Imagining sustainable futures in Berlin

Currently, the Futurium is hosting Superland, a multi-level installation featuring 240 edible and insect-friendly species such as the amaranth. This is in sync with the current thematic focus on future fields. “We chose to make our project quite low-tech and base it on healthy soil and permaculture principles. The forest garden seemed to be a perfect match," says artist Benjamin Frick, who has collaborated with landscape designers Katharina Bohme and Lulu Dombois of Parzelle X.

In a city steeped in history, the Futurium invites visitors to look at the future. It provokes the question, ‘how do you want to live?’ “The future of agriculture and land use is something that affects all of us. How can food security be guaranteed while protecting the climate and preserving biodiversity? The societal tensions inherent to these issues lead to fierce, and not always objective, disputes," says Stefan Brandt, director, Futurium.

At the Futurium, the aim is to counter this and try out a new approach: imaginative, forward-looking and solution-orientated. “We want to be a place of well-founded hope—pointing the way forward to overcoming our mental blocks and hesitation to act," adds Brandt. Today, the space—supported by several partners including the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space—welcomes people of all ages. It does not offer “finished solutions" to challenges, just choices. Visitors can see the consequence of making each choice through the interactive exhibits.

The plus-energy building—it generates more energy through renewable energy than it uses in a year—has been designed by architects Christoph Richter and Jan Musikowski. This adaptable structure showcases how a space can be interactive, ever-changing and futuristic. The barrier-free building has a façade made up of 8,000 panels of folded metal reflectors and textured glass that reflect the changing cloud patterns during the day, and highlight the playfully lit interiors in the evenings. Once inside, you could have a snack, served on occasion by Lulu the cat robot at the in-house café, or you can proceed to the museum spread across three floors.

The basement houses the lab, where one can watch or take part in experiments on subjects such as artificial intelligence, bio-design and future architecture. The first floor has demarcated “thinking spaces". Pepper the humanoid service robot usually welcomes visitors with chip-embedded wrist bands, which can be scanned at each exhibit to make it work or to retrieve information.

Futurium’s exhibits are focused on three main themes: human, nature, and technology. From green skyscrapers to new materials, like cloth made out of orange peel, the exhibitions make us ponder over many questions—if our smartphones will fall in love with us, or if we’ll get electricity from the moon. I also try my hand at being a designer. After a few clicks, I design a circular shoe with a recycled cotton top, organic cotton canvas uppers, natural latex soles, all put together with soluble yarn stitches. Does it fit me well? Can’t say, since it hasn’t been made yet, but in the future, who knows?

Community and politics are a big part of the Futurium. Are we being ruled by algorithms? What if they simplified our voting system so much that a citizen only had to smile into a camera at the booth? Alexander Peterhaensel’s art-meets-science research project Smile to Vote is based on current research on whether AI is capable of working out our personality based on our biometric data. My smile voted for the fictional Green Party.

Next, I watch a few children playing FutureLand. The aim of the game is to lead a farm, generate good yields, keeping climate and biodiversity in mind. Intuitive and interesting, the game is most suitable for young minds. A walk on the terrace “skywalk" is a must. Entry to the Futurium is free. When in Berlin, do step into this magical world of sustainable and intriguing futures.

Mala Kumar loves rivers. Her recent book, The Missing Rocks of Hampi, is set around the Tungabhadra.