Favorita’s Waters

Summer school in Palermo
with Wunder collective and Flavia Saggese
2026

Promoted by Istituto Svizzero and Fondazione studio
Photo Credits: © Yona Catrina Schreyer






The workshop days inside of Teatro Garibaldi included the exchange with our local host Fondazione Studio Rizoma, setting up the workshop, settling into the shared spaces, getting materials ready, and starting the cleaning and preparation works.

As a first collective exercise, an archi-botanical survey of the gardens of Teatro Garibaldi was undertaken, followed by a collective sketching and brainstorming session on the issues of water-scarcity and collective rituals of care around water.

Over the duration of the week, prototypes were developed and discussed, as well as different forms and materials tested.

At the closure of the workshop, the gardens of Teatro Garibaldi are equipped with a water collection and storage system that spans ten meters, guiding the water of the only rainwater gutter to the other end of the garden, and making it accessible on ground level to be used for irrigation and play.

As an additional object, a multifunctional, mobile structure was developed playing with the mythological significance of aquatic symbols in the form of a snake, leaning on the tale of the “Genius of Palermo.” According to the tale, the snake that is represented in various urban fountains across the city, symbolizes water, fertility, and prudence as an antagonist of the sun. The ‘serpentessa’ constructed in the workshop weeks is a device that can offer cooling through a water fountain on its head and tail, and can be used as an interactive bar.

During a closing events on Friday and Saturday, the devices were tested and part of the celebrations within the workshop team and during a public performance.

Participants:

Megha Lowe, Alessandro Tonolli, Defne Korkmaz, Natalia Comenge, Ece Niksarli, Catherine Cibeira, Audrey Dulon, Klara Johnsson, Oskar Nordkvist, Elena Hornby, Robin Remi

Project website: https://favoritaswaters.cargo.site
Instagram: @wunder_net, @flaggeca
Illustrations and Maps: Paolo Failla

Guests:

Giuseppe Barbera
Giulia Colletti
Muck Petzet
Francesca Chiorino
Giovanni Provinzano
Officina Scalo 5B