TEAM +

Founders
Francesca Gattello
Zeno Franchini

Current collaborator
Adrien Buyukodabas

Previous collaborators
Elisa Palm, Emilie Jaguin, Caterina Tioli, Noor Bootsma

 
 

ABOUT OUR WORK

MARGINAL is a research studio exploring the margins of design disciplines and the roles it can play in the making of societies. 

We use prototypes, installations, writings and films to investigate and document the production of objectual universes and spaces, and their implications on a planetary scale. We develop a practice in a continuous dialogue with other professions, expertises, and cultures. Within and against logics and structures of design and art, we aim to constructive dissent, experimenting interactions as forms of social practice and political awareness.

 

FOUNDERS

MARGINAL Studio was founded in 2014 by Zeno Franchini (MA Social Design, Design Academy Eindhoven) and Francesca Gattello (MA Product Design, Politecnico di Milano).

 

EXHIBITIONS

2019 58th International Art Exhibition | La Biennale di Venezia Venice IT
2019 Riflessioni sull’Abitare Palermo IT
2018 Manifesta 12 | Collateral Events Palermo IT
2018 Milan Design Week | Subalterno 1 Milan IT
2017 Dutch Design Week | Onomatopee - We are the Market! Eindhoven NL
2016 La Triennale Design Museum | W. Women in Italian Design Milan IT
2016 La Panacée | Terminal P Montpellier FR
2015 Depot Basel | This is work Basel CH
2014 London Design Festival | Designjunction London UK
2014 Dutch Design Week | Fragments of Ongoing Fiction Eindhoven NL

 

PRIZES & NOMINEES

2020 DESIGNSCAPES Building Capacity for Design enabled Innovation in Urban Environments | Funded by the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme of the European Union EU
2019 Creative Living Lab II Edizione | Funded by MIBACT Direzione Generale Creatività Contemporanea e Rigenerazione Urbana del Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali IT
2018 Silver Award 3D Printing Innovation and Startup Competition Program Quanzhou CN
2018 Gold Award China International Creative Umbrella Design Competition Quanzhou CN
2017 Grand Award HCZ He Chaozong Cup Ceramics Industrial Design Competition Quanzhou CN
2016 Finalist Coal Prize Paris FR
2016 Finalist Keep an Eye Grant Eindhoven NL
2014 First Prize Scenari di Innovazione Florence IT

 

INTERVIEWS

2020 Design Decode | Marginal Studio's Design Truth link
2018 Domus | Marginal Studio: from Design to Social Production link

 

AIR PROGRAMS

2016 TodaysArt Festival The Hague NL
2016 ETAC | Crossborder Contemporary Art Space Girona / Montpellier ES / FR
2016 La Panacéé| Centre de culture contemporaine Montpellier FR

 

LECTURES & PODCASTS

2020 ENSAD École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs | Towards Sharing Common Futures Paris FR
2020 Creative Mornings | Roots - Il Margine al Centro Palermo IT
2019 Global Shapers Community | Design and Fiction of the Climate Crisis Palermo IT
2019 La Triennale Design Museum | Milano Arch Week - Dis/Astro: Compared Decentralized Practices Milan IT
2019 The Institute of Unlearning | Counter-Colonial Aesthetics: Material Cultures and Migrant Narratives in Palermo Palermo IT
2019 Abadir | Marginal Studio Catania IT
2018 Manifesta 12 | Education Hub Palermo IT
2018 Fanfare Inc. | #2 Tools Palermo IT
2018 Lungomare | Difference as potential Bozen IT
2017 Made Program | Study of the Archetype and the Vernacular Syracuse IT
2017 Spazio Murat | Fictional Reality, Fictional Nature Bari IT
2017 SOU - Farm Cultural Park | Co-dividuality Favara IT
2017 ADI Sicilia | Space for a Contemporary Future Palermo IT
2014 Free University of Bozen | Faculty of Design and Art Bozen IT
2014 Politecnico di Milano | Faculty of Design Milan IT
2014 World Made Marmomacc | International Buyers Private Meeting Verona IT

 

TUTORING & EDUCATION

2019 Made Program | Course: Clay Extrusion Syracuse IT
2018 Made Program | Course: Terraforming Syracuse IT
2018 Made Program | Workshop: Majolica Archipelago Syracuse IT
2017 SOU - Farm Cultural Park | Workshop: Stampi Urbani Favara IT
2017 Made Program | Workshop: Format Mentis Syracuse IT
2017 La Triennale Design Museum + Domus | Tutoring: An Archive of Futures Milan IT
2017 Made Program | Course: Study of Matter Syracuse IT
2017 Spazio Murat | Workshop: Hyper Animal Bari IT
2016 Royal College of Art + TRADERS | Tutoring: MEDIATIONS Art & Design Agency and Participation in Public Space London UK
2017 Made Program | Tutoring: Made Labs Syracuse IT
2015 DAE Design Academy Eindhoven | Tutoring: Social Design Thesis Eindhoven NL

 

SCOUTING & CONSULTANCY

2019 Suq. Unconventional Sicily | Patrimony Hunter Barcelona ES
2018 Ciss + Cresm | Communication Design Consultacy Program Palermo IT

 

WORKSHOPS

2015 AA Architectural Association | Visiting School Vitanje SLV
2015 Het Nieuwe Instituut | The Future of the Expo Model Rotterdam NL
2014 La Biennale di Venezia | IN Residence - Today Was Tomorrow Venice IT