Carla Alcalà Badias (1997) is a social designer and researcher based between Netherlands and Spain, whose practice develops speculative scenarios combining object design and performance. Her work explores the intersection between ancient and contemporary forms of knowledge —ranging from rituals and myths to artificial intelligence and blockchain technologies— as a mechanism to challenge ideas about human evolution and technological development.

Carla is currently doing a one-year research residency at Medialab Matadero (Madrid) on decentralised and Web 3.0 infrastructures through the lenses of feminist philosophy and critical social theory.  




Education


2021

2019


2022


2018
Master in Social Design. Design Academy Eindhoven (NL).
Bachelor in Industrial Design and Product Development. CEU Cardenal Herrera, Valencia (ES). Summa Cum Laude. 2015-2019. Two-credit theoretical and practical Seminar “Daemon&Discord: Anatomy of the DAO”. The New Centre for Research and Practice. 2022. Participant in the workshop ‘Cultivating Nature’ (Lex Pott). Domaine de Boisbuchet (FR). August 2018.

Work & Experience


2022
 
2022
 
2022

2021

2019

2018


Research residency. Medialab Matadero, Madrid (ES). Ongoing.
Freelance product designer. MUT Design, Valencia (ES). November 2021-present.  ‘Twisting and Twining’ workshop mentor (MUT Design). Domaine de Boisbuchet (FR). August. Programming and Arduino workshop: ‘Data Streams’, mentor. Design Academy Eindhoven (NL). September. Graphic design and art direction intern. Closca Design, Valencia (ES). Feb-May. Product design intern. Yonoh Studio, Valencia (ES). Feb-May.

Exhibitions


2022

2022

2022

2021

2019
Twisting & Twining, Mut Design Studio, Valencia. WDCV2022. September.
Design Végétal, Domaine de Boisbuchet. France Design Week. September.
Private_Eye_Butler_Spy, Arcam. Amsterdam (NL). March-June.
Graduation Show 2021, Eindhoven (NL).Dutch Design Week 2021.

The Object is Absent, DDW. MU Space, Eindhoven (NL).

Publications & Press


2022

2022
2021

2020

2020

2019


‘Digital Home Myth-Making’ in DAMN°82: Radical Domesticity. Summer.
‘Cripto-Mitologías Húmedas’ in Medialab Matadero.
Death to algorithms, long live the witches! Dutch Design Week 2021.
Aprendiz Virtual in ‘Suspiros de España’ (Ernesto Artillo). Vein Magazine.
The Memory of Cladocora. Ocean Archive (TBA21-Academy). 
Body Architecture in ‘The Object is Absent’. Dezeen. 2019.

Grants & Awards


2022

2022


2019
Research residency grant. Medialab Matadero, Madrid (ES). One year. 2022-2023. Partial Scholarship for the seminar “Daemon&Discord: Anatomy of the DAO”. The New Centre for Research and Practice. 2022.
Extraordinary End-of-Career Award for the Best Academic Record (Summa Cum Laude) 2019 in Engineering and Architecture. CEU Cardenal Herrera University, Valencia (ES).