Designing sustainable solutions to prevent and better respond
to the current war and natural disaster crises.
ECO Solidarity 2023 at ICFF + WantedDesigh Manhattan
TICKETS May 21-23, 2023
Javits Center, New York
NEW YORK, NY—Polish Cultural Institute New York is proud to announce ECO Solidarity 2023 featuring design with empathy which redefines sustainability to address the most pressing conditions of human health in response to the environmental and humanitarian crises. ECO Solidarity 2023 will be held at the ICFF + WantedDesign Manhattan design fair at Javits Center in New York on May 21-23, 2023, and will showcase designers and design studios from ten European countries, including design exhibit, panel discussions, workshops and more. The participating countries for the 2023 edition include: Poland, Romania, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Spain, Portugal, Belgium (Wallonie-Bruxelles Region), Lithuania, as well as a special guest designer from Ukraine.
Since its foundation in 2020, ECO Solidarity movement addresses urgency for reconstruction and recuperative sustainable solutions in product design, industrial design, spatial planning, and architecture that respond to ecological, and environmental conditions as well as human health and wellbeing subjected to the crises including the ongoing war in Ukraine and military conflicts around the world.
The goal of this year’s edition is to redefine the urban habitat and domestic infrastructures to protect the health and well-being of people against hazards of potential natural disasters, and in the case of war, to better accommodate displacement of the most vulnerable members of the communities. Access to resources such as clean water and air, food, medical supplies, as well as storage, mobility, transportation, and communication are equally considered. Through sharing research and resources, this initiative aims to redirect the way the future post-war public spaces, living spaces, and shared environments, are envisioned.
Representing Poland this year, FALA is an architecture studio collective based in Gdańsk founded in 2018 by two visionary women architects of new generation, Kamila Szatanowska and Paulina Rogalska. Currently, the collective is focused on multifaceted circular and sustainable design in response of progressive climate change and environmental crises.
FALA specializes in reconstruction of demolished sites (like Zawiszy Tenement project), urban public spaces (Housing by the Forest), or natural habitats damaged by environmental disasters or phenomena like earthquakes (Iceland Northern Lights or Iceland Cave Tower projects). The main area of FALA interest and research are not only innovative circular production methods, material, and implementation solutions, but the self-reflective quality of their own roles as architects in this place and time, responding to urgency of multiple global crises, degrading ecosystem, as well as social and cultural changes. Their studio is unique in their multidimensional architectural project engaging local community, and society centered design projects.
FALA Design approach to reconstruction in response to urban deterioration and natural disasters is informed by circular and sustainable reuse of existing materials and renewable resources with zero carbon footprint production methods, reduced use of energy and resources in implementation. For example, in Zawiszy Tenement project they re-used existing elements, e.g. doors, windows, and demolition materials which is used to re-design architectural elements and interiors of new spaces. Their infrastructure is based on natural materials and low-tech producing methods. FALA Workshops activate multisensory perception of human urban and natural environments, engaging local communities and attended by deaf, hard of hearing and hearing youth.
Three FALA projects that are considered for ECO Solidarity 2023 exhibition:
- Zawiszy Tenement project from 1905 Gdansk – reusing old structural wood from demolition of historical site (windows, doors, wood structures).
- Iceland Cave Tower for hófsemi competition which connects with the quote from FALA statement on role of architects in “how NOT to build”, theless is more approach.
- Housing by the Forest project based on Japanese method of forest therapy – shinrin-yoku in a made with HAG Human Architecture Group from Gdansk.
ECO Solidarity was initiated in 2020 by Izabela Gola, the Visual Arts and Design Curator at the Polish Cultural Institute New York, who has co-curated the project with Odile Hainaue, the founder of WanteDesign since its inception, in partnership with WantedDesign Manhattan and eight European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC) organizations to address the imperative need for human-centered design in response to humanitarian and public health crises by focusing on ecology, the climate emergency, public health, wellbeing in public spaces, and how shifts in the economy affect people’s lives.
The name of this initiative was inspired by the Solidarity (Polish: Solidarność) social and political movement which led to the collapse of the Soviet Union, setting the nations on course toward democracy. 2020 marked the 40th anniversary of its formation. Last year’s edition of ECO Solidarity 2022 received the ICFF Editor’s Award for Best Booth at ICFF Editors Awards 2022. ECO Solidarity had been fueled in two consecutive years by the EUNIC Cluster Grant Award granted by an EU global cultural organization based in Bruxelles, European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC). Participation of Ukrainian designer in 2023 is supported by Adam Mickiewicz Institute in Poland.
Polish Cultural Institute New York was founded in 2000. It is a diplomatic mission of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland, operating in the area of public diplomacy. The PCI is one of 24 such institutes around the world. It is also an active member of the network of the European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC) in its New York cluster. The Institute’s mission is to disseminate around the world comprehensive knowledge of Poland, Polish history and national heritage, as well as to promote Poland’s contemporary contributions to the success of world culture. The Institute does so through initiating, supporting and promoting collaboration between Poland and the United States in the areas of art, education, research and in many other aspects of intellectual and social life. The Institute’s main task to ensure Polish participation in the programming of America’s most important cultural institutions as well as in large international initiatives.
WantedDesign is a NYC-based platform dedicated to promoting design and fostering the international creative community throughout the year. Founded in New York City in 2011 by Odile Hainaut and Claire Pijoulat, WantedDesign has established itself as a constant and staunch supporter of U.S. and international design. Focusing on emerging and new ideas in design, its main trade event WantedDesign Manhattan was acquired by Emerald in 2019 and is now co-locating with ICFF at the Javits Center.
The International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) is where designers, retailers, developers, and architects converge to exchange inspiration and ignite a competitive drive for contemporary residential and commercial interiors. With a selection of both established and emerging designers, the ICFF delivers a selection of the globe’s finest, most creative, individual and original avant-garde products showcased in one venue. Exhibitors from 36 countries come to the ICFF each year to showcase the newest frontier of high-end, contemporary interiors.
European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC) is the European network of organizations engaging in cultural relations. Together with our partners, we bring to life European cultural collaboration in more than 100 countries worldwide with a network of 133 clusters, drawing on the broad experience of our members from all EU Member States and associate countries. EUNIC advocates a prominent role of culture in international relations and is a strategic partner of the EU, actively involved in the further definition of European cultural policy. EUNIC is a platform for knowledge sharing and for capacity building amongst its members and partners.
