‘Designing Beyond Ourselves’ webinar,
part of the online event ‘Sjö i nöd – Meri hädässä – Sea in Distress’ organised by the Hanaholmen Culture Centre
27.3.2020, 13:00 – 14:00 (GMT+2)
About the webinar:
Julia Lohmann is Professor of Practice in Contemporary Design at Aalto University and founder of the Department of Seaweed. She will introduce her work in design, education and research and show how it connects science, nature and culture at different scales from molecules to ecosystems. Lohmann will discuss the importance of an empathic, collaborative and more-than-human mindset in addressing the challenges of a world in climate crisis, in particular those relating to the sea.
Impressions from the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 20 January. Copyright by World Economic Forum/Faruk Pinjo
Drawing from the ‘Nature—Cooper Hewitt Design Triennial’ exhibition originally organized by Cooper Hewitt and Cube design museum, this adaptation is a collaboration between the Smithsonian and the World Economic Forum (WEF). This is the fourth year that the Smithsonian and the WEF have collaborated on bringing an exhibition to the Annual Meeting in Davos. Installed in the Congress Centre, the exhibition will be offered alongside panels, workshops, and other sessions organized by the WEF that address the ecological crisis and the Forum’s major focus on sustainability.
The Department of Seaweed Prototyping Workshop is one of four installations that will encourage participants to play with natural elements, learn about the symbiotic relationships in nature, and be inspired to imagine a more cohesive approach to working with nature.
About the Department of Seaweed Prototyping Workshop at #wef20
Founded by Julia Lohmann in 2013, the Department of Seaweed brings together experts in design, science and craft to experiment with the fabrication processes and material properties of seaweed and explore possible applications of this plentiful and renewable resource. For the installation at Davos, Lohmann has created a seaweed structure, Hidaka-Ohmu, and has available living seaweed and a display of hanging, dried seaweed to show the materials used in the craft process. Participants can work with seaweed in a workshop with Lohmann’s team.
We’re very happy to announce that the Design Club selected Pirjo Haikola, Gillian Russell, Gero Grundmann and myself to realise our exhibition on critical design and the future of the oceans. It coincides with Helsinki Design Week, 5-15 September 2019. http://www.designmuseum.fi/en/exhibitions/design-club-open-call-2-critical-design/
The fashion designers Annette and Daniela Felder of Felder&Felder invited me to contribute to an exhibiton and panel discussion coinciding with DesignMiami/ in December 2018. I really wanted to participate and contribute to the discussion on sustainability in fashion and material innovation. However, felt terrible about the three tons of carbon emissions my flight would have produced, so I made this video instead and just sent my garments made from seaweed over by themselves.
Please consider whether it is really necessary to fly or whether there are alternative ways to get your voice heard.
Credits: Icelandic footage: Karna Sigurdottir and Sebastian Ziegler, NZ ocean footage: Jon Lister Video + Finland footage: Lucas Millheim and Julia Lohmann
Thank you, Lucas, for all of your help with filming and editing the video.
