Sustainability Cards workshop

In an engaging two-hour session on January 12th at the Interactive Technologies Institute Beato premises, researchers delved into the diverse realms of sustainability with Sebastian Prost, a Research Fellow at the Northumbria School of Design. The workshop offered an invaluable opportunity for Interactive Technologies Institute researchers to reflect on sustainability, spanning ecological, economic, political, cultural, and technological aspects within the context of their past, current, or future work.

Sebastian Prost emphasised the broad scope of the workshop, inviting participants to consider sustainability in the broadest sense possible. Attendees were encouraged to choose a focus topic, ranging from a past project, a research group or a theme within the Interactive Technologies Institute to a specific creation. Importantly, this topic did not have to be explicitly related to sustainability; instead, it was entirely open to individual interpretation.

The workshop’s structure was centered around the use of Sustainability Reflection Cards. Participants engaged in a thoughtful interrogation of their chosen topics, mapping various sustainability aspects concerning them. This exercise revealed aspects of sustainability that were well-considered, brought attention to areas needing more focus, and highlighted potential tensions between different elements.

The insights from these reflections served as a foundation for formulating intentions for future action at the Interactive Technologies Institute. The workshop aimed to catalyse a proactive approach to sustainability within the institute by aligning individual and collective visions.