģlu / Fjord Service Design Studios

Márk Nagy-Mihály / MA degree in Design and Arts, Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design Budapest, Hungary

Nele Hartmann / Studying at Design Academy Eindhoven, Netherlands

Panita S / MA degree in Visual Arts at Art Sense(s) Lab, Belgium

Patricia Wangari Mwalimu / Graduate of Art in International Relations and Gender Studies, United States International University

Rosie Tweedale / Graduate of 3D Design & Crafts at the University of Brighton, Great Britain

Rui Hua / Studying Industrial Design at the ENSCI - Les Ateliers, Paris, France

Sandra Sugako / Studying Product Design at the Art Academy of Latvia

Varvara Slugina / Graduate of Moscow State University of Printing Arts, Russia

Lisa Magdalena Winkler / Studying MA Design and Product Management at Salzburg University of Applied Sciences, Austria

Zoa Lu Rosenkranz / Studying at Man and Well-Being department, Design Academy Eindhoven, Netherlands

From the very first day you will find yourself among open–minded creatives. You will meet designers, craftsmen, artists and scientists as well as design, art and architecture students from all over the world. It will be a gathering of strong personalities that can rarely be found in one place.

The lecturers and tutors of the summer school will become your friends. They will share their professional experience and knowledge. Reveal how to navigate the uncharted waters of leading your own design studio and give advice on how to make intelligent decisions and to think independently.

You will have a chance to work in woodwork, blacksmith, bark, ceramic and weaving workshops and get to know the traditional techniques. You will also have access to a design laboratory equipped with 3D printers.

You will be working and staying at two 19th castles in two of the most beautiful towns of Latvia - Sigulda and Krimulda. The diversity of nature will inspire you to work.

Besides workshop activities and lectures about design, crafts, art, science, environment, personal sustainability and embodiment trainings you will go on exciting trips in the valley of Gauja river to get to know your colleagues and teachers better, discover nature, local lifestyle and traditions.

Martin Hanczyc is a Principal Investigator in the Centre for Integrative Biology at the University of Trento, Italy and a Research Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque USA. He formally was an Honorary Senior Lecturer at the Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London, Chief Chemist at ProtoLife and Associate Professor at the University of Southern Denmark. He received a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Pennsylvania State University, a doctorate in Genetics from Yale University and was a postdoctorate fellow under Jack Szostak at Harvard University. He has published in the area of droplets, complex systems, evolution and the origin of life in specialized journals including JACS and Langmuir as well as PNAS and Science. Currently he heads the Laboratory for Artificial Biology, developing novel synthetic chemical systems based on the properties of living systems.

www.martinhanczyc.com

Nicholas Gardner and Saša Štucin work simultaneously in object design and art. Their London based practice focuses on creating work with conflicting functions and imagery, without abandoning beauty or consumer logic. They are keen to blur the boundaries between acceptable furniture typologies and conceptual representative objects.

So far they’ve been showing work at the V&A, Christie’s and Aram Gallery in London, Swiss Institute, Friedman Benda, Patrick Parrish in New York, A Palazzo Gallery in Brescia, Etage Projects in Copenhagen, Depot Basel in Basel, Het Nieuwe Instituut in Rotterdam, Collective Design in New York, Nomad in Monaco and St. Moritz and Design Miami in Basel and Miami fairs and at Milan, London, New York, Stockholm and Dubai Design Week.

www.softbaroque.com

In 2015 Jeroen graduated from the WellBeing department at Design Academy Eindhoven, lead by Ilse Crawford. Ever since graduating he has been working as a product designer in The Netherlands and as part of Envisions, an Eindhoven based collective that collaborates with both industry and institutions. Offering an insight into all steps involved prior to the end product. In his personal practice Jeroen translates ideas about functionality into objects for daily use. Observations in his day to day surroundings lead to ideas about how to formalize certain functions. These observations at some point form an image in mind in a more characterized but still abstract way that then needs further testing. Via drawing and model making Jeroen finds out more about the scale and construction of the object. In general all projects find their way into reality via collaborations with craftsmen or small industries, that gives the opportunity to work on a variety of materials and techniques.

www.jeroenvandegruiter.nl

Pettersen & Hein is a design practice founded in 2015 by the Norwegian artist Magnus Pettersen and the Danish furniture designer Lea Hein. The different background and the aim to collaborate are allowing the duo to investigate new practices and experiments.

