prototyping better human-planetary relationships.
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urbanism of care
At the invitation of the Swiss Embassy in Japan and the Swiss Consulate in Osaka, I joined a distinguished panel of experts to explore a vital question: What are the challenges posed by increasing global longevity and rapid urbanisation? And how can we re-examine our changing world through the lens of care?
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re-negotiating space
Re-Negotiating Space is a series of panel discussions and exhibitions that will launch in May 2025 as part of the Hazard Festival in Lugano. Other stations include EXPO 2025 in Osaka, Japan, a planned collaboration with the Kornhaus in Bern in 2025, and a series of events as part of the World Design Capital 2026…
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vitality’s repose
As part of the Eaux du Jura series, Vitality’s Repose was submitted to the 2024 Vitality Through Your Eyes Awards, where it won the Sawako Fukai Jury Award and was exhibited at the Shibaura House Cultural Embassy in Tokyo, Japan.
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jurARCulinary
JurARCulinary is a project dedicated to the enogastronomic diversity of the Jura mountains in Switzerland and France. Its diversity has given rise to a wide range of areas used for different agricultural, viticultural and livestock activities. And even when it comes to processing and consuming these products, the cultural diversity of the Jura Arc is…
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eaux du jura
Eaux du Jura is an investigation of the Jura’s watercourses, revealing the region’s geological history and ecological importance. The Jura Mountains, with their deep gorges and ancient strata, offer a unique window into our Earth’s history. The landscapes reveal sediments from the ancient Tethys Sea, providing a tangible link to a prehistoric era.
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goethe’s ginko
image above: “Goethes Ginko” in Heidelberg, 2024, Jan Eckert Born in Heidelberg, I have fond memories of visiting the Schlossgarten as a child. There is a ginkgo tree that is said to have inspired Goethe to write his famous lines to Marianne: Dieses Baums Blatt, der von OstenMeinem Garten anvertraut,Giebt geheimen Sinn zu kosten,Wie ‘s…
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hortopia I
Image above: vineyards in Wolxheim, Alsace, 2023, Jan Eckert. The original German Version of this text was published in January 2024 on:https://janeckert.ch/blog/hortopia-i/ Although I appreciate the element of a caesura, such as the turn of the year, in many forms of expression, I tend to think in terms of continuity, and so this blog post…
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nature therapy laboratory
In March, I had the privilege of visiting the renowned forest therapy researcher Professor Yoshifumi Miyazaki. Together with Professor Harumi Ikei, they took me through the Nature Therapy Laboratory at Chiba University, Tokyo.
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minato flour shop
image above: flour shop in Minato, Tokyo, 2024, Jan Eckert On a recent trip to Japan, I came across this flower shop in Minato, Tokyo. The juxtaposition of the wooden building and the large, flourishing plant struck me as visually harmonious. Instead of clearing the land and erecting a generic commercial building, someone had obviously…
