The MFA in ØKM Design and Applied Crafts provides a synthesis between an approach to Design rooted in Craft — emphasizing making, community, social regeneration and a commitment to local material investigations — Zero Kilometers Design Approach — with a basic set of management competencies and skills.
Second level academic diploma. Taught in English.
Accredited by the Ministry of Instruction, Universities, and Research.
Learning goals
Promoting an interdisciplinary study environment where the laboratory becomes a space to collaboratively explore design and creation processes, the Master’s Program in ØKM Design & Applied Arts welcomes students from a wide range of backgrounds, with the aim of producing original works directed towards applied purposes.
One program, several locations
The program will have its "heart" in Syracuse (Sicily), but will also extend to a network of peripheral sites through a series of nomadic workshops lasting between 4 and 8 weeks.
These locations will serve as immersive living laboratories, offering access to localized and contextualized knowledge, encouraging students to challenge their theoretical frameworks and develop action-oriented methodologies. The program specifically focuses on neglected areas facing demographic outflow, with the aim of counteracting the depletion of essential services and initiating a process of biocultural regeneration.
Workshops aim to:
- Explore sustainable development models by integrating the identification of local goals and needs, the analysis of potential co-created solutions, and the fabrication and installation of tangible interventions;
- Strengthen the resilience of small rural communities by addressing issues such as demographic decline, fragile agricultural economies, population aging, and the lack of educational and cultural services, generating new scenarios for sustainable development based on a Zero Kilometers Design approach;
- Revitalize local economies through professional activities, support for the economy linked to mindful tourism, the activation of educational services via participatory workshops, and the active inclusion of marginalized residents, for example.
The locations of the workshops may vary from year to year.
| Duration | 18 months |
| Language | English/Italian |
| Certificate | Second Level Academic Diploma |
| Credits | 120 CFA |
| Specialisation | Design Methodology Modern Crafts Business Planning Communication Tools |
Are you interested?
First year
The first year is designed to provide students with a solid theoretical and practical foundation, laying the groundwork for the development of complex and informed projects. Through a multidisciplinary approach that integrates design, craftsmanship, and digital technologies, students explore the relationships between design, sustainability, and local contexts.
Particular emphasis is placed on creative processes and applied research methodologies, fostering an ethical and critical approach to contemporary challenges. By combining hands-on activities with moments of theoretical reflection, the program promotes a deep understanding of the economic, social, and cultural dynamics that shape design.
This approach equips students with the tools to address the complexities of today's world responsibly and creatively.
Extracurricular activities
From the very first year, students will be engaged in extracurricular activities that include museum visits, practical workshops, collaborations with external organizations, and travel opportunities both within Italy and abroad. The focus of their research will center on enhancing the host context, with site-specific projects exploring the connections between place, culture, and sustainability. Each project will culminate in a collective presentation, providing an opportunity for dialogue and exchange with the local community.
Second year
The second year of the Master’s program introduces a new perspective on design theory and practice, aimed at harnessing design’s transformative power to foster more conscious and sustainable ways of being and making.
The curriculum addresses critical trends in academic fields, encouraging constructive dialogue between natural, social, and human sciences.
Under guided mentorship for their final research project, students are invited to explore design as a tool for rethinking the relationship between individuals, society, and the environment. This work contributes uniquely to the contemporary discourse on sustainability and innovation.
Study visit
The course will be based in Syracuse but designed as an itinerant program, with a strong emphasis on the relationship between the local territory and its community.
Main Courses
Design Methodology, Modern crafts, Business planning, Communication tools, Environment Design, Entrepreneurial & Management Skills, Immersive Craft, Design Studio, Ethics for Transformative Change, Contemporary machine & Digital manufacturing, Mastering Data Visualization & Effective Presentation, Human-Centered Design and Innovation.
