Critical Utopias: Designing for Conviviality

MIGRATION 2070 - Prototyping convivial futures in a transatlantic graduate design studio

Critical Utopias: Designing for Conviviality

Critical Utopias is a transatlantic design studio class (between Technische Hochschule Mannheim and California State University, East Bay) that challenges students to step into the role of strategic futurists. Working across borders in mixed American and German teams, we address the mid-21st century's defining issue: human movement driven by climate niche collapse.

Transatlantic Speculative Design

Leveraging strategic foresight and STEEP scanning to model resilient social systems. A collaboration between California State University, East Bay and Technische Hochschule Mannheim.

Prototyping Future Interventions

Step into the year 2070. Students fabricate a tangible 'Thing from the Future' (provotype), film speculative narrative trailers, and design A1 research posters.

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Fall 2025 Speculative Projects

During the Fall 2025 cohort, student teams created six unique speculative scenarios tackling post-capitalist communities, climate migration, solar data networks, and post-territorial belonging.

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