I am delighted to announce the publication of my chapter “Hortopia – Territories of Cotransformation” in the new book “Power in Transformation-Creative Practices as Catalysts of Change” edited by Mustapha El Moussaoui, Kris Krois and Teresa Palmieri, just published by oekom publishers.
The chapter presents Hortopia as a transformative framework that re-imagines the garden as more than an interface between people and nature. Inspired by Gilles Clément’s concept of the Planetary Garden, Hortopia envisions a co-evolutionary territory where human-planetary relationships can flourish in new ways. This framework weaves together traditional design, placemaking and ecology with the intuitive, emotional, spiritual and ancestral dimensions of our ecosystem relationships.
At its core, Hortopia embraces a unique vision of co-evolution and transformation, in which neither humans nor nature dominate – instead they engage in a dance of mutual becoming. The framework builds on the ontological perspectives of design thinkers such as Tomás Maldonado and Gui Bonsiepe, who offer counter-designs to the prevailing nihilistic mindsets that perpetuate global inequalities. Through the concept of ‘oniric ecology’, Hortopia explores how our capacity to dream and design with nature can open up new pathways for planetary coexistence.
I’m deeply grateful to editors Mustapha El Moussaoui, Kris Krois and Teresa Palmieri for including my work in this collection that bridges critical theory with practical approaches to change.
The book is now available from oekom publishers.
