N O R M A L S

15/04/2026

Short story and commentary on the Amadare Network, one of five New Future Archetype featured in the AXA Foresight Report 2026. This was recorded at ChangeNow, in Paris on March 30 2026 for the release of the report.

The Amadare Network is a fictional nomadic community led by women and built around the concept of ‘antifragility,’ pushing resilience far past the point of simply accepting shocks, but growing from them or even harnessing them. While fictional, the story of the Amadari is rooted in the reality of women left behind in remittance economies. Where many men leave home to seek better economic prospects abroad, communities of women see their roles and power slowly change over time. Amadare is an invitation to imagine what such a future community could look like, as a strong, knowledgeable, adaptable village which has embraced movement and adaptation.

Following the core idea of the report where fiction is born from analysis, we’re showing here two parts:

SIDE A:
An excerpt from a live reading by speculative-acting connoisseuse Laëtitia Eïdo , based on a story written by N O R M A L S .o.r.m.a.l.s and featured in the report.

SIDE B:
Comments from guest contributor and anthropologist Megnaa Mehtta (University College London).

The AXA Foresight Report 2026 is a publication initiated by AXA’s Foresight Team, led by Olivier Desbiey (), and in collaboration with N O R M A L S whose work on New Future Archetypes formed the core of the report.

You can find the full recording of this session on AXA’s YouTube channel.

The link to the report is in .o.r.m.a.l.s ‘s bio.

09/04/2026

Hi there, it’s been a while—things have been a bit craycray over here (and, arguably, around the world…). In the last months we’ve been quietly designing and writing a publication for people who ended up being the best partners one could wish for, utterly destroying the client-to-collaborator barrier. The AXA Foresight Report 2026 is finally out, and we’re beyond thrilled to see it already receive such a warm welcome.

Titled ‘The Atlas of New Futures,’ the report (which really, is much more than a report) springs from a shared need to escape ready-made futures and look under stones left unturned—the kinds that don’t hide spaceships. This is core to what we call ‘New Future Archetypes,’ and the amazing team at AXA Foresight generously offered us a chance to make it the focus of their 2026 report. We packed it with everything we love to do, and zero compromise: new futures as fictional worlds you can step into, with their own logic, economy, artifacts, and everyday life. There’s a lot designed, a lot of stories told, a lot of experts interviewed, and a lot of research—no predictions though. Each NFA sets a different stage to how societies may adapt to climate change, displacement, democratic shifts, geopolitical pressure points, and the slow erosion of the things we took for granted.

None of this would exist without people who made the work genuinely joyful. Olivier Desbiey () and the Foresight team gave us something rare: real trust, real curiosity, and the freedom to go somewhere new. Working with them felt less like a commission and more like a shared ideal, and for this we are beyond grateful!

More to come (especially a soon to be printed version).

For now, you can already get the digital version (link in bio)

27/10/2025

Ok — we’re late with a lot of posts [blushing emoji with eye vortices]. So late, we didn’t even properly congratulate on Near Future Laboratory’s 100th podcast! Featuring... us! Once again! So, better late than never: thank you for doing us the honor of rounding off this extremely cool series, and please accept this commemorative vignette as a token of our appreciation.
If you haven’t listened to it yet, please do - either right from the Near Future Laboratory Podcast page or on your favorite platform that isn’t hurting human dignity itself.

17/10/2024

Point and snap futures on OCT11. For ‘s big Brussels gathering, we created a set of AR accessories so workshop participants could flex their theatrics and tell us stories of the future of human-water relationships.

16/10/2024

‘Praia da Usina’ — impressions from our workshop

We’re back after a few amazing and salty days in Portimaõ for . We got to do a speculative talk (think Yes Men, but less deceptive) and a roleplayey workshop about bold moves in the Algarve region regarding water shortages, what a desalination economy could look like, what “could” be done if we go deep into sucking out seawater (and its LOADS of salt)… Well, we had fun, terrorized some people (sorry again 🥹), and had great conversations on the topic later on.

