Aesthetico
Aesthetico
… explores the integration of aesthetics and ecology into technology education, thereby developing a transformative framework for teaching staff to equip students with the skills needed for sustainable and aesthetic technological development.
| Project lead: | Prof. Sabine Breitsameter |
| Project team: | Sara Bouslama |
| Duration: | February 2022 to February 2025 |
| Funding body: | ERASMUS |
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The ERASMUS+ project AesThiCo is investigating various approaches and methods for integrating aesthetics and ecology into technical education. It is a transdisciplinary project in which the h_da team, led by Prof. Sabine Breitsameter, is working with research teams from the EUT+ consortium to develop a transformative framework for teachers and lecturers, enabling students to acquire essential skills and competences for aesthetically and sustainably oriented technological development. By incorporating aesthetics and ecology into technical education, the initiative aims not only to impart technical expertise to lecturers and students, but also to foster a profound understanding of aesthetic, humanistic and ecological factors. The aim is to train a new generation of technicians and engineers who are capable of taking a holistic view of cultural, ecological and social issues.
The main aim of the project is to develop and formulate an approach that could be termed the ‘aesthetics of care’. This is intended to encompass concrete care as an attention to detail and consequences, such as that shown by artists and designers, for example, in what they conceive and create. It also refers to aspects of care for one another, for human societies and the environment, with the aim of bringing about a shift in mindset regarding the construction, use and design of technology. Through this approach, the project seeks to empower engineering students to become a driving force for humanistic change in tackling the complex challenges facing society and the environment.
To achieve its objectives, the project will develop an aesthetic, ecological and ethical framework and make this available as a modular toolkit for teaching staff to use in various educational contexts.