What if the solution to our major global challenges had been lying right below our feet, all along?
A transdisciplinary, participatory living lab to collectively explore how we can navigate the on-going rapid change challenging Zürich and its’ citizens in regenerative, life-enhancing ways.
- When: 01.-10.2023
- Where: Zürich (CH)
- Scale: Local-regional
- Role: Co-Project Initiator & Manager; Soil Scientist, Social Innovator, Changemaker, Weaver
- Affiliation: Terravibe
- Partners: Klimapavillon ; Melinda Nina Garcia ; Offspace Flüelastrasse ; UniBZ (ITA), re-source ZHdK, World Ethic Forum ; (y)our2040
Goal
What if we could explore & co-create solutions for a better today and tomorrow, right at our doorstep?
We mobilize the city of Zürich to prototype the regenerative, life-affirming city by combining inner and outer sustainability through a year-long collective exploration with heads, hearts and hands. We overcome the separation in the population, bridge the knowing-doing gap and uncover leverage points for regeneration through decentralized soil art installations, the soil learning lab and physical workshops & events. We work closely with local initiatives to weave the regenerative mycelium throughout the city. Activities are complemented with an analogue & digital community space, ensuring continuation beyond 2023.
Context
Climate change, an ecological crisis, and energy prices skyrocketing: In 2022, we are facing big, complex, interconnected challenges. As Switzerland’s largest city and home to almost half a million of people, Zürich is in a unique position to be courageous and shift from yesterday’s outdated logic to a new model suited for life in the 21st century. Together with the city’s people, we prototype the regenerative city through an inclusive, life-affirming, exploratory process drawing on the original human superpower: Collaboration.
Vision
Our vision is to mobilize the city of Zürich through the annual cycle of 2023 to collectively explore regenerative, life-enhancing ways to navigate the on-going rapid change challenging the city and its’ citizens. Together with Zürich’s people, we combine outer with inner sustainability to go on a year- long, regenerative journey inspired by nature’s cycles.
Our three main goals for this journey in 2023 are
- Overcoming the separation in the population: Increase our connection with ourselves, others and nature by collectively re:connecting, from the soil up
- Bridging the knowing-doing gap: Overcome indifference and inspire a sense of agency in times of unprecedented change and uncertainty amongst the citizens of Zürich & beyond
- Uncover leverage points for a regenerative city: Collectively identify and explore concrete opportunities to co-create a life-affirming city of Zürich where all habitants can thriv
Through a holistic project in Zürich, we trigger a new relationship with each other and our environment and set an example of citizen engagement reaching beyond the city borders, an essential ingredient for a regenerative shift. As an independent civic organization, we eliminate negative connotations and can jump bureaucracy and slow political processes. Rather than aiming to deliver a binding action plan by the end of the year which would put a lot of pressure on people’s shoulders, we open an inviting space of exploration where everyone’s voice is welcome. This way, we unleash the collective intelligence of Zürich’s people by capturing their needs, ideas and wishes.
Dig deeper
⬇️ Download: Terravibe System Change Iceberg-Model
🔗 Learn more: Terravibe / Activities
