SS24-Talk 2:Prof.Dr. Daniela Mitterberger, Strange Comfort: Intuitive Machines and Robotic Gardeners

Abstract: This talk will explore technology as a primary mediator and familiar medium for structuring our relationship with the built and natural environment. Starting from a reflection on how human activities such as agriculture, pollution and urbanisation have significantly altered ecological dynamics, the talk will present how we can move the interaction between humans, machines and the environment from a traditional, static model to a dynamic, integrative approach. Such an approach promotes the transition from the optimisation and control of nature and machines to new forms of intelligence, autonomy and a deeper understanding of ecology as a dynamic continuum consisting of different media, signals and temporalities.
To illustrate the technological advances required for such a shift, this talk will present three case studies from Mitterberger's academic work as well as recent works by MAEID (Büro für Architektur & transmediale Kunst) that explore robotic gardens and intuitive machines. These case studies combine architectural design, sensor systems, robotic fabrication, machine learning and microbiology and show how we can create fertile ground for new relationships between humans, nature, and technology.


Bio: Daniela Mitterberger is an architect and researcher with a strong interest in new media and the relationship between humans, digital fabrication and emerging technologies. Mitterberger is an Assistant Professor at Princeton University, where she develops innovative computational methods that enable human-machine collaborative processes through adaptive digital fabrication and extended reality.
She was a postdoctoral researcher at Gramazio Kohler Research (ETH Zurich) and works within the Design++ initiative (Centre for Augmented Computational Design in AEC). Mitterberger was the Co-lead of the Immersive Design Lab, a lab for collaborative research and teaching in the field of extended reality and machine learning in architecture and construction.
Mitterberger is co-founder and director of «MAEID [Büro für Architektur und transmediale Kunst]», a multidisciplinary architecture practice based in Innsbruck. She was also a researcher at the University of Applied Arts and co-leader of the FWF PEEK project titled “Co-corporeality”.
Previously she was a lecturer at several international graduate and postgraduate programs, among others at the MSD Melbourne (Australia), UniSA University of Adelaide (Australia), University of Applied Arts Vienna (Austria), Academy of Fine Arts Vienna (Austria), University of Innsbruck (Austria), ETH Zurich (Switzerland), Tongji University (China), and IACC in Barcelona (Spain).
Her work has been recognized with several awards and has been widely exhibited at various international galleries, institutions, and events, including Venice Biennale 2021, Princess of Asturia Awards 2021, Seoul Biennale 2020, Ars Electronica Linz, MAK Vienna, Melbourne Triennial, Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, and HdA Graz.