Manuela Aguirre
This talk explores the need to rethink over 20 municipal services in Northern Norway, addressing the region’s ageing demographics and workforce shortages. With limited staff for kindergartens, elderly and dementia care, and support for people with disabilities and/or substance abuse, new care models are essential.
Using a service/systemic design approach to edit the space/function program of a new “Living and Welfare Center” / Bo- og velferdssenter, BOV (project by WSP & Fabric+ with Tromsø Municipality), Manuela’s talk explores the synergies between different municipal and community services. The goal is for the BOV to act as a catalyzing hub, integrating housing, specialized, essential, and preventative services, and public meeting spaces that can foster community connections.
Northern Norway’s Tromsø Municipality is at the forefront of experimenting with these new care models, as demographic and staffing challenges often hit this region first. Using systems thinking, co-creation across different services, and community-led initiatives, this talk will exemplify how the BOV can break down siloed service delivery and foster collective learning.
PROFILE
Dr Manuela Aguirre is a systemic designer at Fabric+, a board member of the Systemic Design Association, and a representative of Norway in the WHO’s Age Friendly Cities & Communities Knowledge & Action Hub.
Manuela’s experience spans 15 years in systemic design, service design, and innovation across various industries and research environments. Her expertise in systemic design is shared through thought leadership and disseminated through lectures, workshops, and articles. She served as the Director of Systemic Design at Designit Oslo, co-leading a team of 12 service and systemic designers, contributing to the strategic direction of an international design studio, managing key client accounts, and leading large-scale projects. She also served as Associate Professor in Service Design, Oslo School of Architecture and Design after completing a PhD in co-design for cultural change in the public sector. She has collaborated with organizations worldwide, including InWithForward in Canada, Laboratorio de Gobierno in Chile, and Mayo Clinic in the US, Global Service Jam. Her approach is characterized by a dedication to leveraging co-design and systemic approaches to create meaningful change and address complex challenges. LinkedIn