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Over Morgen
Over the past three years, Howest and DAE have encouraged their students - across different programs - to think about life in 2050, a project commissioned by the province of West Flanders in collaboration with curator Wim Opbrouck. What will the world look like, and how will we learn, work, relax, and live together with each other and the world around us?
The final outcome of all that thinking and much more can be admired in the renovated Provincial Court in Bruges during the ten-day "Festival of the Future" from April 18 to April 28.
Get ready for a blast at the FREE Student Night! Mark your calendars for Thursday, April 25 at 7 PM. Join Wim Opbrouck, robotics guru Francis Wijffels, and a lineup of young talent for a night of amazing performances, cool exhibits, and yes—free drinks!
Over two academic years, DAE students dove into The Collective, an interdisciplinary design studio course. They teamed up across different programs to tackle society's 'wicked' problems and dreamed up dozens of solutions—from community laundry setups to mechanical animals and 'The Dome.' Not just any dome, though—this one revolutionizes food production with modern, collective farming in a controlled climate.
Building on the results from The Collective, senior DAE students took things up a notch in Group Projects. One group from DAE crafted a stunning product video for a futuristic company called AMBER. Fast forward to 2050—AMBER unveils the 'Inspire B3 Pro': robotic bees that help preserve nature by pollinating flowers.
Another group of DAE students initially explored the idea of immersive sports spaces but shifted gears due to budget, time, and tech limits. Instead, they created Hextopia—a game where players build their own future while discovering the rich history of Bruges and West Flanders.
With OTTERWORDLY, you step into the future, where mechanical animals (mechanimals) save the earth. You take on the role of an adventurous otter on a mission: to free the glittering waters of Bruges from pollution. Collect waste, complete challenging levels, and watch as your efforts gradually transform the world into a cleaner paradise.
Finally, the HOLOPARTY game aims to transform partying by letting us unite virtually from anywhere. Players can design their own digital worlds and socialize with friends and strangers globally. However, students faced limitations with the Hololens's tech capabilities, leading to unavoidable bugs and crashes. So, for the time being and perhaps for the better, we'll stick to dancing in real life! ;)
Or admire the artistic talent of the DAE students thanks to the many sketches of people, animals, and environments from the future. You can also see two beautiful Unreal Environments by students Sashwat Patkar and Mees van Hout in a 360-degree video installation.
DAE wasn’t the only one looking ahead. Howest's industrial product design (IPO) students and alumni also explored the future, creating products and strategies that are innovative, functional, and beneficial for society and the environment over the long term. They delved into generative design, merging physical and digital elements (phygital) using both software and organic materials. This exploration produced an array of prototypes, models, and detailed plans.
The Festival Over Tomorrow showcases the work of Howest students alongside numerous other future thinkers. It is a true discovery tour with inspiring lectures by people who have stood by the side of groundbreaking scientists, with video artists who explore the boundaries between fiction and reality, with technologists who draft a status questionis regarding AI, with artists who incorporate technology into their performances...
The complete program can be found on the website www.festivalovermorgen.be.
Student work by
Hextopia
Rio Derham, Glenn Quintyn, Nicholas Lu, Nathan Everaet, Siyun Maes, Jenna Van Wezemael
Amber
Sacha Deen, Artis Pukinskis, Dayell De Graaf, Thorquato Peters
Otterworldly
Sedes De Cock, Rico Criel, Nicolas Neve, Famke Dewachter, Jana Baloghova,Tuomas Paul, Piotr Zaras
Holoparty
Brian Neirinck, Eefje Van Asperen, Arnaud Vanderveken, Matteo Laeremans, Senne De Vocht, Sander Van Beeck