We have travelled a phenomenal distance together but today we have finally arrived at point zero. It is my pleasure to announce the final round of applicants being accepted to take on the role of the first unMonasterians, at the world’s first unMonastery in Matera. Together we will start our work in just over 2 weeks time when we arrive in Matera.
After a final call for applications provoked by the interest in the unMonastery that was generated by lote3, it is exciting for us to share with you and introduce to everyone those accepted and their projects. We anticipate that each will make a significant contribution towards solving the Matera unMonastery challenges.
But without further ado, the final unMonasterians and their projects are as follows (in random order):
- Lucia Caistor-Arendar: developing an asset mapping tool which enables current and future unMonasterians to embed their projects within the place they are working, through the creation of ‘Walking ethnographies’ with people living and working in Matera.
- David Bovil ([fortyfoxes]): unMonastery Radio and the Festival of Growing. The aim of the project is to use radio to create an innovative and sustainable local festival, focused on youth engagement and training, and establishing global connections.
- Katalin Hausel: unGuide, tells the story our of collaboration with the city and the narratives that unfold. In order to develop a new site-seeing route, focused on the unknown parts of the city beyond the traditional tourist route through the Sassi.
- Maria Juliana Byck [mariabyck]: a video production project created in collaboration with the young people of Matera and their elders.
- [Kei] Kreutler: 12-week introductory course in Computer Science for local adolescents aged 12-18.
- [Dorotea] Marciniak: upSkilling in Empathy, aimed at building foundations for better collaboration within the unMonastery and extending the work developed with local groups and connections.
- [Bembo Davies]: Social dramaturgy: thinking about and tweaking the internal culture of the enterprise. Framing the interface with Materiani through raising the ritual elements of our gatherings - Bembo continues to maintain the role of scribe and archivist of the unMonastery project.
- Maria Piera Sarra "Lois": designing, building and implementing a low-waste and short food supply chain for local producers.
I’d like to thank the panel (Ida, Michele and [Alberto]) who worked together with myself to review all of the applications we recieved - and thank you to all those who applied.
The unMonastery team has been quiet recently but many plans are a foot and over the weeks past myself and those accepted in the first round have been working together to structure the first months of the project - many updates will follow in the coming week. But if you want to dive into some of the action happening right now - @ilariadauria and myself are pulling together a working team for the very recent shortlisting of unMonastery as part of CheFare’s innovation contest. Today we began structuring the plan.
If you missed those accepted during the first round, here’s a recap:
- @cristiano_siri: perfecting the interface between the city and its unMonastery.
- @elf_pavlik: crafting together a community managed and owned wireless mesh network.
- @marc schneider: an open-source system to drive solar panels.
- @ritao rlando: designing the objects needed for unMonastic life.
- @kathleen: The Living Well – Bringing generations together to learn, share, play, take action and be present.
- Francesco Pellegrino: re-engineering Matera's water cycle for urban farming.
Unfortunately due to a change in circumstances for both Francesco [immaginoteca] and Marco [mstn] both are sadly no longer able to attend their residency at the unMonastery but our conversations are ongoing, and one way or another their invaluable contributions will continue to be a part of the overall unMonastery project.
Tomorrow I will travel to Matera for the first time since LOTE3 to visit the work done on the building and to meet with [antonioelettrico] and [Rita O]. Much work lies ahead but together will get there.
