Dezeen School Shows: a rug-knotting kit designed to provide relief from bereavement is among the student design projects from Free University of Bozen-Bolzano.

Also featured is a furniture collection crafted from hazelnut wood and aluminium, and an illustrated guide to the menstrual cycle.

Free University of Bozen-Bolzano

Institution: Free University of Bozen-Bolzano
School: Faculty of Design and Art
Courses: BA Design and Art and MA Eco-Social Design
Tutors: Gianluca Camillini, Rosalyn Fiona Dmello, Nitzan Cohen, Klaus Hackl, Luca Trevisani, Marcello Barison, Secil Ugur Yavuz, Matteo Moretti, Andreas Trenker, Ingrid Kofler, Teresa Palmieri, Stefan Zerbe, Marcello Barison, Kuno Prey, Elisa Testori, Gerhard Glüher and Sónia Amélia Cabral Matos

School statement:

"Our approach to study is interdisciplinary and team-based, where teaching and learning happen through both studying and completing projects.

"Teams of lecturers who are specialists in the practices and theories of art and design work with small groups of students on topics, which are put into real life practice.

"From the initial idea to the finished project, our students are encouraged to adopt a real world approach. With two exhibitions per year at the end of the winter and summer term, they also learn how to effectively present their work.

"Thanks to the well-established contacts of the faculty, our students participate in international art and design events such as the Salone del Mobile in Milan or FotoWien."

Hallo, Ich Menstruiere by Theresa Felicia Handig

"This bachelor's thesis presents an accessible, illustrated guide to the menstrual cycle, aiming to inform both menstruating and non-menstruating individuals.

"Emphasising the cycle's four phases – not just menstruation – it offers clear explanations of biological processes, along with tips for syncing diet and exercise.

"The project addresses taboos and misinformation by using engaging visuals and straightforward language. The final product is a printed guide with four booklets, each dedicated to a different phase of the cycle.

"Designed to be affordable and inclusive, the guide fosters body awareness and aims to normalise menstrual education, especially in schools and broader public discourse."

Student: Theresa Felicia Handig
Course: BA Design and Art, Major in Design
Tutors: Gianluca Camillini and Rosalyn Fiona Dmello

Mira – Targeted heating for personal comfort by Allegra D'Achille

"This project reimagines porcelain as a localised domestic heating solution, paired with infrared technology. Moving beyond its decorative roots, porcelain's heat retention and emission properties reduce overall energy use.

"Unlike convection heaters, infrared warmth is transferred directly to objects and people, creating efficient heat zones.

"The system improves comfort and safety, avoiding common issues like overheating, burns and allergen circulation. Designed for flexibility, it can be moved or wall-mounted to suit various home environments.

"By merging traditional porcelain craftsmanship with modern heating innovation, the project showcases how material choices can support more sustainable, adaptive and energy-efficient living solutions."

Student: Allegra D'Achille
Course: BA Design and Art, Major in Design
Tutors: Nitzan Cohen and Klaus Hackl

Forest Bodies by Alessia Maria Concetta Carbonara

"Forest Bodies is a photographic series of 13 black and white images depicting figures formed from organic materials – roots, soil, moss, plants and branches – shaped by natural forces.

"Triggered by events like the Vaia Storm of 2018, these anthropomorphic and zoomorphic forms emerge from uprooted trees, blurring boundaries between human, animal and landscape.

"The series explores the hybridisation of nature and culture, as human perception defines these shapes.

"Challenging biological classification, Forest Bodies reflects on transformation, ecological disruption and the archetypal power of nature to evoke new visual narratives beyond the divide between human and environment."

Student: Alessia Maria Concetta Carbonara
Course: BA Design and Art, Major in Art
Tutors: Luca Trevisani and Marcello Barison

Essere, Being water – a journey into water awareness by Sarah Daniel Doetsch

"Essere is an environmental communication project developed for SETE Festival 2025. Building on the 2024 data-gamification installation with Sheldon.studio, it expands into a three-part system promoting water awareness through participatory design.

"The project includes: an enhanced festival installation that merges data with sensory experiences; a child-focused workbook encouraging exploration of water issues at home; and a digital platform sharing event updates and open-source installation plans.

"By targeting both public engagement and family conversations, Essere fosters lasting environmental dialogue – especially among younger generations – ensuring the message extends beyond the festival and into daily life."

Student: Sarah Daniel Doetsch
Course: MA in Eco-Social Design
Tutors: Secil Ugur Yavuz and Matteo Moretti

Alpinesafe by Lara Farkas

"This project explores how graphic design can help reduce accidents in alpine sports by improving communication of safety guidelines.