The beauty of their works is a design without the typical restrictions and boundaries of form and function that the field adopts. Pettersen & Hein’s collections are a homage to material, color, and form, the objects are the outcome of an aesthetic investigation that is free from rules and functions, allowing them to create new sculptural shapes. A powerful design that is questioning the whole idea of product and art.

www.pettersenhein.com

Karina is the founder of the Institute of Advanced Design Studies in Budapest, Hungary, and a design researcher, creative thinker and an innovation strategist with 20 years experience. Karina has managed and collaborated in game-changing Research & Development, education, community development and multidisciplinary design projects, working with a wide range of businesses, producers of goods, architects, engineers, designers and entrepreneurs in the Nordic region.

Karina attained her PhD in Design at The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts (2012-2016). Her field of research is Philosophy of Design with the focus on Sustainable Design.

In 2014 and in 2015, She was a guest PhD student at the Delft University of Technology, Ethics/ Philosophy of Technology section.

Since 2014, and in between the projects and free time, Karina attends to her family’s organic winery, permaculture garden and a home restaurant on the St. George's hill (Szent György-hegy).

www.designstudies.hu

Claude Oprea is a certified Permaculture designer and facilitator and member of the Permaculture Association. He teaches Permaculture design courses, runs workshops in schools, foraging walks in the city as well as acts as consultant for projects like Terra Perma in Montreal, Canada. His plant installations have been presented at the Glastonbury and BoomTown Fair festivals in the UK. He is passionate about creative approaches to big themes such as dealing with computer waste, growing food in urban environments with Permaculture ethics and principles, creating and sustaining community in London and being off grid. Claude originated Biomodd in London and co-led Biomodd [LDN 5 ] at TEDX London City 2.0.

www.claudeoprea.com

Christian Vennerstrøm Jensen is an architect and a teacher of architecture based in Copenhagen (DK). He is also an active member and co-founder of the design establishment Bahraini Danish. The establishment was slowly formed during the period from 2015-2018, a time of which all three members were living and working in Bahrain. Now the establishment is split between the two countries. They engage themselves with design on the basis of dissimilar intuitions. Through dialogue and by vote they work their way, furniture by furniture, towards finding a new common order. By exploring local opportunities to create, they found themselves amidst an intertwining landscape of craftsmen, materials, clients, specialists and artists. ‘bahraini-danish’ was named after the many historical encounters between Denmark and Bahrain especially in architecture, archaeology and dairy production. Their work has been presented on several occasions around the Gulf Region and in Europe. In 2018 their work was acquired by the V&A (UK) for their Middle East collection.

www.bahrainidanish.com

Agi Haines’ work is focused on the design of the human body. How might people respond to the possibilities of our body as another everyday material and how far can we push our malleable bodies while still being accepted by society?

After completing her masters in the Design Interactions department at the Royal College of Art, she is now undertaking PhD research at Transtechnology Research, funded by Plymouth University. This research sits within a transdisciplinary department called Cognovo - a large scale Marie Curie funded ITN exploring cognitive innovation. Working amongst various artists and scientists who are all focused on creativity and cognition, her inspiration comes from the weird and wonderful things that exist inside us. Questioning how our morbid curiosity for the viscera of life might affect the future of design, not only for the environment but also for us as sentient sacks of flesh within it?

www.agihaines.com

Rihards is industrial designer and have been running design studio since 2007. The specific character of studio was formed by combining design, craft, art, science and social responsibility, simultaneously ensuring high quality of the product. Besides his work at the studio Rihards is a tutor and mentor at international design, art and entrepreneurship workshops. He has been a lecturer of design thinking at the Design Department of the Art Academy of Latvia and at the Wood Design Department at Riga School of Design and Art. His design studio has been awarded in several local and international product and graphic design competitions, his work has been published by Gestalten, Laurence King Publishing, Rockport Publishing.

www.rihardsfunts.eu

The material Edgars have been experimenting with for ten years is peat. The subject and concept merge through the process of creating the peat-objects which in their aesthetic qualities should be seen as contemporary representations of the world that is undeniably separate from the one we live in.

