“UNd-9 United in Design” Workshop Underway in North Macedonia: Connecting Nine European Cities Through Design and Culture
The “UNd-9 United in Design” short intensive workshop officially kicked off yesterday in Stip, North Macedonia, hosted by Goce Delcev University in partnership with the Medical University of Gdańsk and supported by the Municipality of Stip. Bringing together undergraduate and postgraduate students from across the ACE²-EU alliance, the 35-hour Flavour School course (21–25 September) transforms cultural diversity into spatial and visual communication.
Led by Lead Teacher Prof. Ekaterina Namicheva Todorovska and Prof. Vangja Dimitrijeva, alongside Poland’s partner representative Magda Warzocha, the event began with an kick-off session designed to build team spirit among the international participants. On their first day, students immersed themselves in the local context with visits to Isar Hill and the Stip City Museum, followed by a hands-on exercise creating “Culture Snapshots”—creative visual identity panels reflecting memories and traditions from all nine participating countries.
Throughout the week, interdisciplinary teams of architects, graphic designers, fashion practitioners, fine artists, and media students are engaging in an intensive studio laboratory. Utilizing low-tech, paper-based prototyping, participants are collaboratively designing an exhibition panel and spatial marker tailored for a university garden or public space in Stip.
Rather than focusing solely on polished final products, the UNd-9 framework emphasizes cross-cultural dialogue, experimentation, storytelling, and co-creation. The resulting cardboard prototype will serve as a flexible reference model capable of being adapted and replicated across various European partner campuses and public urban environments.
