Fundación Madrugada Projects
Fundación Madrugada is an organization that, since 2015, has actively fostered the connection between craftsmanship, design, and local communities. Its core mission is to empower artisan makers and designers through programs and activities that promote collaborative networks and strategic frameworks, ensuring that traditional practices are preserved and transmitted across generations. In this context, design is not merely a visual resource — it becomes a strategic element throughout every stage of the value chain.
From this vision, two major initiatives emerged: Colaborafest and Manufactura Nacional.
Colaborafest, established in 2016, is an international design festival that has grown into a key event in southern Chile. It serves as a dynamic platform for dialogue around design, social economy, and traditional crafts, fostering networks and creating bridges between local communities and industry professionals.
Manufactura Nacional, launched in 2018, functions as a hybrid laboratory for A+D (arts and design) residencies and mediation. The project operates under three strategic pillars: production, mediation, and research. Its purpose is to explore the deep, ancestral links between crafts and design, while integrating contemporary social and cultural contexts.
Though each initiative presented unique challenges, they both shared a unifying goal: to strengthen the relationship between local communities, their cultural heritage, and the role of design as a tool for development.
My contribution addressed both fronts: For Colaborafest, I redesigned the website to support the launch of its fifth edition — building a platform that not only facilitated participant registration but also showcased the outcomes and creative processes. For Manufactura Nacional, my focus was on information architecture. The goal was to organize and communicate years of accumulated content, crafting a coherent and accessible digital narrative that reflected the depth and reach of the project.
Date
February 23, 2022