“My designs are inspired by the laws of nature and the forms found in its depth. Just as reality is bounded by physical laws, peat-art making is bound by specific attitude. Using basic forms, mostly abstract, I work to represent the meeting of art and science, for the process requires knowledge and experience, and it is the material that directs the movements of an artist and resonates with the viewer. In viewing my work, the audience experiences its processes and outcomes.”

Edgars believe the alternative, creative exploration of this magnetic material will encourage a better understanding of the ecology and heritage of peatlands. For Edgars work, the peat has to be specically selected and prepared. The modern technology allows to produce the cuttings in an eco-friendly manner and the preparation stage is held with care and respect. This approach helps to prevent damages and save the organic qualities of the peat layers which can contain more than 300 various plants in their bodies and have different shades of colour and density.

www.edgarsameriks.com

The work of Rihards Vidzickis perfectly merges seemingly different industries—craftsmanship, science and tourism. Having studied the nuances of woodcraft for a lengthy period of time, he then went on to study for a doctoral degree in Engineering from the Riga Technical university. At the same time Rihards set up the Vienkoči Park in Ligatne, with the carefully curated Woodcraft Museum as its central object. Rihards talks about wood, and particularly solid wood pieces, with great enthusiasm, but he also has something to say about craftsmanship, it's outlook in Latvia and it's relationship with design in a broader sense.

The idea on creating a Woodcraft Museum came to Rihards in 1999, when after graduating from the Riga Secondary School of Crafts, Faculty of Woodwork, Rihards began his studies at the Riga Technical University. Rihards was supported by his father, a wood craftsman himself, who not only encouraged his son’s interest, but had also gathered a solid collection of pieces to start an exposition. The nearly ten–hectare wide territory under the name of Vienkoči Park has been open for visitors for over 10 years. The master’s signature pieces are made of one–piece wood—log boats, kneading troughs and other bowls. Although this seems very niche, Rihards is not lacking in clients. He is a member of the Northmen craftsman guild, and the majority of pieces he creates are commissioned from abroad.

www.vienkoci.lv

SABINA ENÉA (DE)

Sabina is designing and realising learning experiences for adults and children since 2009. She facilitates workshops and interventions within companies, universities and cultural institutions. Her work is rooted in the quest for innovating education and is dedicated to human creativity, collaboration, personal sustainability and wellbeing. Learning tools she uses come from the intersection of embodiment training and visual arts, movement and awareness, contemplation and expression. She also grows laforesta.co - a forest of stories and interdisciplinary encounters based in Berlin.

The basis of this workshop is learning to pay attention to the body, its subjective experiences and how they influence who we are, and thus to be actively responsible for one’s own life and well-being. This process involves paying attention to the present moment, without trying to make it be different than what it is – this way of being honestly present can be described as embodied and unified attention. Training attention we expand our choices: when we become aware of what is happening our choices move from unconscious automatisms to mindful decisions. With our choices we sculpt our lives. This class will combine movement, awareness and other embodiment practices, as well as give some theoretical insights. We become what we practice, so training awareness, expanding our movement and breathing capacities, we learn to embody new ways of being, because body is not a fixated being, it is a process, in constant movement.

www.laforesta.co

KASPARS KRŪMIŅŠ (LV)

Kaspars will be the chief in our kitchen and makes our days in MAD much more special and spicy. Kaspars is an open mind chef with more than 14-years experience working in high-class restaurants not only in Latvia but also in Greece and Italy. Kaspars is passionate to use seasonal products from local farmers and he has always the finger on the pulse of when everything is at its best. Kaspar's offer to enjoy unique taste combination crossing with his innovative cooking techniques.

The summer school is taking place in Sigulda — a picturesque town on the ridge of Gauja river valley. The surroundings of Sigulda have a charmingly aristocratic feel due to the old manors of Sigulda, Krimulda and Turaida. The scenery of Sigulda has inspired many painters and sculptors, and we are confident that it will stir your imagination as well. Sigulda lies only 50 km from the capital city Riga, offering outdoor adventures in all seasons. The all-pervading nature is the town’s greatest asset, but the old crafts, perfected in hundreds of years, is something to learn from, to study, and to apply in new ways.

Sigulda New Castle and surrounding premises with the garden offer a recreational place for people of Sigulda and their guests to interact and learn. It provides space and infrastructure for everyone, be it a local craftsman, a creative person, a thinker, or a dreamer. Reconstruction of the old buildings of Sigulda New Castle area has started, the idea of the creative business incubator has just been realized, four workshops in different crafts and materials are open, and more are to come. It is a great drive and hard work ahead that will revive Sigulda New Castle area within the next few years.

