In the Cluster »Matters of Activity« (MoA) at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, researchers from more than 40 disciplines are investigating the activity of matter. Our central vision is to rediscover the analog in the age of the digital within the activity of images, spaces, and materials driven by the integrative nature of the Humanities, the Natural Sciences, and the different Design Disciplines.
Biology and technology, mind and material, nature and culture intertwine in a new way. In this context, the interdisciplinary research and development of sustainable practices and structures is a central concern in areas such as architecture and soft robotics, textiles, materials and digital filters, and surgical cutting techniques.
With the »Activarium«, MoA invites you to initiate an exploratory exchange on active materials, bio- & culture-inspired innovation, and sustainability approaches. We want you to experience our prototypes to make MoA’s intentions and research tangible and accessible.
The »Activarium« serves as a work-in-progress showcase of different research strands and processes. Our visitors can dive into the research as it’s happening, before its published results. MoA’s transdisciplinary research approach, which is based on ideas such as critical making and speculative design, enables reflections on common questions that hold the potential to contribute to the transition towards a more sustainable, resilient, and just culture of materials and to stimulate speculations about other ways of living and world-making.
