Prototype Nature – Essen (DE) 9-10/12/2015

Prototype Nature – Essen (DE) 9-10/12/2015

Officina Corpuscoli’s work will be presented and discussed as part of the “Prototype Nature” Symposium, taking place on December 9th and 10th in Essen, Germany. Furthermore, some of the cultivated mycelium-based objects and materials from the Growing Lab collection, will be presented as part of the exhibition taking place alongside the conference.

Where: Folkwang Universität der Künste | SANAA Gebäude (map)
When: 9-10 December 2015
More information available on Prototype Nature website.

Officina Corpuscoli Maurizio Montalti news PrototypeNature

The 21st century is often referred to as the Age of Biology. Biotechnical and bio-inspired innovations change current production systems and our everyday lives. Microorganisms and enzymes produce highly specific that to which chemical production facilities were often necessary in the past. Bionics proves that incurred in the course of evolution solutions conventional technologies are often superior. At the same time changing the biology itself. Genetic engineering and synthetic biology represent the principles of evolution a purposeful development of organisms aside.

The symposium “Prototype Nature” is to introduce this variety of interactions between biology and technology and reflect. Humanities, natural sciences and engineering researchers, designers and artists present their very different approaches is to this development. The symposium provides Kanstinger Christine, daughter of Frei Otto, the nature-inspired lifework of her father before. Doreen Westphal (Fungi Futuri) and Antoni Gandia show how to grow mushrooms and for what innovative applications they are used today. Julia Krayer (Fraunhofer UMSICHT; Folkwang University of the Arts) wins from the tea cream – a waste product of the manufacture of Kambucha – a versatile leather-like material.January Bunsen and Rolf Morgenstern prove (The urbanists) that an aquaponic facility, a coupled system of fish and plants, can be operated stably and diverse ecosystem services allows. Informed about the benefits of fully self-sufficient biosphere for Space and Environmental Toxicology Matthias Thin (OHB’s Space Systems). Wolfgang Sachs (Sachs Engineering) demonstrates how nature for inspiration for robust technical components. Jan Jacob Borstlap (Bernotat & CO) shows what can learn the design of natural forms.

Prototype Nature is organized by the Folkwang University of the Arts (Essen) and Fraunhofer UMSICHT (Oberhausen), is funded by the IKEA Foundation. Both the symposium and the exhibition will be held on the premises of the Zollverein colliery in Essen SANAA Building.