Hybrid Making

Virtually everyone has experienced inspiration from something new and unexpected. In order to generate such experiences we need motion – sometimes even physical motion, so that we can literally tread new ground. Such experiences are also important in the development of new ideas for research. It is the application of knowledge and experimentation that open up new perspectives on scientific study. To facilitate such processes Hybrid Plattform is currently developing a new series of workshops that is geared especially towards young scientists and artists and is intended to enhance this aspect of research and artistic processes. Above all PhD students from a variety of disciplines will have the opportunity to come together, try out new ideas and test old ones in new situations.

The workshop series entitled “Hybrid Making” will explore subjects especially relevant for the future in small groups made up of researchers from the UdK Berlin, TU Berlin and other institutions. The range of themes will encompass a great variety of fields. For example, we will experiment with interfaces for design, so-called “smart materials”, 3D printing, digital fabrication, biomaterials, regenerative design and vision. The interdisciplinary approach within the groups will provide space for new sources of inspiration and opportunity for cooperation among young researchers from both universities.

Participants of the workshop “Making in Mixed Reality”, which took place in April of this year at the Hybrid Lab, were given a first impression of the workshop series. This first workshop was headed by the Fologram team from Melbourne, which has programmed an application for the HoloLens mixed reality glasses that makes spatial design possible with quite simple resources. Young researchers and practitioners from the fields of architecture, art and acoustics came together for two days to test the application. Following a presentation of its functions, collaborative projects were developed to explore the application’s potential. Many of the participants had never used HoloLens and were able to experience the practical aspects of mixed reality for the first time.

Using the programme and the HoloLens glasses sculptures were created, acoustic signals were projected into space and the stability of bridges was analyzed. By the end of the workshop all were convinced that this type of interdisciplinary cooperation is extremely useful. You can read one participant’s report and view a video about the two-day event here – just a small taste of what’s to come.

We will announce next year when the workshops will be held and which subjects will be addressed. We’re anxious to see what results and insights will emerge.