New perspectives on interdisciplinary design

27–28 January 2026 | Estonian Academy of Arts

The Estonian Academy of Arts hosted the New Perspectives on Interdisciplinary Design workshops as part of our international Time for (S) Heroes project. The two-day onsite workshops brought together students and educators to explore how drama pedagogy and arts-based methods can deepen design expertise and support interdisciplinary collaboration in sustainable design.

Sustainability through story and action

As part of Time for (S) Heroes and in these workshops, we explore sustainability heroism and inclusivity through arts-based and drama pedagogical approaches. We encourage designers to see themselves as active agents of change and to use storytelling, empathy, and collaboration as tools for sustainable transformation.

Throughout the two days, participants were invited to reflect on their personal values, professional identities, and future roles as designers working across disciplines.

Workshop participants.

Key themes of the workshops

The participants engaged with key themes such as designer identity, collaboration in interdisciplinary teams, and sustainability-focused storytelling. Special attention was given to inclusivity and empathy in design practice, as well as to the role of narratives and compelling stories in shaping meaningful design processes.

A significant part of the workshops was dedicated to narrative-building and future-oriented thinking. Participants worked with a variety of creative and reflective methods, including:

• Exploring their personal sustainability designer journey using sustainability identity line, dramatic scenarios and statues, dialogue, embodied activities, short-story interaction, activities on collaboratively identifying hero features, future scenarios, backcasting and collage techniques
• Creating transformational hero stories with fictive personas, hero journey maps, and a set of selected descriptive adjectives
• Applying mixed methods that combine visual, verbal, and performative tools
• Exploring how to utilize technological tools and AI
• Inbuilt reflection during the activities and reflective wrap-up sessions
• An introduction to becoming a Communications Ambassador for Time for (S) Heroes

These methods encouraged participants to connect personal motivation with collective action and to imagine concrete pathways toward sustainable futures.

Heini Haapaniemi explores different future scenarios together with the students and reflects on possible solutions.

Alina Viontsek works together with the students to build a four quadrant framework that examines four dimensions: sustainability, aesthetics, user centeredness and functionality, and how students position themselves and make choices between these dimensions in different projects.

Networking, research, and future opportunities

The programme also introduced an upcoming Time for (S) Heroes design competition with four design briefs and highlighted international project activities, including a webinar organised by Creative Europe Desk Finland in collaboration with the Finnish National Agency for Education.

On the second day, participants were invited to provide feedback through a post-workshop Webropol survey, supporting the ongoing development and evaluation of the project’s methods and impact.

The workshops were led by Ms. Heini Haapaniemi, Research Manager at South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences (Xamk) and Doctoral Researcher at Aalto university, and Ms. Alina Viontsek, Service Designer, South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences (Xamk) with support from Ms. Stella Runnel, Associate Professor and Head of Accessory Design at the Estonian Academy of Arts. The workshops were welcomed by Ms. Kristel Mõistus from the Tallinn Business Incubator, a key partner in the Time for (S) Heroes project. Her team is responsible for providing tailored business incubation support for the best proposals emerging from the design competition.

Workshop organisers.

Join the Time for (S) Heroes journey

Are you interested in sustainable design, international collaboration, fashion, costume, or performing arts? We offer opportunities to learn, co-create, and contribute to a more inclusive and sustainable design future.

 👉  Discover more about Time for (S) Heroes at timeforsheroes.eu