Pin… “Mica scemo!” – Pin … “Not stupid!”,
Short film screening
and
panel discussion
on innovative relational and architectural choices, and
the cultural transformation necessary for the understanding and treatment of autism,
with
Mingo De Pasquale, actor
Alessandro Melis, architect
Athina Papadopoulou, PhD. MIT
Mingo De Pasquale talks about his performance as Pin, the protagonist of the short, an adult with autism, an extreme and delicate character who opens the doors of his world with simplicity.
Alessandro Melis, talks about an innovative and unique project, designed by his studio Heliopolis 21: the Stella Maris hospital in Pisa, exclusively intended for the treatment of neuropsychiatric pathologies of the developmental age. R
Athina Papadopoulous, PhD. MIT, is an expert in health and Design. In her researches, on inclusive design and affective computing, she is currently exploring therapeutic applications for Autism.
Affective Matter and Inclusive Design
I argue that we can orchestrate sensory qualities of our environments through design in order to promote health and wellbeing. I describe my interdisciplinary research on Affective Matter, which consists of wearable material environments for the purpose of emotion regulation and communication, and the pedagogical design methods I am developing that increase sensory awareness of space, promoting diversity and inclusion. For the purpose of this talk, I focus on potential applications of my research and teaching for the benefit of individuals with autism.
Alessandro Melis is the inaugural IDC Foundation Endowed Chair and a professor in the School of Architecture and Design. In 2021, he was the curator of the Italian Pavilion at La Biennale di Venezia. Alessandro has been nominated Ambassador of Italian Design (ADI – Italian Ministry of External Affairs) in 2021 (Paris) and 2022 (New York and Washington). In 1996, he founded Heliopolis 21, a multi-awarded architecture practice based in Italy, Germany, and the UK. The SR1938 Institute of the University of Pisa, the Stella Maris Hospital, and the Auditorium of Sant’Anna, inaugurated by the president of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, are acknowledged both in scholar publications and in popular magazines as examples of excellence in sustainable design. The relevance of his contribution to research is evidenced by 200+ publications, by as many citations in popular publications, and by conferences at institutions such as the University of Cambridge, MoMA, China Academy of Art, and TEDx. Recent monographs on his work include “Alessandro Melis. Utopic Real World, Invention Drawings,” published by D Editore, and “Heliopolis 21,” published by Skira Editore.
Athina Papadopoulou, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Architecture, Health, and Design at New York Institute of Technology. Athina’s recent research focuses on programmable material environments that enhance health and well-being through sensory interaction. In her work, she utilizes various aspects of computing—digital, physical, material, and affective—to create augmented perceptual and human-material interaction systems. Athina received a Masters of Science and Doctor of Philosophy in Design Computation with a minor in Human-Computer Interaction from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where she was a Presidential, a Vergottis, and a Leon Hyzen Fellow, in addition to being a researcher at the MIT Computational Making Group, and the MIT Self-Assembly Lab. Before receiving her Ph.D. and M.S. from MIT, Athina received a Diploma in Architecture Engineering and a Postgraduate Master’s in Design Culture from the National Technical University of Athens, Greece. She is a registered architect in Greece, where she worked at her own and other firms before focusing her career on design and technology research. Prior to teaching at New York Tech, Athina taught courses at MIT, at Boston Architectural College, and Wentworth Institute of Technology. Athina’s research has been published in science and design journals including Nature, Cognitive Science, and Architectural Design, as well as computation and human-computer interaction conferences.
Organized by the IIC-NY in collaboration with The Goodwill People.
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22nd Week of the Italian Language in the World: “L’italiano e i giovani. Come scusa? Non ti followo” /
“Italian and Youth. Excuse me? I don’t follow you”
This event is part of the Week of the Italian Language in the World, an initiative that has been held since 2001. Organized by the diplomatic-consular network and the Italian Cultural Institutes together with MIC, MUR and the main partners of language promotion in Italy (Accademia della Crusca, Dante Alighieri Society) and the Government of the Helvetic Confederation, the Week has become over time one of the most important initiatives dedicated to the celebration of the Italian language internationally. Since its establishment, the initiative has been awarded each year High Patronage by the Presidency of the Republic.
Each Week is dedicated to a different theme, which serves as a common thread for a rich program of conferences, exhibitions and meetings. The theme of the 2022 edition, which takes place Oct. 17-23, is “L’italiano e i giovani. Come scusa? Non ti followo” / “Italian and Youth. Excuse me? I don’t follow you”
Reservation no longer available