A cultural experience evolving from an editorial project into a digital archive, exploring identity through an ecocentric lens. At its core, Alter Eco examines how cultures worldwide respond to human needs in ways that shape both identity and connection with the living world, a constellation of stories reimagining our bond with the Earth, shifting from dominance to interdependence.
Alter Eco is a space for rethinking identity in harmony with the ecosystem, moving beyond anthropocentrism towards an ecocentric paradigm. Structured across four issues — Inhabiting, Feeding, Wearing, and Moving — the project explores how fundamental human needs can be addressed without compromising the integrity of the environment. At its core, each issue examines how cultures across the globe respond to these needs in ways that shape not only their identities, but also their relationships with the living world. Issue 00, Inhabiting, investigates the act of dwelling through the lens of ecocentric identities, organised into four seasons that reflect the current conditions experienced by different communities in relation to climate change.
Alter Eco[teca] is an immersive digital archive collecting materials that cannot be fully conveyed through print, including audiovisual content and extended narratives from the project. Designed as a transmedia ecosystem, it brings together the communities featured across all four issues, connecting their voices, practices, and perspectives within a shared space. By placing these stories side by side, the platform reveals connections between cultures that may appear distant, highlighting recurring gestures, values, and relationships with the living world.
TEAM
Martina Balocco, Monica Battaglia, Francesca Cerutti, Arianna Lualdi, Federico Porro, Anna Pustizzi
Politecnico di Milano, Master’s Degree in Communication Design
Complex Artifacts and System Design Lab, C1
Complex Artifacts and System Design Lab, C1
Proff: Elena Caratti, Francesco Scagliarini
