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Laboratory
for New Intermaterialities
Curriculum for experimental design research and new material narratives at the University of Arts Berlin in the department for Visual Communication.
In times of uncertainties, with economical and environmental disasters just around the corner, we as designers have to rethink our relationship to the material world and introduce new tools and narratives.
Hands-on and driven by experiment, we want to find those missing metaphors and tools to shape and un-shape forms of matter, speculative bodies and unthinkable interfaces.
Finalised projects, research proposals and material experiments from students of the University of Arts Berlin are presented on this website.
About
Paulina Sepp, “When It Changed”, 2025
We took the future into our own hands and crafted utopian science-fiction props.
Or, to paraphrase Octavia Butler: “In dark times we should not fall into despair, but look up to the stars!”
In the epic space operas, hard science fictions or afro-futuristic utopias from Butler, Ursula Le Guin or Philip K. Dick, props and requisites often play central roles and heavily influence our collective visions of possible tomorrows.
Hands on, with 3D printing and prop making techniques, we investigated how to use the power of props to create visions of possible futures.
Projects
Till Fehn, Blackout, 2024
Technology can't exist without its potential for disaster: Car crashes would not be possible without cars, nuclear accidents not without nuclear energy.
So which new hazards are awaiting us with the rise of AI, bio-art or climate engineering? Do we need an emergency plan to contain potential new-media accidents?
We investigated future technologies, its breaking points and potential for disasters. As part of our research, we looked at contemporary relationships with catastrophes and how disaster movies, prepping and simulations shaped our view of the modern day crisis.
Projects
Maria Capello, Digital Born Materials, 2023
We unraveled/brewed/cooked/melted/printed with forms of ambiguous matter, speculative bodies and unthinkable interfaces.
Driven by experiment, strange materials were handled, workshop conducted and artists invited.
Students developed their own critical project in order to grasp the strange matters around us all.
Projects
Lucie Jo Knilli, breathing [on] [?], 2020
In the strange COVID pandemic times, we took the opportunity to experiment with materials we can’t touch.
In summersemester 2020, the course became a testing ground for experimenting with volatile and fragile materialities such as breath, soap, light and temperature.
In an online exhibition, each student curated their own website to present concepts and results of their experiments.
Visit the Exhibition Website:
www.iid-udk.de/cant-touch-this/
Home
About
Contact
Curriculum for experimental design research and new material narratives at the University of Arts Berlin in the department for Visual Communication.
In times of uncertainties, with economical and environmental disasters just around the corner, we as designers have to rethink our relationship to the material world and introduce new tools and narratives.
Hands-on and driven by experiment, we want to find those missing metaphors and tools to shape and un-shape forms of matter, speculative bodies and unthinkable interfaces.
Finalised projects, research proposals and material experiments from students of the University of Arts Berlin are presented on this website.
About
Paulina Sepp, “When It Changed”, 2025
We took the future into our own hands and crafted utopian science-fiction props.
Or, to paraphrase Octavia Butler: “In dark times we should not fall into despair, but look up to the stars!”
In the epic space operas, hard science fictions or afro-futuristic utopias from Butler, Ursula Le Guin or Philip K. Dick, props and requisites often play central roles and heavily influence our collective visions of possible tomorrows.
Hands on, with 3D printing and prop making techniques, we investigated how to use the power of props to create visions of possible futures.
Projects
Till Fehn, Blackout, 2024
Technology can't exist without its potential for disaster: Car crashes would not be possible without cars, nuclear accidents not without nuclear energy.
So which new hazards are awaiting us with the rise of AI, bio-art or climate engineering? Do we need an emergency plan to contain potential new-media accidents?
We investigated future technologies, its breaking points and potential for disasters. As part of our research, we looked at contemporary relationships with catastrophes and how disaster movies, prepping and simulations shaped our view of the modern day crisis.
Projects
Maria Capello, Digital Born Materials, 2023
We unraveled/brewed/cooked/melted/printed with forms of ambiguous matter, speculative bodies and unthinkable interfaces.
Driven by experiment, strange materials were handled, workshop conducted and artists invited.
Students developed their own critical project in order to grasp the strange matters around us all.
Projects
Lucie Jo Knilli, breathing [on] [?], 2020
Lucie Jo Knilli, breathing [on] [?], 2020
In the strange COVID pandemic times, we took the opportunity to experiment with materials we can’t touch.
In summersemester 2020, the course became a testing ground for experimenting with volatile and fragile materialities such as breath, soap, light and temperature.
In an online exhibition, each student curated their own website to present concepts and results of their experiments.
Visit the Exhibition Website:
www.iid-udk.de/cant-touch-this/
Home
About
Contact
Curriculum for experimental design research and new material narratives at the University of Arts Berlin in the department for Visual Communication.
In times of uncertainties, with economical and environmental disasters just around the corner, we as designers have to rethink our relationship to the material world and introduce new tools and narratives.
Hands-on and driven by experiment, we want to find those missing metaphors and tools to shape and un-shape forms of matter, speculative bodies and unthinkable interfaces.
Finalised projects, research proposals and material experiments from students of the University of Arts Berlin are presented on this website.
About
Paulina Sepp, “When It Changed”, 2025
We took the future into our own hands and crafted utopian science-fiction props.
Or, to paraphrase Octavia Butler: “In dark times we should not fall into despair, but look up to the stars!”
In the epic space operas, hard science fictions or afro-futuristic utopias from Butler, Ursula Le Guin or Philip K. Dick, props and requisites often play central roles and heavily influence our collective visions of possible tomorrows.
Hands on, with 3D printing and prop making techniques, we investigated how to use the power of props to create visions of possible futures.
Projects
Till Fehn, Blackout, 2024
Technology can't exist without its potential for disaster: Car crashes would not be possible without cars, nuclear accidents not without nuclear energy.
So which new hazards are awaiting us with the rise of AI, bio-art or climate engineering? Do we need an emergency plan to contain potential new-media accidents?
We investigated future technologies, its breaking points and potential for disasters. As part of our research, we looked at contemporary relationships with catastrophes and how disaster movies, prepping and simulations shaped our view of the modern day crisis.
Projects
Maria Capello, Digital Born Materials, 2023
We unraveled/brewed/cooked/melted/printed with forms of ambiguous matter, speculative bodies and unthinkable interfaces.
Driven by experiment, strange materials were handled, workshop conducted and artists invited.
Students developed their own critical project in order to grasp the strange matters around us all.
Projects
Lucie Jo Knilli, breathing [on] [?], 2020
In the strange COVID pandemic times, we took the opportunity to experiment with materials we can’t touch.
In summersemester 2020, the course became a testing ground for experimenting with volatile and fragile materialities such as breath, soap, light and temperature.
In an online exhibition, each student curated their own website to present concepts and results of their experiments.
Visit the Exhibition Website:
www.iid-udk.de/cant-touch-this/