ALTER ECO
INDEPENDENT MAGAZINE
An editorial journey exploring identity through an ecocentric lens. At its core, Alter eco examines how cultures worldwide respond to human needs in ways that shape both identity and connection with the living world. A constellation of stories that reimagine our bond with the Earth, shifting from dominance to interdependence.
[2025]
[ART DIRECTION] [EDITORIAL DESIGN] [TRANSMEDIA PRODUCTION]
Alter eco is a space for rethinking identity in harmony with the ecosystem, moving beyond anthropocentrism towards an ecocentric paradigm. It explores how human needs – inhabiting, feeding, wearing, moving – can be met without compromising the integrity of our environment. At its core, each issue examines how cultures across the globe respond to these needs in ways that shape not only their identity but also their relationship with the living world. Through these diverse cultural responses, Alter eco amplifies voices and perspectives often overlooked in dominant sustainability narratives. Far from offering ready-made solutions, it open a space for reflection, extending an invitation to see the Earth not as a resource to exploit, but as a web of relationships to nurture, recognising that identity is not what separates us from nature, but what connects us to it.
ISSUE OO — INHABITING
From editor's letter "Inhabiting is never a neutral act, it is far more than simply living in a space. It is a way of being, a gesture of care, of relationship. To dwell is to become part of a place, of its rhythms, its invisible memory. Above all, the way we inhabit the world – our homes, our territories, the Earth itself – reveals not only our values and identities, but also our place within a wider living system".
From editor's letter "Inhabiting is never a neutral act, it is far more than simply living in a space. It is a way of being, a gesture of care, of relationship. To dwell is to become part of a place, of its rhythms, its invisible memory. Above all, the way we inhabit the world – our homes, our territories, the Earth itself – reveals not only our values and identities, but also our place within a wider living system".
ALTERECO[TECA]
A digital archive where ecocentric stories, practices, and visions intertwine. A narrative ecosystem to explore, where each story nourishes a collective and ever-evolving narrative. As a transmedia extension of the editorial project Alter eco, it brings together the ecocentric identities featured across the four issues into a single digital platform, expanding its language and reach beyond print.
A digital archive where ecocentric stories, practices, and visions intertwine. A narrative ecosystem to explore, where each story nourishes a collective and ever-evolving narrative. As a transmedia extension of the editorial project Alter eco, it brings together the ecocentric identities featured across the four issues into a single digital platform, expanding its language and reach beyond print.
ALTER ECO is an editorial project developed within Many Matters Lab and now featured on the Instagram channel @many_matters_lab
A.Y. 2024/2025
Complex Artifacts and System Design Lab, C1 — Politecnico di Milano
Complex Artifacts and System Design Lab, C1 — Politecnico di Milano
Lecturers: Elena Caratti, Francesco Scagliarini
Team: Martina Balocco, Monica Battaglia, Francesca Cerutti, Arianna Lualdi, Federico Porro, Anna Pustizzi
