ÁNGEL MOMBIEDRO for [ICFF + Wanted Design]

Spanish design alongside Ukraine at the European pavilion of New York Design Week.

The joint European proposal (EUNIC NY) at the ICFF + Wanted Design Manhattan Festival, during New York Design Week, featured Spanish designer Ángel Mombiedro with the support of the Consulate of Spain in New York. This edition was part of Eco-Solidarity, which sought to design sustainably for the reconstruction of places in need in the context of the war in Ukraine. Mombiedro's work was presented alongside other designers from Europe through EUNIC New York. 

Mombiedro's work in this edition combined play, construction, reuse, and collaboration. It was a large puzzle made with stone panels rescued from the demolition of a building on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, carved by the architect himself, which could be assembled in communal spaces, alluding to collaboration for problem-solving.

CO-HATY COLLABORATION

In parallel to this piece, and in the context of the war in Ukraine, Mombiedro presented a project in collaboration with the Ukrainian association CO-HATY, which works today on reconstructing spaces to accommodate war-displaced people, creating comfortable and dignified homes. The project is led by the NGO "Metalab" in collaboration with the NGO "Urban Curators". The building focused on in the proposal, located in the city of Ivano-Frankivsk, houses 140 people in a former nursery recently adapted by CO-HATY. The aim was to rehabilitate its common outdoor spaces with the participatory design of the residents.

CO-HATY is still looking for resources to continue developing this space, including a sports area and a playground for kids. They also want to add new entrances to connect the shelter better with the neighborhood. The CO-HATY team's transformation of the abandoned building into a co-living space for internally displaced people in western Ukraine highlights the importance of participatory design and the role of community involvement in creating safe and liveable spaces

Subject of payment: Wanted Design Armombiedro Studio

Mombiedro allocated his funding from the fair to boost the reconstruction of the shelter's outdoor recreational space, highlighting the playful aspect of human development. With the goal of raising visibility for this project and obtaining more funds, Mombiedro planned to leverage the fair and the network of contacts provided by the Eco Solidarity pavilion to showcase the project and raise funds for its development in the coming months.