Nature-driven design approaches are the main focus of this year’s munich creative business week (mcbw). “The theme of ‘How to co-create with nature’ is so interesting because it doesn’t view nature, technology and people separately, but focuses on the correlations between them,” says Adrian van Hooydonk, Head of BMW Group Design. “It fosters new types of living and working in a community, and the array of possibilities will change both the design of products and society’s interaction with them.”
New Modes IV / “New Relations with Nature”
For the BMW Group, sustainability is not only a matter of electrifying vehicles, but also moving towards a consistent circular economy. This approach is about using resources more efficiently, closing material cycles and adapting design processes accordingly. This is why the BMW Group Design Team, in partnership with Die Neue Sammlung – The Design Museum, is dedicating this fourth event in the New Modes series to the topic of “New Relations with Nature”. At the panel discussion, the interdisciplinary experts Anna Goldhofer, Martina Maier and Johanna Seelemann will talk about how a new kind of relationship to nature can open up new perspectives for design and technological progress. A circular economy expert at the BMW Group, Anna Goldhofer has been working on the topic from the perspective of different purchasing and development units for the past six years. Johanna Seelemann heads a design studio that researches material cultures related to everyday objects. Architect Martina Maier serves as the Sustainability Specialist at Snøhetta, a transdisciplinary studio, and is responsible for implementing sustainable strategies in architecture and design.
“I Am Nature”. Designing with nature in mind
An experimental event hosted at the Munich office of Designworks, the BMW Group’s innovation studio, will explore what it means for designers to see themselves as part of nature. Titled “I Am Nature”, the event will tackle questions such as how to express principles of nature in design and new aesthetic trends that arise as creatives apply a “nature mindset”.
Those who prefer to explore circular economy topics hands-on are invited to the RE:BMW Circular Lab workshops at BMW Welt.
Conversations with BMW Group experts
As part of the BMW Group’s continued involvement in mcbw, the 2024 speaker roster comprises numerous experts from the company who will share their knowledge at different events:
Daniela Bohlinger, Senior Expert Innovation Management of the BMW Group, will be a keynote speaker at the mcbw design summit. Corinna Exner, Specialist in User Interface and User Experience Design, is one of the experts from leading companies on the DDX ’24 Munich Speaker Board – Innovation & UX Conference; her topic at the event: “The customisation of your driving experience”. Holger Hampf, Head of BMW Group Designworks, will be part of a live event, DESIGNBUS: Mobility, and will show his favourite places around Munich while sharing what inspires him as he co-creates the future.
At the 13th rendition of Germany’s biggest design event, the munich creative business week brings together experts, companies and students of design, architecture and business to engage in a cross-disciplinary debate of current trends. The BMW Group has been a dedicated cooperation partner of mcbw since its launch in 2012. This year’s event is scheduled for 11 to 19 May.
SOURCE: BMW Group
