Applied Utopia


Applied Utopia begins with a radical principle—we get further, faster by aiming for an idealized future rather than sluggish, incremental change. Applied Utopia is not a destination; it is a process and an approach.

Utopia is an idealized "perfection", a science fiction imagining of the impossible, a society transformed by technological or societal upheaval, a visionary or an ideally perfect state of society. Although we often understand it to be a potential perfect future, the word itself means simply “Not a Place”, inherently unattainable.

Utopia can be reimagined as a practical guiding principle, a blueprint for action in the now.

Applied Utopia at UAL: Central Saint Martins

October 11-14, 2022, London UK

Central Saint Martins invited Slow Factory to create a week-long residency. Slow Factory responded by expanding on Applied Utopia in a series of panels, discussions, workshops and immersive art installation. Slow Factory invited Bolt Threads to act as a partner to power this initiative and bring it to life.


Presenters:

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Hywel Davies

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Céline Semaan

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Xin Liu

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Colin Vernon

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Henrietta Gallina

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Seetal Solanki

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David Breslauer

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Dian-Jen Lin