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MoA Blog

The MoA Blog is where the researchers of the Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity. Image Space Material« write about their work. The Cluster contains more than 40 disciplines from Natural Sciences, Humanities and Design and aims to create a basis for a new culture of material. The central vision is to rediscover the analog in the activity of images, spaces and materials in the age of the digital. The interdisciplinary research is organized in six projects: Weaving, Filtering, Cutting, Material Form Function, Object Space Agency and Symbolic Material.

Claudia Mareis
Claudia Mareis
Events Public

Design as Common Good: Framing Design through Pluralism and Social Values

Claudia MareisLeave a Comment on Design as Common Good: Framing Design through Pluralism and Social Values

Registration is now open for the 2021 Online Swiss Design Network Conference: Design as Common Good: Framing Design through Pluralism and Social Values. In light of social, economic, technological and environmental challenges, design researchers, practitioners as well as communities constantly and critically address and question the contribution of design to the common good. The common good as conceptualized by the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Zalta et al., 2018) “benefits society as a whole – in contrast to the private good of individuals and sections of society.” Design as a discipline has long been positioned from the context of developing and catering to the private good, focusing on individual and smaller sections of society – largely leaving its contributions to the common good underexplored. With our conference Design as Common Good, the conference will reflect upon what constitutes a common good…

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Khashayar Razghandi
Khashayar Razghandi
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“Need-Based Clothing Design” meets “Tessellated Material Systems”

Khashayar RazghandiLeave a Comment on “Need-Based Clothing Design” meets “Tessellated Material Systems”
Magic Circle Symposium, Weissensee School of Art & Design 
Image credits: Kristin Dolz “Erosive Modelling”

This Thursday, within the »Magic Circle« Interdisciplinary Symposium, Elaine Igoe & I will be joining Silke Hofmann & Felix Rasehorn panel, where after they present their respective works on Need-based Clothing Design females affected by breast cancer & Tessellated Materials Systems, the four of us will explore & discuss a broad range of topics around their work on Tessellation and Participation; the respective Research & Design Tools, Practices & Methodologies; the entangled concepts of tensions & relations; Space & Absence; Growth, Boundary Conditions, Diversification, Fits & Norms; and Co-working Materialities amongst others… if you are interested in these topic, drop a line at hello@forschungskreis.com & join us online on Feb. 25th 15:30, – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –…

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Clemens Winkler
Clemens Winkler
Events Public

Notes from Tomorrow: Positioning Design Practice within Paradigms of ‘Reduction’, 17.02.

Clemens WinklerLeave a Comment on Notes from Tomorrow: Positioning Design Practice within Paradigms of ‘Reduction’, 17.02.
»Notes from Tomorrow«. credits: RCA London 2022

Tomorrow, a seminar at the RCA London, I am guest lecturing on “Subtraction and Reductionism for Future Design” is starting with a symposium open for registrations, for those who might be interested in the topic: https://rca-ac.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_jDzU604RTGavv4bQ-o5UYw “Notes from Tomorrow: Positioning Design Practice within Paradigms of ‘Reduction’: In the age of climate collapse, a comprehensive and radical approach towards design production is imperative. The Post-Covid era constitutes a new paradigm, providing a new set of environmental and social challenges for designers. The symposium will triangulate between; a ‘post-design’ world, ecological systems, material reduction and community empowered responses.” Date Time: Feb 17, 2021 12:30 AM CET 12:30 CET | Patricia MacCormack / Les U. Knight in conversation with Alon Meron 15:00 CET | Bailey Richardson / Andrew Merritt in conversation with Dr Rob Phillips 18:00 CET | Paola Antonelli /Timothy Morton /Jan…

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Avatar
Avatar
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Science-Design: un juego interdisciplinario

Jose D Cojal GonzalezLeave a Comment on Science-Design: un juego interdisciplinario

Inspired by the Deep Down »Science-Design Spinnings«, and with the kind blessing of its organizers, we organized a similar gamified experience with some ex-colleagues of the Universidad de Costa Rica. The session will be in Spanish. Tomorrow at 21:00 CET. Let me know if you want to join as participant or collaborate as a moderator.

