Developing an idea or a product is a creative process which might seem lonely and overwhelming at times. Good news is the creative process is a lot more valuable, efficient and rewarding when shared with others.
Massilia therefore offers an atelier to host around 30 young international designers, a space for professionals to come together, to work and reflect collectively, and to contribute to an atmosphere where one plus one equals three.
Not only is that approach useful in a learning situation but when faced with the reality of development and production on a professional level, designers who are able and ready to collaborate are much better prepared.
Massilia organises consultations, conferences and workshops, providing insights into how to establish a design practice where questioning and exploring leads to genuine action.
One of the most important skills as a designer is the ability to listen.
In order to fully comprehend a need or challenge, one must be able to emphasise, the very basis of any useful product or fruitful partnership.
Through Massilia, the participants will meet professionals from different parts of the world (designers, critics, private enterprises etc.) each applying their standpoints and convictions on how to resolve and innovate rigorously.
Creating change acquires proper timing and an openminded audience, and for that reason, Massilia pursues to inspire and demonstrate how profound design thinking and well-considered strategies can bring about actual results.
design as a service
Design can be both a product and a service, often it’s both.
Spending the time and effort to design something means that research, analysis and testing have preceded the actual result, a procedure founded on scrutiny, questions and criticism.
Whether focusing on the product itself or the purpose it serves, the end-user is always included in the reflections which is why human values such as functionality, accessibility, democracy and sustainability should always be prioritised.
At Massilia we believe in ‘design as a service’; we place design at the service of the user, at the service of the industry and at the service of production. We support and teach design thinking as a means to improve and to shape a world in balance.
founder
Massilia is initiated and developed by Belgian designer, Nathalie Dewez.
Having practiced design for the last twenty years, Dewez understands the importance of being able to evolve and train at international design residencies.
Furthermore, she has been teaching and tutoring interns, a position she is excited to continue at Massilia.
Concerning the benefits of a shared design workspace, Dewez experienced first-hand at the start of her career, when six young Belgian designers decided to rent an atelier in Brussels together, all now well-renowned practitioners on the international design scene. Collectively, they profited from merging their actions and knowledge, saving them time and energy and turning them individually into more capable designers.
With that background in mind, Dewez is motivated to collectively imagine and shape the future of design.
Nathalie Dewez graduated in 2001 from La Cambre Visual Arts School in Brussels where she has also taught design for fifteen years.
Her creations range from small industrial objects to monumental installations, from unique pieces to extended series. She designs light fixtures, furnishings and diverse objects, as well as occasionally working as a lighting consultant. Her creations reflect a fascination for sculptural forms and fine craftsmanship, while favouring a rigorous economy of means. She also pays particular attention to both the function and aesthetic presence of each object. Her designs have been acquired by collections such as the CNAP (National Fine Arts Centre France), and she has been nominated and awarded several prizes.
In 2011, Dewez won the Pierre Bergé Foundation’s Design Award and was also named Belgian Designer of the Year. Her involvement in numerous international fairs and exhibitions has allowed her to collaborate with renowned architectural firms and design houses, such as Ligne Roset (F), Vervloet (BE), Hermès (F), Habitat (GB), De Castelli (IT)…