rfws

creating digital technology systems through design

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obacht

since 2025

Self-hosting is often named as a way out of the platform economy: running the software one uses on one's own hardware instead of renting it from a provider. In practice, however, this has so far remained reserved for a rather small and technically versed group, since besides the actual application it requires knowledge of Linux, containers, DNS, certificates and the configuration of one's own router. But what if this effort were not shifted onto the users, but taken over by the infrastructure itself? obacht builds on the approaches of previous self-hosting projects and develops them further into a platform which makes hardware that already exists in households and organisations reachable from anywhere, without the operator of this infrastructure having to be trusted.  read more ↗

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obacht

a content network for the arts

2021–2024

The requirements for physical buildings and infrastructure in artistic educational institutions such as art universities are, in many ways, different from those of other institutions of comparable size. But how can these specific requirements be adapted to the digital realm, where both the peculiarities of digitality are taken into account and the characteristics of physical space are not simply projected onto the digital? How can the inspirations, artistic freedom and distinctive features of projects, contexts, and exhibitions from artistic environments be incorporated when establishing a digital infrastructure for this endeavor? This was conceived, tested, and established over a period of four years at the University of the Arts Berlin. The outcome is a university-wide, holistic data network for applications and contexts.  read more ↗

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a content network for the arts

open-source·ing a university

2020–2024

For four years, an effort was made to transform Europe’s largest art and design university, the University of the Arts Berlin, from within, alongside the university's presidium, into a free and open-source-based digital communication infrastructure using the [matrix] protocol. This resulted in a vibrant popup lab and experimental space for public digital federated software developments.  read more ↗

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medienhaus/

2021–2024

in collaboration with Andreas Rueckel, Florian Weber, Marcel Haupt

The medienhaus/ project is an open-development spin-off emerging from the “Notfalldigitalisierung” initiative at the Berlin University of the Arts. In line with the principle of “public money, public code,” the software was conceived as a configurable, institution-agnostic, free and open source project. Its goal is to empower institutions to operate their own digital communication and collaboration infrastructures based on the federated [matrix] protocol. Since this set of requirements is not only relevant to public institutions, it was co-created in collaboration with associations, NGOs, and activists.  read more ↗

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e-waste reimagined

since 2020

How do design processes of digitally enhanced technologies change in times of the climate crisis? Electronic components, typically newly procured depending on the product category, are understood nowdays as variables. But what happens if we consider them as fixed constants, as a limited resource? Based on existing e-waste, new constellations of electronic components can be consolidated in objects and reused, eliminating the need to dispose of them.  read more ↗

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re:sourceOverlay

resisting architectures

2016–2018

in collaboration with Hannes Nehls

The series "Resisting Architectures" explores enhancing kinesthetic resistance in human-object interactions with additional information layers based on the principle of gradually adjustable resistance, which subtly conveys changes in state, allowing users to receive information without interrupting the intended interaction. It resulted in five objects: door closer, door handle, sliding cart, rotary switch, and drawer.  read more ↗

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resisting architectures
resisting architectures
resisting architectures