As an adventurer of sorts, one tends to fall into a habit of landing into the grassroots phases of rather unique initiatives. One such event / community I feel particularly attached to having been a part of since its early days is known as “Stone Soup“, a gathering that takes place in various locations around the world. In an effort to share the impact it has had on myself and others, I want to briefly touch base on how it reflects the essence of experience design.

To some, “a Soup” is more than just an event; especially to those who attend it for the first time it is often categorized as a transformative experience. Considering that the model is an iterative, open-source ideology by design, it has proved to be undeniably successful: this year, I’ve attended its 8th edition in 6 years. It relies on an individual or small group of people to come forth with a fairly straight-forward intention: gather a diverse group of individuals to converge on a castle, farm, or villa in the heart of nature. The goal? To co-create unforgettable experiences, workshops, and elaborate dinners for one another.

Becoming the “Hot Stone”

Upon being invited to join the latest editon in Eastern-France, I’ve taken on a role of what the initiators of this event called a “hot stone.” This meant that I was partly responsible for helping with the on-boarding of new participants, igniting the fire of creativity and facilitating the ideation and production of an opening ceremony, while still contributing my own ideas and experiences to the event. One memorable project I designed was the creation of a collaborative museum focused on the theme of ancestry and long-term design thinking. This was particularly rewarding for me because of the unexpected collaboration with local artist Bert Barten, whose latest project ‘Talking Trees’ is helping to give nature a voice – a concept that embodies the essence of the type of long-term thinking I was inspired by after reading Roman Krznaric’s ‘The Good Ancestor’.

Real Change through Well-Designed Events:

During the event, participants practice cultural principles that have evolved over the years, with a few flagship philosophies like Flexible Hierarchy, Do-Acracy and Radical Interdependence, creating an idealistic platform of collaboration and creativity. And this is where I’ve come to my main point: what truly amazes me every time is how this alternate way of living and designing together continues to influence the lives of participants long after the event concludes.

Through my conversations with Stone Soup participants in the weeks and months following the event, I’ve witnessed the profound impact it has had on their personal and professional lives. Sometimes, all it takes to ignite real change is a well-designed event that caters to its people. The beauty of this is that Stone Soup in itself is not much more than a simple label to get people to come together under a shared intention – if there’s a strong desire for community and engagement, I believe that participants can find this just about anywhere. What we’ve been able to ignite has definitely become a catalyst for both personal growth and professional development to many who have attended, but in the end its the meaningful connections that people will remember the most.

This is testament to the power of strong experience design. It’s a reminder that when we come together with an open mind, a collaborative spirit and a commitment to improvise and flow together, we can create something truly extraordinary that binds people. As I continue my journey as an experience designer, Stone Soup remains a source of inspiration and a shining example of the positive change that can emerge from well-designed experiences. If you’re looking for a bit of life-changing event, I highly recommend joining us at the next Stone Soup gathering—you won’t be disappointed.

Or, you know, enjoy this short video that was created at the last edition:

Dance: Félicia Dotsé – http://www.instagram.com/feliciadotse
Video: Rinus Bot – rinusbot.nl
Music: Hania Rani – F Major