The Open Design School is conceived as a living lab for interdisciplinary experimentation in the heart of Sasso Barisano, a platform that, along with the project’s other main cornerstone, the Istituto Demo-Etno Antropologico, known as I-DEA, will be the main feature of Matera’s cultural capital programme.

The school will bring together authors, bloggers, designers, craftsmen, hackers, graduates, students, professionals and academics to breathe life into the first design school in Europe to be based on the principles of Open Culture, one which will continue far beyond 2019.

The first intensive workshop for the implementation of the Open Design School took place in Matera in 2016 from September 1st to October 21st, joining 15 participants from varied nationalities and backgrounds, including local professionals.
Working together with many partners and experts from all over Italy and abroad, the six weeks of work focused on developing the concept of a new performance space to be built within the XVII century “Cava del Sole”, as well as helping to come up with ideas on the architectural and management model of the Open Design School.
The programme of events to be inaugurated on Saturday, 10 December, at 11 am, will be about this experience and is divided into three main areas, taking the visitor from San Nicola dei Greci all the way into Cava del Sole, passing through the Piccianello district.
It’s a tour that will spur the visitor’s interest in the processes that enlivened the workshop, then to live the experience of the self-construction, according to the principles of open structure, and, finally, enter the Cava del Sole to trace the route that will lead to – and go beyond – the ambitious 2019 goals.  

Enjoy!

The full programme of activities here

ACTIVITIES

Saturday, 10 December
at 11 a.m. / San Nicola dei Greci,
Via Madonna delle Virtù
OPENING
“Open Design School attraverso la città / la Via del Sole”

Sunday, 11 December
from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.  / San Nicola dei Greci,
Via Madonna delle Virtù
“Open Design School attraverso la città / la Via del Sole”:
FROM THE SASSI TO THE CAVA DEL SOLE IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE QUARRYMEN

Sunday, 18 December
from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.  / San Nicola dei Greci,
Via Madonna delle Virtù
“Open Design School attraverso la città - la Via del Sole”:
FROM THE SASSI TO THE CAVA DEL SOLE IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE QUARRYMEN

For walks planned for Sunday, December 11, and Sunday, December 18, It is preferable to confirm your presence by writing to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

WORKSHOPS

from 13th to 17 December
from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.  / Le Botteghe, Via Marconi
A PARTICIPATORY SELF-CONSTRUCTION WORKSHOP CURATED BY THE OPEN DESIGN SCHOOL

Saturday, 14 January
from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.  / Le Botteghe, Via Marconi
MENTAL MAPPING

Saturday, 21 January
from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. / Open Design School,
Complesso del Casale , Sasso Barisano
RESPONSIVE SPACE, THE APPLICATION OF ARDUINO SYSTEMS AND INTERACTIVE INSTALLATIONS

Saturday, 28 January
from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. / Open Design School,
Complesso del Casale, Sasso Barisano
WOODEN OPEN STRUCTURES

Saturday, 4 February
from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. / Open Design School,
Complesso del Casale, Sasso Barisano
RECIPROCAL LAMPS, RECOVERY AND TRANSFORMATION

Saturday, 11 February
from 9 to 1 p.m.  / Liceo Artistico C. Levi,
Via Cappuccini
THE PROCESSES OF SELF-CONSTRUCTION

Workshops are for free and can host a maximum of 15 participants. You can reserve a space at a workshop by writing to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. specifying which workshop interests you.

EVENTS AND HAPPENINGS

Saturday, 17 December
at 8 p.m. / Church of Maria SS. Annunziata
(Piccianello district)
“PICCIANELLO, CROCEVIE” theatre by Emilio Andrisani of the Hermes Teatro Laboratorio, text by Costantino Dilillo, in collaboration with the Associazione Festa della Madonna della Bruna

at 9 p.m. / Le Botteghe, Via Marconi
NEIGHBORHOOD PARTY

CONFERENCE

Friday, 10 February
at 12 p.m. / Palazzo Lanfranchi
OPEN DESIGN SCHOOL, OPEN CULTURE, OPEN FUTURE
Curated by Joseph Grima

Events and conferences are free of charge, entrance restricted to seating availability.

SAN NICOLA DEI GRECI

Opening hours: from 10 a.m. to 1.30 p.m.
every day
Special opening hours: from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
on 10, 11, 17,18,23, 27, 29 and 30 December and on 2, 4, 5 and 8 January

Special thanks to:
Università degli studi di Basilicata / Liceo Artistico Carlo Levi di Matera / Liceo Classico Duni di Matera / Mauro Bubbico / Francesco Barbaro / Sebastian De Bellis / Calia Italia / Falegnameria Colacicco / Falegnameria Andrulli e Ricciardi / Syskrack / C-FARA / CNA / Confesercenti / Open Lab Matera / Progetto Arte / Circolo culturale “La Scaletta” / Cooperativa Cave Heritage / Associazione Festa della Bruna / Francesco Foschino / Parrocchia Maria SS. Annunziata / i volontari di Matera 2019