The exhibition Transform! Designing the Future of Energy starts with a focus on human beings and our bodies, and then widens the view to examine our everyday objects, our cities and the entire energy landscape. The displays will include examples of innovative and experimental product design, speculative design projects, films, architectural archetypes and visionary future concepts.
At the start of the exhibition, visitors are invited to discover their own potential for generating energy following the theme of “Human Power”. For example, by pedalling on stationary exercise bikes, they can see how long it takes to produce enough electricity for common activities such as brewing coffee, browsing the web or taking a hot shower. The second section of the exhibition is devoted to the theme of “Energy Tools” and features products, prototypes and experiments for living off-grid– without a connection to the conventional energy infrastructure. In the third part of the exhibition, innovative approaches in the areas of architecture and mobility will be presented under the title “Transformers”.
Finally, since all forms of energy production, distribution and storage have a spatial footprint, whether through the extraction of the required raw materials, for the construction and operation of buildings for generating or transforming power, or for the infrastructure needed to store and distribute energy, the final section of the exhibition is devoted to the topic of “Future Energyscapes” and what they might look like. This field of research includes new typologies for energy storage, such as the Energiebunker in Hamburg or Hot Heart, Carlo Ratti’s pioneering proposal for the intermediate storage of thermal energy in the city of Helsinki.
Transform! Designing the Future of Energy emphasizes that the transformation of energy systems must encompass more than just the expansion of renewable energy sources. The intelligent design of everyday objects and the implementation of visionary urban designs and infrastructure are crucial.
