The Fresh Eyes Cuba studio was conceived by Designmatters at ArtCenter College of Design as a 14-week intensive transdisciplinary studio course organized around a 10-day immersive trip to Havana Cuba and collaboration with the Instituto de Diseño. A book was developed to document the process.

Thinking about the design of this publication, the last thing I wanted to convey was a travelogue. What I hope one will find in these pages is an intimate cross-section of visuals we encountered while in Cuba, along with a glance at the engaging connection our students shared with their workshop partners at ISDi.

There were 17 of us documenting the experience. Like the student pop-up projects, this book is based on a sensorial experience of making connections while exploring the mechanics of repurposing. The book offers a sliver of visual insight to the polarity our two countries share and the nuance of a bridge.