Building utopia

Synopsis: Can a small humanitarian project and 42-year-old book of DIY furniture designs change European labour laws – and secure residency for refugees?

Article: This was a pitch for the Culture section of the Guardian last year, hooked on the news that a Berlin-based not-for-profit, CUCULA, had secured apprenticeships for two refugees with local companies. The feature shone a light on how the organisation is actively challenging European labour laws with an alternative model of relief for refugees, based on a (then) 42-year-old DIY furniture manual by Italian designer Enzo Mari. I talked to the organisation’s founders and refugee trainees while researching the piece in Berlin.