Designing relational Artefacts for Mesh-making

In a world shaped by ecological and social crises, it is urgent to critically look at the ways how we relate to one another and to the more-than-human world. In her Guest lecture on June 2nd, Seçil Uğur Yavuz calls for a reimagining of community—not as a fixed structure, but as a dynamic meshwork of relationships that are fluid, interdependent, and continuously evolving. Together we will explore how design can play a role in forming these relational entanglements by engaging with artifacts that provoke spontaneous, situated, and unexpected encounters. Through a series of case studies, Seçil illustrates how artifacts—whether intentionally designed or serendipitously found—can become enablers of connection, empathy, and care, helping us to reweave the social and material fabric of everyday life. Seçil Uğur Yavuz, PhD is Associate Professor at Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Faculty of Design and Art. The lecture is part of the seminar ‘Design und Gemeinschaft’ (Prof. Dr Tom Bieling).