Syntopia

The MoA Design Research Studio »Syntopia — Harvesting the Forest« investigated how materials collected in the forest can be formed into architectural structures. Such materials can for example be branches, leaves, moss, bark, grass or even earth.

The term ›syntopic‹ (noun: ›syntopy‹) was brought forth by Luis Rene Rivas in 1964 and refers to the inhabitation of the same »macrohabitat« by »two or more related species«. The term is a combination of the Greek words ›syn‹ meaning together and ›topos‹ meaning place. To develop ›Syntopia‹ thus means to create designs sourced from and situated within a specific site — a topos.

The MoA Design Research Studio was structured in three successive phases. Phase 1 engaged in the speculative design of »Stories of Syntopia«. Phase 2 introduced harvesting, analyzing, making and recording in »Designing Syntopia«. In phase 3, we shared our vision and our designs with a wider public by »Showing Syntopia«.

Supervision

Professor Dr.-Ing. Karola Dierichs
Elaine Bonavia, MSc
Jessica Farmer, MA
Johanna Hehemeyer-Cürten, MA
Dr. Charlett Wenig
weißensee school of art and design berlin | Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin | Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces

Professor Dr. Tobias Cremer I Dr. Ferréol Berendt
Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development

Nuri Kang, Jieun Lee, Jihae Lee, Jinyu Li, Gaia Reiner, Flora Schliekmann, Jelisa Weber
BA students textile- and surface design weißensee school of art and design berlin