Open Lab Evening: Borrowed Senses

At this Open Lab evening, students from HTW Berlin will demonstrate how they have used this method as part of the ‘Becoming Many’ project — and you’ll have the chance to try it out for yourselves.

‘Becoming Many’ emerged from the ‘Borrowed Senses’ semester project at HTW Berlin (Future Realities Lab) in collaboration with Futurium. Students from Communication Design and Computer Science explored how non-human perception — swarm behaviour, collective consciousness, distributed identity — can be made tangible through immersive technologies.

A key tool in this process: Vibe Coding. Instead of traditional programming, the students worked in a fluid transition between prompts, code and design intuition — supported by AI assistants that do not provide answers, but rather open up possibilities.

During the Open Lab evening, there will be a brief insight into the project and methodology, followed by a hands-on session: you will use AI to generate your own parametric structures, experiment with prompts and discuss together what this way of working means for design, creativity and education.

Collaboration

-> A collaboration between Futurium and the Future Realities Lab at HTW Berlin.

Workshop leaders

-> Prof. Pablo Dornhege (HTW Berlin) develops and designs real and virtual narrative spaces. In 2022, he was appointed Professor of Transmedia Design at the Berlin University of Applied Sciences (HTW Berlin), where he heads the Future Realities Lab and is co-founder of the Immersive Technologies Hub. He has been a visiting professor at the Berlin University of the Arts and has taught and conducted research at other international universities. From 2019 to 2022, he co-led the research project “Im/material Theatre Spaces” with Franziska Ritter, which explored immersive technologies in a theatrical context.

-> Erasmus Schmidt (HTW Berlin): Communication designer & creative technologist. He is studying communication design at HTW Berlin and runs his own design and photography business. In independent projects and commissioned work, he explores the intersection of design, technology and art. His focus lies on the conception and development of interactive and immersive experiences. In addition, he leads creative workshops and organises cultural events.

Key areas:

-> Creative coding and immersive technologies

-> Interactive installations and exhibition design

-> Creative conception, workshops and event organisation.

-> Tade Strehk (HTW Berlin): Tade is studying Computer Science in Culture and Health at HTW Berlin and, alongside his studies, works as a web developer at a management consultancy.

Since 2019, he has been volunteering with Deutsche Model United Nations (DMUN) e.V. to promote political education among young people. He is currently Deputy Chair; previously, he served as Chair of the association. He has led and helped organise conferences lasting several days with several hundred participants. In 2023, he also co-founded MUNify, an open-source initiative that develops software for Model United Nations conferences. Around 1,000 people use the applications each year. In the cultural sector, Tade works as a technical director and artist manager at renowned classical music festivals, including the Sommerliche Musiktage Hitzacker.

-> Julius Wenk (HTW Berlin): New Media Designer & Creative Technologist. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Communication and is studying Communication Design at HTW Berlin. He is most at home where design, technology and society intersect. Combining creative conception, coding and a love of experimentation, he develops interactive installations and digital experiences that make complex relationships tangible, open up new perspectives and stimulate reflection. He is interested not only in what technology makes possible, but also in how it affects us. As a tutor at HTW Berlin, he shares his enthusiasm for creative technologies and experimenting with them.

Key areas of focus:

-> Creative coding and immersive technologies

-> Interactive installations and experience design

-> Creative conception, prototyping and critical design

Information

-> Venue: Futurium Lab workshop

-> Admission: free

-> Registration is required.

-> Remaining tickets are available on the door.

-> Language of the event: German

-> Maximum number of participants: 20 people

-> The event is aimed at anyone aged 16 and over.

-> Duration: 3 hours

-> Entry requirements: no prior knowledge required

Tickets

-> You’ll need a free ticket for this event.