The panel discussion Poetic Systems looks at system-theoretical approaches at the nexus of art and architecture. Where can system theory, a sociological concept, be applied outside of its original discipline? Which dimensions are opened up by artistic research, an artistic viewpoint or Art Thinking in combination with system theory – and which new points of intersection emerge? Speakers with backgrounds in sociology, architecture, art and scientific research gather here to share their insights on this topic.
Speakers:
- Liselott Stenfeldt, Alexandra Institute
- Mara Balestrini, Ideas for Change
- William Carpenter, Kennesaw State University
- Urs Leonhard Hirschberg, Graz University of Technology
Moderated by: Stefan Mittlböck-Jungwirth-Fohringer, Ars Electronica Futurelab
Biographies:
Liselott Stenfeldt is an architect and specialist in innovative use of digital technology in urban space. As Head of the Alexandra Institute’s Interactive Spaces Urban Studio, she works in the intersection between technology, architecture and behavior, with the aim to push the boundaries of how the built environment is being developed today. The studio gathers architects, designers, engineers and IT specialists, creating new meaningful concepts and solutions for the future cities and citizens. Examples of projects that they have developed, is the large-scale immersive installation Nordlys, the citizen involving tool Digital neighborhood and the Door, which is an urban furniture using technology to connect people across countries. Liselott has for many years been an active voice in spreading new knowledge and ideas within the field and has among other things founded the international Prize Prix BLOXHUB Interactive. Liselott holds a MAA from Aarhus School of Architecture and has also a degree in Spatial design from The Design School in London and in Immaterial (digital) design from Malmö University (K3).
Mara Balestrini is a Human Computer Interaction (HCI) researcher and a technology strategist. She is the CEO of Ideas for Change, an innovation agency advising cities, businesses and institutions. Mara’s work sits at the intersection of civic technology, data, co-creation and Action Research. She has authored over 30 publications on these subjects and coordinated projects such as Making Sense EU, Bristol Approach and #DataFutures. Mara is also a co-founder of SalusCoop, the first Spanish cooperative for citizens’ health data. Mara earned a PhD in Computer Science from the Intel Collaborative Research Institute on Sustainable Connected Cities (ICRI-Cities) at University College London (UCL). She also holds a BA in Audiovisual Communications and a MSc in Cognitive Systems and Interactive Media. She is Senior Faculty at the IAAC and a visiting lecturer at the the Royal College of Art (RCA). Her work has been awarded at ACM CHI, ACM CSCW, Ars Electronica, among others, and featured in international media such as the BBC, The Guardian, The Financial Times and El País.
Professor William Carpenter is an internationally recognized scholar, architect and educator at Kennesaw State University. He has won numerous design awards and accolades for his innovative teaching methods and practice. He is a founder of Lightroom; a nationally award winning design firm in Decatur, Georgia specializing in architecture and new media projects for commercial and residential clients. Carpenter received the national ACSA/AIAS Educator of the Year Award in 2000 and the National Young Architects Citation in 1997. He was elected as a Fellow in the AIA in 2000. He is also author of an important and well-regarded book; Learning by Building: Design and Construction in Architectural Education, Wiley, 1997. His work has been published in Southern Living, Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles, Print Magazine, Dwell, Atlanta Magazine and ERA in Prague. He studied and worked for renowned architect and AIA National Gold Medalist Samuel Mockbee FAIA and New York architect Norman Jaffe FAIA known for his elegant buildings which respond to the landscape.
Urs Leonhard Hirschberg is Professor for the Representation of Architecture and New Media at Graz University of Technology and Head of the Institute of Architecture and Media (IAM). Dean of his Faculty for nine years, in 2013 he was appointed Director of the TU Graz Field of Expertise “Sustainable Systems”, one of five interdepartmental research fields. Born and raised in Switzerland he gained his Architecture Diploma and Doctorate from ETH Zurich. Before TU Graz he served at the Chair of Architecture and CAAD at ETH Zurich and at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. His main research interest is Augmented Architecture: exploring the ways in which digital media can enhance architectural design and production. Urs has worked extensively on the potentials of creative collaboration via networks and on digital design and fabrication. He is a founding editor of GAM, the Graz Architecture Magazine. A former president of the European Association of Architectural Education he is a founding member of the European Architectural Research Network ARENA and a Technology Editor at AJAR, the Arena Journal of Architectural Research.
