Quasi-Souvenir is a workshop created by Joana & Nestor Pestana, inspired by the writings of José Saramago and Bruno Latour. It aims to exchange knowledge and explore the underlying social values that objects might dramatise when humans interact with them. It also aims to raise questions about the role of design in a strong AI era.

If an object's shape informs social interactions, could it also inform the decision-making of an AI object? By using the existent parts of a teapot, one could reposition them, duplicate them or just remove them in order to inform social behaviour. A teapot with several spouts would induce a sharing behaviour than one with only one spout, or none!

Ontological Board Game
Objects brought by workshop particpants were questioned and analised through a board game.

Technology & Design
Four objects were redesigned to promote shareability. This was done through sketching and using 3D scanning technologies.

Presentations
Workshop participants explain their ideas.

Below, Quasi-Souvenirs produced by participants.