New types of spaces for activities and encounters, such as the Floating in Berlin, combine art with sustainability.
New types of spaces for activities and encounters, such as the Floating in Berlin, combine art with sustainability. Pierre Adenis

Headline: Art-Science Cooperations for Sustainability

The project and networking activities pursued in this research group address public and private perceptions of sustainability and (un-)sustainable development. Its activities focus on individual and institutional understandings of sustainability, narrative structures of communication in societal debates, and - as a particular focus since 2021 - on shaping and co-designing (communicative) spaces, processes, tools, insights, and entertainment formats.

This work engages with actors across society but especially within the arts and creative industries (cultural industries), who hold enormous potential for the exploration of new social spaces and innovative forms of collaboration and social activation. Our researchers seek to foster collaboration between the arts and science, to raise awareness and improve our understanding of existing collaborations in the context of science, and to explore how policy frameworks could improve our ability to harness the transformation knowledge generated by artists and designers.

Projects

The play "Tornado" showed parallels between the dynamics of a supercell and those of social movements.

Art-Science Cooperations for Sustainability

Transformations are processes of fundamental change. As such, their scope is not limited to issues of substance. Rather, it extends to matters of design and form, and values and perceptions. Expertise in the broad field of aesthetics can be found among designers, scholars of the humanities and, above all, among artists. This is reflected in their growing involvement in and willingness to initiate projects to foster sustainable development - whether it be in the field of urban development, product design or organisational and process design.

Completed Projects

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A Sustainable Cultural Mission for Music - a New Aspect of Orchestral Excellence

The Kammerakademie Potsdam recognises the planetary ecological crisis as the central challenge of our century. The chamber orchestra wants to inspire and move its audience with music - in awareness of its social responsibility and in harmony with the planetary boundaries. In the 2022/23 season, the Kammerakademie is working closely with RIFS to develop a sustainability strategy for the orchestra.

Citizens discuss the planning of Norderstedt’s new housing project “Grüne Heyde” during a workshop.

Sustainable Housing (NachWo) - Sustainability as a Guiding Concept for Urban Development Projects

The city of Norderstedt is one of eight German cities to make it into the third round of the "Zukunftsstadt" (Future City) competition organised by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The purpose of this programme is to encourage municipalities to get involved in research on sustainable transformation. A three-year collaboration on Sustainable Housing (NachWO) between Norderstedt and the IASS started in August 2019. The aim here is to generate practical knowledge for new sustainable housing projects.

Whether climate change is interpreted as a call for more sustainability is an open question. This photo answers it negatively.

Narratives and Images of Sustainability

What are the principal narratives in the field of sustainable development research? What does the success or failure of political narratives depend on? Researchers in this project explore how and by whom sustainability is 'narrated' and understood and make suggestions for successful narratives. They also examine how art can foster dialogue on sustainability.

The IASS is supporting sustainable development in the city of Norderstedt.

Norderstedt City of the Future - Project phase II

How can motorised traffic be reduced in a prosperous city of 80,000 inhabitants located in a busy metropolitan area? How can public spaces be revitalised? These are the kinds of questions raised by the implementation of the UN sustainable development goals and the pursuit of local sustainability objectives in Norderstedt. IASS researchers are helping the city find effective and practical answers to them.

The IASS is supporting sustainable development in the city of Norderstedt.

Norderstedt City of the Future - Project phase I

How can motorised traffic be reduced in a prosperous city of 80,000 inhabitants located in a busy metropolitan area? How can public spaces be revitalised? These are the kinds of questions raised by the implementation of the UN sustainable development goals and the pursuit of local sustainability objectives in Norderstedt. IASS researchers are helping the city find effective and practical answers to them.