"Focusing on hiking and skiing – activities with high accident rates – the project analyses risk factors and translates them into a creative awareness campaign.

"Animated posters are designed for instagram to reach inexperienced alpine sports enthusiasts, delivering essential safety information in an engaging and accessible format.

"By combining visual storytelling with strategic distribution, the project aims to promote responsible behaviour in the mountains and minimise risks through better-informed participants."

Student: Lara Farkas
Course: BA Design and Art, Major in Design
Tutors: Andreas Trenker and Ingrid Kofler

Val di Torba - creating a space for agonistic dialogue on the future of peat areas in South Tyrol by Laisa Sophie Cordes

"Val di Torba explores the future of South Tyrol's former peat extraction areas, balancing ecological and economic concerns.

"Once extensive peatlands, the Adige Valley is now marked by conflict over land use. With peat extraction soon to be banned, the project introduces design as a mediating tool among stakeholders.

"Fieldwork and interviews informed maps, illustrations and future scenarios, culminating in a participatory exhibition.

"Held in Salurn, the town most affected, the exhibition aimed to educate and foster constructive dialogue between residents, scientists, activists and politicians on the restoration and reuse of these sensitive ecological sites."

Student: Laisa Sophie Cordes
Course: MA in Eco-Social Design
Tutors: Teresa Palmieri and Stefan Zerbe

The Shape of Imagination – how perception transforms visual noise into meaning by Sophia Basso

"The Shape of Imagination is an artist's book and catalogue of pareidolia – images formed by recognising shapes in abstract stains.

"It explores how imagination and perception shape our understanding of the world. In a society focused on success and productivity, imagination often becomes overlooked.

"This project revives it by revealing hidden characters and stories in random patterns, like faces in clouds or car fronts.

"Centred on pareidolia, it questions whether these visions are illusions or meaningful reflections of how we see.

"The book invites viewers to reconnect with their innate creativity and challenge their visual interpretations of everyday life."

Student: Sophia Basso
Course: BA Design and Art, Major in Art
Tutors: Andreas Trenker and Marcello Barison

Unimakers by Gianluca Norcia

"This handbook offers practical tips for college students moving into a new room for the first time. It addresses common challenges such as limited space, tight budgets and the need for comfort and personalisation.

"Born from personal experience and research, it explores the emotional importance of space and how DIY furniture can foster a sense of belonging.

"The guide provides ideas, instructions and material suggestions for building economical, adaptable and functional furniture using basic tools and reclaimed items.

"It empowers students to creatively design spaces that reflect their identity and promote wellbeing, even in temporary living situations."

Student: Gianluca Norcia
Course: BA Design and Art, Major in Design
Tutors: Kuno Prey and Elisa Testori

Greet the Grief: individual recovery through artisanal forms of personal and shared grieving by Katharina Mercedes Alexandra Schwab

"Greet the Grief is a social design project offering support to bereaved individuals through a handbook and DIY rug-knotting kit.

"Addressing the stigma and pressure around grief in Western society, the project encourages emotional expression through the slow, therapeutic Finnish craft of Ryijy.

"The structured, calming activity helps individuals process loss at their own pace.

"The handbook includes three leporellos guiding reflection on emotions and memories, while a personalised questionnaire tailors a rug-making kit to each user.

"By combining education and creative practice, the project fosters open dialogue around grief and supports a gentle, personal journey toward healing."

Student: Katharina Mercedes Alexandra Schwab
Course: BA Design and Art, Major in Design
Tutors: Klaus Hackl and Gerhard Glüher

Nocciólo – exploring an undiscovered local resource for furniture construction by Arthur Paul Ottmann

"Nocciólo explores the untapped potential of hazelnut rods (Corylus avellana), a locally abundant yet overlooked material in South Tyrol.

"Traditionally ignored by industry, hazelnut wood offers unique properties suitable for innovative furniture design.

"The project investigates its ecological, cultural and craft relevance, resulting in the Nocciólo series – a collection that combines hazelnut rods with aluminium profiles to emphasise contrast, individuality and reproducibility.

"Through careful sourcing and respectful interaction with nature, the project advocates for alternative, sustainable materials and encourages new approaches to design rooted in local resources and traditional knowledge, bridging natural growth with modern production techniques."

Student: Arthur Paul Ottmann
Course: BA Design and Art, Major in Design
Tutors: Klaus Hackl and Sónia Amélia Cabral Matos

Partnership content

This school show is a partnership between Dezeen and Free University of Bozen-Bolzano. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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