(TEXT 1)
CARE, VALUE, PLACE: DESIGN RESEARCH IN CHINA
In April, I began work as an adjunct (visiting) professor at Tongji University (College of Design and Innovation) in Shanghai. As part of the appointment process, I submitted this research statement. It describes the three research topics that will be the focus of my work in China: Care. Value. Place | Urban-Rural Reconnection and Rural Social Innovation | Knowledge Ecologies and Scale. (This research statement text accompanies my recent paper for the journal She Ji, Bioregioning: Pathways to Urban-Rural Reconnection

(TEXT 2)
RE-WILDING THE BAUHAUS
To mark its centenary this year, the Bauhaus has published Design Rehearsals: Conversations About Bauhaus Lessons. My contribution (which is here) is a proposal for a new Vorkurs, or Foundation Course. It would foster ecological literacy, and a whole-systems understanding of the world.

(TEXT 3)
SOCIAL FOOD FORUM: THE TAKEAWAYS
As a legacy of #Matera2019 in Italy, a meeting of 15 social food curators met in Matera for the launch of the Social Food Forum and Social Food Atlas. We discussed two main topics: how to describe the different kinds of value created by social food projects; and, how to do more of this work, with more partners, and in more places, in the near future. Here are our main findings.

(NEW BOOK)
DESIGN AS A TOOL FOR TRANSITION: THE ATELIER LUMA APPROACH
By connecting the ‘what is?’, with the ‘what if?’, designers and artists at Atelier Luma are discovering new kinds of value among the social and ecological assets of the Camargue bioregion. Their focus is on making connections and supporting relationships at a system-wide scale. For their new book, I contributed a chapter on “Making as Connecting”

TWO MEETUPS
I’m hosting two week-long meet-ups – in July and August 2019 – for designers, project curators, grad students, researchers, or writers. If you’re working on a plan, project or thesis, we have a couple of places left for each week. The dates are:
July: arrive Monday 01, depart Monday 08
August: arrive Thursday 22, depart Thursday 29
Read more about a Meetup – including the application process :

thackara.com/meetinfrance/meetup

ONE OFFSITE
The OffSite you may have missed is the one for Your Team! – because it is not yet organised. Starting in September, we’re keen to host single teams, here at our place in France. If you’re working on a strategy, project, or plan, and could use a a change of context to meet, create, and connect, do drop us an email meeting@thackara.com. As an option, I can do project feedback, 1:1s, or crit your pitch.