Program 2025

13:45Arrival, Registration, Coffee
14:15Welcome and Introduction
Prof. Habakuk Israel and Maja Stark, AURORA XR School for Artists
14:20Play, Game, Art: Game Design for Meaningful Mixed Reality Experiences
Martin Steinicke, Creative Media, HTW Berlin
Exploring mixed reality technologies for art brings a huge potential but also a number of pitfalls. Using them without an understanding of technological issues and their interwovenness with other aspects of user interaction and experience is a solid approach to failure. Martins talk underlines the common ground of art and game design. It highlights relevant aspects of game design that should be considered and emphasizes the intimate relationship between meaning creation and playful practices. Last but not least he provides five recommendations that should be considered in every mixed realty project.
14:40Phygital Intimacy: A Mixed Reality Live Performance and Multiplayer Game Fostering Conscience of Connectedness
Lisa Kaschubat, AURORA XR Artistic Fellow
How can we use innovative technologies to enable situations of connection and intimacy? Phygital Intimacy explores how mixed reality can be combined with other interactive systems to deepen our awareness of ourselves and others. Through collaborative gameplay, wearable technology, and immersive audio-visual experiences, the project uses technology as a medium for embodied connection, collective action, and healing. In their talk, Lisa Kaschubat proposes that digital systems can support somatic awareness, foster interpersonal resonance, and offer new modes of co-presence in shared hybrid spaces.
15:00Playing with Perspectives: Virtual Reality Experiences for Science Communication, Exhibitions and Political Education
Dr. Christian Stein, Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity« & Playersjourney GmbH
You are more likely to remember complex relationships when you experience them than when they are explained to you. This is why science communication or the teaching of media skills is an excellent match with virtual reality. Dr. Christian Stein uses two VR projects – the BLOOMS exhibition of the Cluster of Excellence Matters of Activity and the ZEIT Foundation’s AKTIONSLABOR – to show how immersive knowledge transfer can succeed. The focus is not only on technology, but also on interdisciplinary collaboration, institutional innovations, visitor experiences, practical learning and the role of VR in relation to the learning of the future.
15:20Fishbowl Discussion on Playful Practices of Knowledge – Methods, Best-Practices, Challenges
With Pablo Dornhege, Jens Isensee, Lisa Kaschubat, and Christian Stein
Moderation: Maja Stark
16:00Framework Program:

WORKSHOPS (16:30–17:15)

Do’s & Don’ts for the combination Participation + Playfulness + Performances with XR developer Leonid Barsht, AURORA XR School for Artists

NOVOCENE: Insights into the Artistic Approach and the use of AI tools with artist Jens Isensee, AURORA XR Artistic Fellow 2024/25

PLAYFUL XR EXPERIENCES:

1) »Phygital Intimacy«, 2025
Current collaboration between Lisa Kaschubat, Tasha Hess-Neustedt, Jane Alison, and the AURORA XR School for Artists, HTW Berlin

2) »Novocene«, 2025
Collaboration between Jens Isensee and the AURORA XR School for Artists, HTW Berlin

3) »Blooms«, 2025
Developed by Wendy Chua, Joyce Koh, and Gustavo Maggio in collaboration with Christian Stein and the Object Space Agency (Cluster of Excellence Matters of Activity, HU Berlin), Sandric Leong, and the HABs team at the Tropical Marine Science Institute (National University of Singapore).

4) »Aktionslabor Redaktionelle Gesellschaft«, 2024/25
Developed by the ZEIT Foundation Bucerius in collaboration with Playersjourney GmbH

5) rewired, 2024
Developed by the research group Creative Media, HTW Berlin