Since 19th of May Thomas Pausz is staying at Hybrid Plattform as part of the Erasmus+ program. Our guest from Iceland is aiming to gain insights into our inter- and transdisciplinary work as well as the variety of interesting research at TU Berlin and UdK Berlin. He is staying for two weeks. Welcome, dear Thomas!
I am a designer based in Reykjavik, graduated from the Royal College of Arts in London. My core belief is that an experimental approach and circular design thinking integrating a reflection on origins and waste of materials in the design process is a key to meaningful design and to social change. This leads me to engage in transdisciplinary projects focusing on the long term local impact of design processes. I am currently part of a team creating a lab for circular design projects in Iceland in collaboration with industry and the Iceland Academy of the Arts. Having been invited to the Hybrid Plattform I have the excellent opportunity to meet researchers, artists and designers inventing new forms of environmental engagement in Berlin.
I hope this research visit will create dialogues and future collaborations. I am specifically mapping out processes, which can add value to micro urban gardens & greenhouses by showing their unused potential: local production of bio-based materials and fuels with waste, creation of small scale filtering and energy solutions (“giving back” to the environment), furthering greenhouse technology for small scale users. Beyond food production, can we rethink micro urban gardens' and greenhouses as matrix for a new typology of bio-design projects? After my stay in Berlin my research will continue in London at the Delfina Foundation, leading up towards an exhibition and publication in September 2016.
Adding to the inspiring introduction to the Hybrid Plattform activities by Nina and Julia, I have already started a dialogue with an engineer working in the field of “off the grid” alternative energy solutions. This week I plan to meet project leaders in the field of bio-materials and circular design thinking, as well as representatives of research labs hosted by UdK Berlin.
At the end of my stay I will introduce my work and designing in the Icelandic context in an informal talk. You can find further information here.
– Thomas