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Khashayar Razghandi
Khashayar Razghandi
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Building Beauty * Nature of Order Materials Design Strategies

Khashayar RazghandiLeave a Comment on Building Beauty * Nature of Order Materials Design Strategies

  What’s the difference between natural processes and engineering? What might be a new “Materials Paradigm” for bio-inspired designs and adaptable building materials?A talk by Dr.-Ing. Khashayar Razghandi in the Nature of Order webinar.Thursday, 16:00 UTC https://t.co/EdaIhZ0kwd — Building Beauty (@_buildingbeauty) February 10, 2021   in case you are interested, you are more than welcome to join my talk today within the Nature of Order webinar series, Building Beauty  International Post-Graduate Architecture Program

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Hanna Wiesener
Hanna Wiesener
News Public

Design Studio Project “Smart Organic Light Objects” at Greenhouse 2021

Hanna WiesenerLeave a Comment on Design Studio Project “Smart Organic Light Objects” at Greenhouse 2021
Videostill “SmartOrganicLightObjects”, Prof. Carola Zwick, Prof. Thomas Ness

We are happy to announce that Design Studio Project “Smart Organic Light Objects”, supervised by Carola Zwick and Thomas Ness, was chosen to be showcased at Stockholm Design Fair. From 8th to 14th of February, the project video and twelve light objects are presented in this years digital edition of Greenhouse 2021, the section for Design Schools and independent designers. The studio project „SOLO – Smart Organic Light Objects“ explores the potential of new technologies for interacting with light beyond existing archetypes and traditional interfaces. New qualities of light as well as novel dynamic, responsive interactions were created catering to human behavior differently. Through an iterative design process, students from both the BA and the MA track developed concepts and prototypes demonstrating these new interactions with light in private or public settings. Project Site: SmartOrganicLIghtObjects@Greenhouse2021

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Patricia Ribault
Patricia Ribault
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Technobodies on Air! — 04.02 at 6 PM on Radiobal.fr

Patricia RibaultLeave a Comment on Technobodies on Air! — 04.02 at 6 PM on Radiobal.fr
@Patricia Ribault

1 introduction and 8 interpretations to the theme « Technobodies. Capacities, Limits and Transformations ». Students at weißensee kunsthochschule berlin will speculate on past, present or future relations between bodies and technics, either inventing or re-inventing them. Some are fictional, some are analytical, all are experimental and very performative! Simply connect to Radiobal.fr at 6 PM on Thursday 04.02! Live questions, comments and resources may be shared on the Technobodies Padlet: https://padlet.com/p_ribault/l281l8j5j5mb4te1

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Felix Rasehorn
Felix Rasehorn
News Public

Hyper Haptics – final Presentation 02.02. @Zoom

Felix RasehornLeave a Comment on Hyper Haptics – final Presentation 02.02. @Zoom
Ran Zhang, Design Sprint: Haptic Vision, 2020

We are heading towards the end of this hybrid Semester and the Embodied Interaction Design Studio HyperHaptics On behalf of the group we would like to invite you to our final presentation: Date: Tue. 02.02.21  Time: 3:30 – 6pm Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89927355111?pwd=b0FnVnRENHdYUWFaVmlCSlp2WFJBZz09 The student projects cover a wide range of interaction concepts and haptic augmentation strategies. It would be great to get feedback on the projects from a broad spectrum of disciplines. Similar to the mid-term presentations, we plan some time for discussion and Q&A after each presentation. We are looking forward to seeing you soon,  Viele Grüße All the best, Carola, Judith, Felix

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Antje Nestler
Antje Nestler
Uncategorized Public

Fermentation Club: The New Art of Clubbing

Antje NestlerLeave a Comment on Fermentation Club: The New Art of Clubbing
Water kefir. Copyright: Antje Nestler

As well as many other members of »Matters of Activity« I’m excited for our workshop »Shelf Life« tomorrow, where we will officially start our Fermentation Club. I’ve already started and experimented with water kefir and now started a sourdough. My water kefir is growing so rapidly, I’m happy share some »grains« with you, just le me know! The result is a refreshing mix of what tastes like Bitter Lemon and Tonic, that is probiotic and apparently very healthy. Find out more about the workshop here: matters-of-activity.de/shelflife  

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