DeltaCraft: Craft + Contemporary Design

The Danube Delta is almost entirely rural and sparsely populated. The villages in the Delta face problems like aging communities and depopulation. There is an important cultural heritage related to the traditional crafts of the ethnically diverse communities, involving very specific skills that have become endangered in the context of younger people either leaving for better opportunities or losing interest in this line of work. There are few craftsmen left, dispersed throughout a large territory and in the same time,the traditionally crafted objects have become obsolete and are not in high demand any longer.

The aim of the project was to show the unique character of the Danube Delta region, of its cultural and natural heritage. Moreover, it brings a sustainable approach to design production, culturally rooted and locally sourced to mediate the survival of traditional local crafts.
A study on traditional crafts and techniques was carried out, local artisans were identified and they were brought together with designers in order to create a collection of contemporary appealing objects that illustrate crafts skills and techniques from the Danube Delta area. The objects are a symbolic representation of locally sourced raw materials, of community food and power, memory of place and heritage .
Together, artisans and designers created a collection of objects inspired by culture, history, resources and techniques typical for this region.