In Residence - Design Dialogues

IN Residence Design Workshop #19
METABOLIC SCENARIOS
12–15 January, 2026
MACRO - Museum of Contemporary Art of Rome
Designer-tutors:
Johanna Seelemann
Nicolas Zanoni .zanoni

IN Residence Design Workshop #19 “Metabolic Scenarios” has moved forward with further visual and hands-on explorations, followed by group discussions and an interactive exchange of ideas. These sessions have aimed to prototype a series of speculative scenarios. Materials, tools, and processes have shaped the research from the start, allowing diverse ideas and new metabolic perspectives to emerge.

Video/photo:

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With the support of:
Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo

In the context of Missione Sviluppare Competenze

In collaboration with
MACRO – Museum of Contemporary Art of Rome


With the contribution of:
Duparc Contemporary Suites


Special thanks for taking part in the workshop:
ISIA – Roma Design

Designer-tutors:
Johanna Seelemann
Nicolas Zanoni .zanoni

For IN Residence Design Workshop #19, the curatorial theme “Metabolic Scenarios” will be expanded through the research-driven practice of Johanna Seelemann.

Seelemann’s work operates as a critical inquiry into the anthropocentric systems that shape our material world. Rather than producing isolated objects, her practice investigates the hidden narratives embedded in everyday matter, proposing a design methodology that recognises the agency of the non-human, from botanical life to geological cycles.

Her approach challenges traditional timelines of consumption by embracing seasonality, decay, and regeneration as essential design parameters. By doing so, she opens pathways toward adaptive, regenerative, and future-oriented urban imaginaries.

Projects such as Vitrum and Leuchterspinne exemplify this approach. Vitrum transforms recycled Icelandic glass into unique, tactile objects that preserve imperfections and maintain future recyclability, exploring both material and cultural potential. Leuchterspinne reinterprets the traditional wooden chandelier of the Erzgebirge, combining local artisan techniques with contemporary design to preserve craftsmanship and inspire future makers.
Through this lens, the city and its materials become a living ecosystem, where design acts as a tool for resilience, coexistence, and ecological attunement.

At MACRO, Seelemann will guide participants in observing the city not as a static backdrop but as a dynamic field of forces in continuous transformation.

Pictures:
Slide n.1 – n.3 ©Robert Damisch .damisch
Slide n.5 – n.8 ©Marino Thorlacius

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With the support of:
Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo

In the context of Missione Sviluppare Competenze

In collaboration with
MACRO – Museum of Contemporary Art of Rome


With the contribution of:
Duparc Contemporary Suites


Special thanks for taking part in the workshop:
ISIA – Roma Design