Core77

What does "beautiful" mean, when you can't see? This was the initial question, the answer to which was sought in a theoretical field study. It soon became clear that acoustics had a strong influence on the judgement of the three visually impaired or blind participants. The sound of things is accompanied by an experience of perception, which the sighted often "overlook" in quite a literal sense. How do people blind from birth imagine movements when they hear sounds? Which world of forms is created by their minds?

Water falls on a hot cooktop; it hisses. This is how people blind from birth describe the movement of water sounds that they cannot see by touch. Their ideas are interpreted in terms of time and form, and a new language of form and experience emerges. The haptic, acoustic, and playful experience of this setting, which consists of five glasses, is based on a new design approach inspired by the perceptions of the blind. This approach sees blindness as an opportunity to integrate the non-visual into design.

Author: Alena Halmes, Institute of Industrial Design, BA thesis, 2019

Plants are among the oldest living beings. Through the eons, they have always found a way to survive, and they are able to cope with change by their own strategies of resilience. They can be great teachers in a world that is driven by self-optimization, 24/7 availability, and overconsumption. Plants are pioneers in co-operating with their environment.

Even though their biomass makes up 80% of the earth, they learnt how to live in perfect harmony with their surroundings based on the rule of giving and taking. Their capabilities range from the wood-wide web, a decentralized organizational structure similar to our World Wide Web, from their ability to adapt to ever-changing circumstances to their capacity to communicate with whoever or whatever surrounds them.

Opening with the question "If plants could speak, which stories would they tell?" I address topics such as plant communication and sexuality – but I also approach themes that open up a larger context such as climate change or the Anthropocene.

Due to the climate change, more and more species – whether plants, insects, or animals – are in danger of becoming extinct. New generations of humans will grow up without being aware of this, since they will not have experienced the diversity of earlier ecosystems. In fact, it's not the plants that are threatened – we are. We must not forget that our existence depends on their diversity. A future without us is entirely possible.

If we want to play a role in the future, we should consider encompassing and acknowledging all species inhabiting this planet with respect and esteem. Since we are all sentient beings, I communicate my concerns about our relation to nature through visual and auditive narratives. In order to widen our circle of compassion but also to provide a more inclusive perspective on life, I let plants tell their stories in a language that is understandable for us.

In the exhibition future sense, you can watch and listen to two of these narratives. One is about the sexuality of plants. In the second installation, a cloned plant tells the story of its short life. Because plants can speak. They communicate on a much larger scale than we do. Their language is global.

Author: Elena Eigenheer, Institute Hyperwerk, Bachelor Project 2019

Natural materials are usually modified for better performance. In this work, I reverse this process by letting nature modify human-made materials and the result is, therefore, beyond the ordinary experience of natural materials. My Master thesis on the "Solidification of Foam" examines the activity of microorganisms invisible to the naked eye. Although cultures of microorganisms are all around us and in us, we are hard put to imagine what they look like and what they do. The unique mixture of microorganisms and porcelain called "fermented porcelain" highlights their activity in a lasting, tangible material because the yeast cultures in porcelain are free to express their natural creativity and can grow into foamy patterns. Moreover, porcelain preserves this vivid activity by forming an image of this process in solid material.

Microorganism growth and activity enable changes in the general appearance of porcelain and – especially – its porosity. This allows us to capture the natural behaviour of the yeast, and fermented porcelain then portrays the visual language of the microorganisms' natural processes. However, fermented porcelain does not aim to copy the visual beauty of nature, but rather lets nature surpass the porcelain handcrafting. Here, therefore, I am aiming to decentralize human skills and determine as a designer how best we can implement nature in the creative process. My project aims to raise awareness of the microorganisms which surround us, to experiment with their ability to form materials and to bring new meaning to materials, because they are most important in our life. Materials forever surround and influence us, and it greatly matters in which environment we live because what we see, hear, touch, and smell affects our mental and physical state. Moreover, fermented porcelain translates the presence and power of microorganisms by highlighting their ability to create.

Author: Helena Tapajnová, Master Studio Design, Institute Integrative Design, Master-Thesis, 2019

Migration is one of the oldest phenomena in human history. Nevertheless, controversial attitudes and discourses still challenge us. In Switzerland, the proportion of the foreign population is 25 percent; far more people also have a migratory background. At a time when globalization is creating multiple affiliations, walls are being built, national borders are being tightened and people are being discriminated against on the basis of their origin. However, our future essentially depends on how we can change our perception and learn to see migration as an opportunity.

The project of cooking together, living in harmony provides both theoretical and practical insights into today's dealings with people on the run. The initial idea was to create a participatory living space for young adults who have fled their home country. However, the house owners did not permit any changes to their properties, which is why the project failed. While cooking and eating together, it quickly became clear that the young men involved in the project were longing to talk and exchange ideas with Swiss people. They had learned to appreciate the opportunity to ask questions, discuss things and practice the German language. Thus, our topic increasingly crystallized: How can the living conditions of young adults be improved in concrete terms? Our answer aims to include and mix all people. The ensuing exchange promotes mutual understanding and empathy. Eating together provides an insight into each other's culture with its traditions, customs, and traditions. Smells can awaken memories, and participation is experienced by cooking: the participants are involved in decision-making issues, self-empowerment is promoted and social networking develops.

"The kitchen is not only a place where food is prepared, but also the setting for individual and social life – a place where cultural forms take shape, are practised or newly combined", write cultural mediators M. Blohm, S. Burkhardt & C. Heil.

Author: Katja Meile, Institute of Art and Design Education, Bachelor-Thesis, 2019

A woman of Southeast Asian origin, a homosexual man from former Yugoslavia, a coloured, gay, transgender man: In this interactive installation, Elinor, Meloe, and Pascal depict how multiple discriminations are affecting their everyday life. With a biting sense of humour and precision, they dissect racist, sexist, homophobic, and transphobic thinking patterns that permeate our society. Nadia Lanfranchi developed these visual portraits in close co-operation with the protagonists. This participatory approach allows the people thus portrayed to point out their personal perceptions and perspectives on multiple discriminations and intersectionality.

Author: Nadia Lanfranchi, Institute of Visual Communication, MA thesis 2017

Biowaste does not belong in the garbage, but should be recycled. For this reason, the Radschaft pilot project started with the collection of biowaste from private households. Its aim is to use municipal resources more efficiently and sustainably and to support the local ecological recycling of nutrients by composting biowaste. Radschaft wants to achieve an acceptance of biowaste by society. It wants to identify, develop, and implement the necessary infrastructures in the existing material flows.

For low-noise, mobile, and CO2 - neutral use, cargo bicycles with trailers are used. In addition, a garage was developed to protect the cargo bicycles against weather and theft. Three used IBCs (liquid containers) were converted in a pragmatic way. The secondary use of existing structures and the design geared to the process thus make it possible to adapt the system to the needs of the project without any effort on the part of customers. In order to avoid empty runs and, at the same time, be able to offer an extended service, local products are included in the delivery offer. By contributing to the production of local compost and, at the same time, purchasing regional products, users become active participants in the food and nutrient cycles.

In a first test phase, the project is limited to individual streets in the Gundeldingen neighbourhood. If feasible, it is to be improved and extended to the entire Gundeldingen district and, later, to the entire Basel area.

Authors: Raphael Hirschi, Sara Vulovic, Nik Dinter and Joshua Theurich