Join us for an engaging debate between artist/researcher Ivan Henriques, architect Stephan Petermann and researcher Vasilis Kokkoris, where we’ll tackle pressing topics surrounding living technologies, urban food futures, and the intriguing realm of plant cognition. This debate occurs during the finissage of Ivan Henriques’s project, Ecoshroom, which reimagines the potential for agriculture in urban landscapes.

Ecoshroom imagines the fusion of natural and technological systems to foster a sustainable future. Rather than focusing on the design of a conventional smart city, it proposes a model where plants, in collaboration with AI, become the brain of our buildings – creating an environment in which plants can thrive in co-habitation with humans. Ecoshroom, a collaboration between the artist and a team of architects and scientists, was designed as part of the EU Start grant Hungry Cities, and proposes a shift in how we perceive and grow food in our cities.

In this dialogue, the speakers will explore critical questions such as: How can technology help us to enhance our understanding of plant cognition? What roles can urban agriculture play in mitigating climate change? How can we reimagine the way we live in relation to our food and could plants be better guides towards sustainable practices? The audience will have the chance to engage and contribute their perspectives, fostering a dynamic dialogue on how we can reshape our cities for a better future of humans and earth.

Participation is free, please register here

Ivan Henriques
Ivan Henriques is an environmentalist, transdisciplinary artist and researcher working in multimedia installations examining systems. He explores in his works hybrids of living and non-living systems creating novel approaches to investigate endangered and inhospitable ecosystems. Throughout his works he develops ways to enhance the communication between humans, other living organisms and the environment.

Stephan Petermann
Stephan Petermann is a Dutch architect, researcher and editor. In 2019, he co-founded MANN, a research and design studio in Amsterdam. He is editor-in-chief of VOLUME magazine and visiting professor at CAFA in Beijing. Petermann has taught at institutions including Harvard GSD and Design Academy Eindhoven, and advises cultural bodies like the Dutch Culture Council and IBA Thüringen. His work has been featured in The New York Times and Financial Times.

Vasilis Kokkoris
After receiving his PhD on microbial ecology and completing his postdoctoral fellowship, Vasilis Kokkoris obtained a position as assistant professor at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in 2021. His work centers on microbial ecology and genetics, focusing particularly on one of the most widespread symbiotic organisms on our planet known as mycorrhizal fungi. His research and photomicrography, demonstrating the unique aspects of their cell organization and network complexity, have won multiple global awards and have brought attention to the unseen soil microbial world.