Many many many thanks to the organizers of for their kindness, warmth, and for putting up with our shenanigans, and an emojis with big hearts pouring out of every pore to all the spectacular people we met and hung out with there.

Thank you for the photos!

15/10/2024

04/09/2024

We are are just one week away from the start of our next Future Fishing online workshop, and there are a few spots still available. We also have an accessibility programme offering free spots to students—the first one is on us, and we are looking for additional donors keen to help nurture the next wave of future thinkers. If this sounds like you, do let us know!

Register now to explore a unique take on speculative design, looking at some creative techniques for combining real-world signals and imagined scenarios into insightful futures, that acknowledge the complexity of the world and help us inform our choices today.

Sessions will take place on September 12, 19, 26, with an extra personal 1-on-1 session between October and December.

The link: https://normalfutu.re/co/future-fishing-workshop-envisioning-designing-telling-futures/

02/04/2024

‘Grasias — the Good Collapse’ Excerpts from the Digital Catalogue (2022)

‘Grasias – The Good Collapse’ is a call to mobilization, showcasing the radical civilization shift taken by the fictional state of Pyria. Confronted with multiple events foreboding a brutal collapse of systems and following a landslide outcome to a referendum, Pyria opts to proudly take itself out. Fueled by the love of its people and the general sense of urgency, the Pyrian government sets out to shift its entire economy toward a true war effort directed at itself, securing a stateless, one-of-a-kind, desperate, yet livable future for all its citizens.

Shown here are various items of national preparedness. Some supplied to all Pyrian citizens, comprising a map of the subdivided nation, a coms hub to tap into existing phone lines, a DIY healthcare kit with yeast based opioids, and other useful ferments, and even the last bottle of state-sponsored champagne as a parting gift. Added to that are infrastructures of ‘collective resilience’ such as containers that unlock on a monthly basis to provide resources and tools adapted to seasons : salt, water cans, food tins, and even vacuum-sealed artworks. The wealthier Pyrians could, for some, invest in luxurious collapse-ready household appliances such as the ‘Macina Lavador Ultim,’ with its famous tagline “the last washing machine you will ever need.”

12/09/2023

We still have some spots open for the upcoming Future Fishing workshop which will take place online on October 4 + 11 + 18. It's 3 x 3h, accessible to anyone interested in our unorthodox approach to envisioning futures and designing the speculative products, stories, or experiences that bring them to life. In addition, participants will each get one hour to discuss their projects and ideas during a private chat.

If interested sign up on https://normalfutu.re/co/future-fishing-workshop-envisioning-designing-telling-futures/

And don't miss out on future news by subscribing to our newsletter on https://normalfutu.re/newsletter/aug2023.html

11/09/2023

We’re excited to share some news from the N O R M A L S front. Especially interesting if you are based in Spain, The Netherlands, or the internets.

Sept 1 - Nov 19, Rotterdam: Petromelancholia
A collective exhibition on our attachment to the age of oil and the struggle with its impending end, curated by Alexander Klose from the group "Beauty of Oil" and taking place at Brutus Rotterdam.
https://brutus.nl/en/programme/current/petromelancholia/

Oct 4-11-18, Online: Future Fishing
A workshop accessible to anyone interested in our unorthodox approach to envisioning futures and designing the speculative products, stories, or experiences that bring them to life. 3x3h + 1h private coaching.
https://normalfutu.re/co/future-fishing-workshop-envisioning-designing-telling-futures/

Oct 23, Barcelona: ERA
A food futures experience during which current and future issues are explored through the scope of fiction. Produced by Phil Balagtas, featuring contributions from BASC, Futurity Systems, and Espai Puntal.
https://www.era-zero.world/

More details and a link to subscribe to our newsletter on https://normalfutu.re/newsletter/aug2023.html