Rihards is an industrial designer and has been running his design studio since 2007. The specific character of the studio was formed by combining design, craft, art, science and social responsibility, simultaneously ensuring a high quality of the product. Besides his work in the studio Rihards is a tutor and mentor at international design, art and entrepreneurship workshops. Design Studio Rihards Funts has been awarded in several local and international product and graphic design competitions, his work has been published by Gestalten, Laurence King Publishing, Rockport Publishing.

Rihards sees design as a form that unites rational and emotional perception of objects, where aesthetic values of the object have roots in craftsmanship and engineering and become visible through the functionality of objects and highlight the value of the selected material. The useful things should be made beautiful.

After journalist and public relation studies in University, she worked in public TV channel and international advertising agency. Klinta has experience working in a wide range business as a project manager and also with the social influence, managing projects in one of the biggest non-governmental, non-profit humanitarian organization - Latvian Red Cross. Producing of Latvian pavilion for Venice Architecture Biennale 2018 and Latvian exhibitions at the Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space 2019, are just two samples of Klintas works in cultural management and creative industries.

After the splendid graduation of Design Academy Eindhoven and MAD, Toms joined the team to boost the power of makers. Design has always been an interdisciplinary medium of expression for Toms where function meets form and concept drives the ambition. Medium of constant innovation and impressive history. Therefore Toms has always found himself striving for expression in different types of projects ranging from an exhibition and industrial to jewelry design. He always appreciates the beauty of natural materials and sophisticated techniques of engineering and modern manufacturing. Toms believes that balance between these elements result in purity in aesthetic and perfection in functionality.

International Summer School of Design 15–25 August 2019, Sigulda, Latvia

TRANSHUMANITY

MAD PHILOSOPHY

STUDENTS

PROGRAMME

TUTORS AND LECTURERS

MARTIN HANCZYC (IT)

SOFT BAROQUE (UK)

JEROEN VAN DE GRUITER (NL)

PETTERSEN & HEIN (DK, NO)

KARINA VISSONOVA (HU)

TŪRS SELGA (LV)

CLAUDE OPREA (UK)

CHRISTIAN VENNERSTRØM JENSEN

BAHRAINI DANISH (DK, BH)

AGI HAINES (UK)

LIVE STREAM LECTURE

RIHARDS FUNTS (LV)

MASTERS

EDGARS AMERIKS (LV)

RIHARDS VIDZICKIS (LV)

WORKSHOPS

BLACKSMITH WORKSHOP BY ANDRIS ŠĶEGLOVS

WOOD BARK WORKSHOP BY VIZMA ZVIRBULE

CERAMIC WORKSHOP BY OSVALDS CĀNS, ELIZABETE CĀNS AND GATIS KLEINBERGS

ORGANIC FARMS

ANITA ROZENBERGA AND MARIKA ROZENBERGA, ORGANIC FARM SILPURMAŠAS

RAITIS KIRKILS AND SARMĪTE KIRKILA, ORGANIC FARM CEPLĪŠI

WORKSHOPS AND LECTURES BY MARTIN HANCZYC, TŪRS SELGA AND CLAUDE OPREA WILL BE HELD AT LOCAL ORGANIC FARMS CEPLĪŠI AND SILPURMAŠAS.

INTO THE BODY MORNING SESSIONS

SABINA ENÉA (DE)

CHEF

KASPARS KRŪMIŅŠ (LV)

LOCATION

TEAM

RIHARDS FUNTS PROGRAMME DIRECTOR

KLINTA HARJU ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR

TOMS LUCĀNS LAB LEADER

JULIA BOCANET FACILITATOR

REINIS DUCMANIS DIRECTOR ASSISTANT

CONTACT

International Summer School of Design
15–25 August 2019, Sigulda, Latvia

INTO THE BODY
MORNING SESSIONS

RIHARDS FUNTS
PROGRAMME DIRECTOR

KLINTA HARJU
ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR

TOMS LUCĀNS
LAB LEADER

JULIA BOCANET
FACILITATOR

REINIS DUCMANIS
DIRECTOR ASSISTANT