Polifactory presents “Transfeminisms x Design. An exploration of agency, power and knowledge”, the first series of events in the new edition of Open Polifactory, a cultural initiative dedicated to exploring key issues in contemporary design research.
The series examines the intersections between transfeminisms and design, aiming to question and challenge the core assumptions that guide design practice.
The series will begin with two events between October and December 2026, both held in Italian:
22 October. “Making the trans*feministqueer city. Plural perspectives on urban design”, with Valentina Ferreri, a researcher with a PhD in Design whose thesis focused on “Queer Cities”, and Elisa Venturini, a PhD candidate in Philosophy at the University of Verona and a member of the PoliTeSse Research Centre – Politics and Theories of Sexuality. The discussion will explore trans*feministqueer perspectives and possibilities for rethinking urban space.
10 November. “Form does (not) follow feminisms. Domestic spaces, objects and artifacts between the private and the political”, with Chiara Alessi, an essayist and curator working on material culture and design; Giulia Siviero, a journalist and author focusing on gender issues and women’s politics; and Michela Bassanelli, a researcher in Interior Architecture and Exhibition Design at the Department of Architecture and Urban Studies, Politecnico di Milano. The event will explore the relationships between domestic space, material culture and the political dimension of everyday life.
The events will take place at 6:30 pm at Polifactory, Building B3, Bovisa Campus, Politecnico di Milano. The programme will resume in June 2027 with more events and guests.
