Ulrike Wallbott and Marcel Roling, members of the KZA team, were invited as speakers to a workshop of Creative.Board.NRW, a network of creative professionals in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). The panel took place in the premises of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce in Cologne. It was about opportunities and potentials of Extended Realities (XR). At the session within the c/o Pop Convention, the architects gave insights into their work.

The exchange with other representatives of the creative industry was a top priority. Because no matter if architecture, industrial design or art: New digital realities play a big role in all these areas. At the meeting with around 40 participants, it was therefore above all about opportunities to bundle existing knowledge in North Rhine-Westfalia – and to benefit from one another through cross-sector cooperation.

A current example at the KZA office: the construction of new headquarters for the IT service provider Krankikom in Duisburg. The lecture quickly revealed how the use of new working methods accelerates planning processes. „Builders are much closer to the project when they can walk around their building with a VR headset instead of just seeing plans,“ said Marcel Roling.

With parametric design, 3D printing and interface programming, the next steps are already underway. After the keynotes, the workshop participants discussed in small groups about further possible interdisciplinary developments.

„Above all, the insight into other industries and the exchange was exciting – and especially the question of how to bring the developments and opportunities to the public,“ said Marcel Roling. Ulrike Wallbott also emphasized that it was worth thinking outside the box: „The establishment of a cross-sectional network is a great opportunity for everyone involved. Learning never stops!“

More information about the Creative.Board.NRW can be found HERE.

The group picture shows (from left to right) Martin Müller, Ulrike Wallbott and Marcel Roling (Copyright: Christof Rose/AKNW).