BACKGROUND

APPROACH

PROCESS

1. Research & Findings

During the initial research phase, a series of interviews were conducted in collaboration with civil servants from the Commission for Aid to Refugees in the Valencian Country (CEAR) to gain insights into migration-related challenges in Valencia. Through interviews with 10 individuals, three distinct personas were identified: locals, refugees, and children.

Leveraging insights from our initial research, we crafted facilitation guides for various persona-specific workshops:

Persona 1: Locals
Workshop: The Art of Creating a Micronation
Involving 10 local residents and Polytechnic University of Valencia students, this workshop tackled fears around immigrants and tradition loss. Participants envisioned Valentia as an adaptable micronation, fostering experimental models open to replication anytime, anywhere.

Persona 2: Refugees
Workshop: Narratives for a New Nation
Conducted with the support of social workers and volunteers from the Intercultural Candombe Association, and the Commission for Aid to Refugees in the Valencian Country (CEAR), 30 refugees shared their migration traumas and feelings of estrangement. Their narratives shaped our micronation based on personal nationhood experiences. Their vision for Valentia centered on radical inclusivity.

Persona 3: Children
Workshop: Create Your Own Nation
Facilitated a workshop with 35 children aged 9 to 11 from a school with refugee students. The discussion involved challenges faced during forced relocations. Their collective vision for Valentia included numerous creative micronations, detailed in governance, organization, and neighbor relations.

The findings of our research were organized on an affinity map to better understand their relationships to each other and to determine priorities moving forward in the process. I synthesized these findings into three categories: lack of knowledge, feelings of fear, and lack of shared spaces. These categories shed light on three pain points.

2. Ideation & Prototyping

Based on the identified challenges, our focus shifted towards establishing a communal space fostering interaction between local residents and refugees, aiming to share mutual knowledge and alleviate prevailing feelings of apprehension. Initially, we designed a tangible installation-like prototype, extensively tested over a full day.

3. Testing & Validation

This initial prototype proved ineffective during testing as both local residents and refugees perceived it as intimidating due to its openness and lack of instructional guidance.

Consequently, we iterated on a new prototype, seeking to address the need for secure spaces for inclusive discussions and expression.

This revised concept materialized into a circular seating arrangement accompanied by a ‘talking stick’ method, enabling equitable opportunities for voice-sharing. The implementation of this secondary prototype facilitated a four-hour dialogue session where participants, regardless of their backgrounds, openly deliberated and exchanged perspectives. This collective engagement created an environment for diverse individuals, including immigrants, refugees, children, educators, social workers, and civil servants, to discuss the envisioned future for Valencia and beyond in an open and inclusive manner.

5. Documentation & Reporting

We documented the complete research process and outcomes, encompassing insights, feedback, artifacts, strategies, and recommendations. All of this was consolidated into a comprehensive report that was submitted to the client.

Moreover, acknowledging the project’s distinctive speculative, reflective, and transient characteristics, we curated a publication titled “Postnations.” This compilation encapsulates the project’s crucial methodological aspects, serving as a do-it-yourself (DIY) guide for constructing speculative micronations similar to Valentia.

OUTCOMES

CREDITS