DDF Launches European Collaboration Project

Over the past month, the European Commission officially launched the collaborative project (Un)EXTRA.

The European research and innovation project (Un)EXTRA explores how design can contribute to a more resilient and competitive Europe in an era of resource scarcity, extreme conditions and the Posthuman Transition: the shift towards a society in which humans, technology and artificial intelligence are becoming increasingly interconnected.

By developing new design capabilities, innovative prototypes and future scenarios for sectors including construction, public safety, the textile industry and furniture manufacturing, the project’s 15 partners demonstrate that competitiveness is about more than economic growth. It is about the ability to adapt, create value responsibly and operate successfully within the boundaries of people, society and the planet.

Within (Un)EXTRA, DDF leads the work package responsible for disseminating the project’s knowledge, methods and outcomes, while connecting them to the European design community through a network of design festivals across Europe.

(Un)EXTRA is funded under the European Commission’s Horizon Europe programme (HORIZON-CL2-2025-01) and contributes to Europe’s ambitions in innovation, sustainability and societal resilience.

Project partners:

• Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna, Italy (Coordinator)

• Eindhoven University of Technology, the Netherlands

• Oslo School of Architecture and Design, Norway

• Fundación TEC para la Innovación y el Emprendimiento, Spain

• D-Air Lab S.r.l., Italy

• Deep Blue Srl, Italy

• PACE Aerospace Engineering and Information Technology GmbH, Germany

• SAGA Studio ApS, Denmark

• Altroconsumo Edizioni Srl, Italy

• ART-ER Società Consortile per Azioni, Italy

• Dutch Design Foundation, the Netherlands

• Form/Design Center, Sweden

• Fundació Eurecat, Spain

• Region Skåne, Sweden

• EIT Culture & Creativity GmbH, Germany