Building on the conversations across the surroundings and educating youngsters about Nature, Milan’s research-based design studio Formafantasma is out with an image guide for younger readers and adults alike. Titled Down Under: The Curious Fall of a Child Who Knew Nothing and Became Everything, the guide (illustrated by Clément Vuillier) is structured in two components. It begins with the story a few baby ‘who, upon falling into a hole in an open field, embarks on a journey through the hidden layers of the Earth, encountering unexpected lifeforms that shift his worldview’. The guide’s second half options contributions from scientists and educators who impressed the story akin to geologist Roland Dreesen, and ecologist Natalie Beenaerts, amongst others.
The guide begins with the story a few baby who, upon falling right into a gap in an open area, embarks on a journey through the hidden layers of the Earth
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Formafantasma “investigates the ecological, historical, political and social forces shaping the discipline of design today” through product design, spatial design, and many others. Founded in 2009 by Andrea Trimarchi and Simone Farresin, the studio goals at facilitating “a deeper understanding of both our natural and built environments and propose transformative interventions through design and its material, technical, social, and discursive possibilities”.
Pages from the guide
| Photo Credit:
GREGORIO GONELLA
As for Down Under, the venture originated from a fee and residency programme by C-mine (a inventive hub and cultural centre in Belgium) that explored the character and function of Belgium’s post-industrial territories. “To challenge the perception of these sites as ruins awaiting reclamation, we focussed our attention on terrils — artificial heaps formed by the accumulation of waste soil from coal mine excavations — presenting them as dynamic landscapes in a continuous state of transformation, even in the absence of human intervention,” says Andrea, including that following their website visits and conversations with curator Louise Osieka, and geologists, entomologists, and microbiologists, the group noticed a possibility to broaden the scope of the venture. “Eschewing conventional research outputs, we set out to create a children’s book that explores the intricate relationship,” he provides.
The second part options essential texts and interviews
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Special Arrangement
Together with Roland Dreesen and the University of Hasselt, the group collected microscopic imagery — utilizing petrography and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) — which performed a vital position in shaping the guide’s visible language. “At the same time, we initiated a dialogue with art historian Teresa Castro, exploring representations of Nature and the critical significance of these unique landscapes. All of this material laid the foundation for the fable that opens the book, a story we chose to write ourselves,” explains Andrea.
The venture originated from a fee and residency program by C-mine (a inventive hub and cultural centre in Belgium)
| Photo Credit:
GREGORIO GONELLA
Inspired by designers like Bruno Munari and Enzo Mari — who noticed childhood as a essential area for shaping civic creativeness and social duty — this venture “engages with children’s education as a meaningful site for design intervention”, says Simone, “We believe that addressing today’s ecological challenges requires a cultural shift, one that moves beyond a human-centred perspective and embraces the complex interdependence between species. Down Under is an attempt to contribute to that shift.”
The guide is impressed by designers like Bruno Munari and Enzo Mari
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Explaining how the fable strikes on to a extra analytical part, that includes essential texts and interviews with consultants from the scientific group, Simone says through this twin construction, Down Under, “encourages reflection at different stages of life, functioning as both a children’s book and a transgenerational educational tool. Regarding the physical object, we sought to preserve the materiality and sense of seriousness associated with a book in general, restoring the dignity and presence often missing in children’s publications, which are typically brief and overly simplified. Our goal was to offer children a meaningful object that acknowledges their agency and intellectual capacity.”
An illustration from the guide
| Photo Credit:
GREGORIO GONELLA
Designing for youngsters additionally meant the group needed to rethink their manner of presenting the guide. “Not by simplifying content, but by reframing it through storytelling. We were committed to avoiding any form of patronising attitude or oversimplification. Instead, we sought to convey the complexity of the post-industrial landscape and ecological themes in a way that felt tangible, yet remained clear and truthful. This demanded a careful calibration of tone and structure to ensure the book could engage younger readers without diluting the subject matter,” concludes Simone.
Priced at ₹3,494, the guide is offered on neroeditions.com
