BioArt Laboratories is kicking off the Dutch Design Week 2023 with the opening ceremony of ‘The Symbiocene Forest – Down to earth’ at BioArt Village! Here, all sorts of special activities will take place throughout the week of 21-29 October, ranging from exhibitions, debates, live experiments to guided tours and workshops. The exposition is dedicated to ecological and evolutionary thinking about life as a symbiosis of all living things. This symbiosis is disrupted by the dominant, and destructive human influence on climatic, biophysical and evolutionary processes. At BioArt Laboratories, we are exploring the blueprint for a new era in human history, where design and evolution merge: the Symbiocene.

The opening ceremony featured a filling programme with opening remarks by North Brabant deputy for Energy and Culture Jos van der Horst and Eindhoven alderman for welfare, work, poverty, culture and design Saskia Lammers; followed with talks by renowned guest speakers such as Engineering philosopher Dr. Laurens Landeweerd (Radboud University Nijmegen) and Aquatic ecologist Jan van de Graaf of Waterschap De Dommel; and closing it with a panel discussion/presentation by our talents on future challenges and solutions in the new era of the Symbiocene.

Overall, the opening of the Symbiocene Forest at BioArt Lab was a celebration of nature’s interconnected beauty, inviting attendees to contemplate their role in preserving and nurturing the delicate balance of our environment from the values of the Symbiocene. The event left a lasting impression, inspiring a renewed sense of responsibility towards the symbiotic relationships that sustain life on Earth. This is an experience to be shared, and everyone is welcome to our beautiful green oasis.