The Multispecies Spaces Lab (MSL) aims to develop and test new practices and spaces for a fundamental shift in our experiences and relation to the planet. A seven-day intensive course, it provides a building-practice laboratory to activate the cross-disciplinary potential of architecture and art.
The Multispecies Spaces Lab aims to create a practice-based and research-oriented lab (real-world) at the interface of art and architecture to test and implement new materials, technologies, forms of knowledge and collaboration for a sustainable production of multispecies spaces. “The relationships between subjects and objects, human and more-than-human beings, bodies and technologies, is always fluid and necessarily constructed at the startling moment of mutual encounter. Such an understanding might affect the way that we understand intelligence and its myriad forms, diverse bodies, and various manifestations and movements of space.” (Animal Dancing, Spring Symposium 2024). It offers partitioners access to current state research and agents to conduct building-practice experiments questioning material resources, cohabitation and multispecies spaces, as its existing and new knowledge, technologies and forms of production. The program starts with the annual two-day Spring Symposium and theme of the Institute Art Gender Nature to inform the practice-applied seven-day intensive course under real-world conditions and with experts to produce tangible material fragments to be presented in a final exhibition. The close mentoring and advisory of recognized practitioners and specialists from research to industry allow the participants to critically test and transform their own methods and practices, implementing and scaling it into building projects and networks..
Chrissie Muhr is an architect, researcher and curator based in Basel. She is Co-Managing and Artistic Director of Experimental in Berlin, a non-profit organization fostering practice-based experimental and research work for sustainable architecture futures. Latest Muhr was curator and editor of the exhibition and publication Reset Materials – Towards Sustainable Architecture at Copenhagen Contemporary in 2023. She is founding Artistic Director of the Architekturwoche Basel 2022 and the first reuse Basel Pavillon. Muhr publishes, teaches and crits internationally at ETH Zurich or AA School a.o.
Chus Martínez s head of the Institute Art Gender Nature FHNW Academy of Arts and Design in Basel. Most recently she has been appointed Artistic Director of the 36th Ljubljana Biennale of Graphic Arts, in Ljubljana (Slovenia) from 6 June to 12 October 2025. She was the expedition leader of The Current, a project initiated by TBA21–Academy (2018–2020) and 2020-2022 she has been the artistic director of the Ocean Space, Venice, a space initiated by TBA21–Academy. The Current inspired the Art is Ocean at the IAGN which examines the role of artists in the conception of a new experience of nature.
Quinn Latimer is a California-born writer and editor whose work frequently explores feminist economies of writing, reading, and the production of moving images. Her latest books include Like a Woman: Essays, Readings, Poems (Sternberg Press, 2017). Her writings and readings have been featured widely, including at REDCAT, Los Angeles; Chisenhale Gallery, London; Witte de With Center for Contemporary Art. She is the editor of many recognized publications. Latimer has taught and lectured internationally. Since 2020, she has been a lecturer in the master's program at the IAGN HGK FHNW.
Seven-day Intensive Course Block from Tuesday introduction by Spring Symposium 2.–3. April 2025 Start of Intensive Course MSL 4.–11. April 2025 (Thu–Thu) with final Exhibition at TANK 11–13. April 2025 (Fri–Sun)
Open to individuals of local and international practitioners and creatives, including architects, artists, designers, urban planners, engineers, ecologists, scientists and cross-disciplinary practices
Artistic or technical experiences are beneficial
Building experiences are beneficial
An institutional affiliation is not required
The intensive course is aimed at researchers and practitioners of architecture, design and artistic disciplines as well as related academic disciplines and building or planning practices.
Gain expertise and skills in sustainable (building) practices, habitat conservation, biodiversity integration, biophilic design strategies, ecological landscape design
Initiation and promotion of collaborative, cross-disciplinary dialogue and working with stakeholders from research, practice and industry
Experimental, collective and artistic learning
Practice-oriented experimentation and production, scalable solutions for project implementation
This Intensive Course allows to bridge the current stage of research and practice by being an integrated part and engaging with the IAGN program, expertise and infrastructure as the building industry. The course will start with the Spring Symposium 2025 that will inform the practice-oriented seven-day Intensive Course to build material fragments for a spatial experience and presentation in a final exhibition.
Detailed information on the programme and line-up of recognized local and international experts will be updated continuously until January 2025 via communication and the platform.
Kunst ist spekulative Praxis, die Materialien und Vorstellungen verknüpft und Auffassungen von Information und Wissen, individueller Handlung und sozialer Interaktion befragt.
Hochschule für Gestaltung und Kunst Basel FHNW Institute Art Gender Nature (IAGN) Freilager-Platz 1 Postfach CH-4002 Basel
Contact
Institute Art Gender Nature (IAGN)
FHNW University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern SwitzerlandBasel Academy of Art and Design,
Institute Art Gender Nature (IAGN)
Building: A 1.10Oslo-Strasse 3CH - 4142 Münchenstein near Basel
