16 creative minds between 16 and 60 from 5 different countries developed innovative project ideas around the topic of water in the city. On October 14 and 15, we faciliated and ran the digital makerthon HUMAN.WATER.CULTURE on behalf of the city of Paderborn – the ideas developed will be incorporated into the city’s application for the European Heritage Label.
“Dream it” – “Make it” – “Share it”
The participants of this idea sprint worked in two smaller groups. In the first workshop phase – “Dream it” – the participants collected first ideas on their respective topics. Input from an expert who provided background information on the topics as well as inspiration was also part of the “Dream it” phase. In the second workshop phase – “Make it” – the participants developed concrete project ideas and prototypes, which they presented to the other group in the final phase of the Makerthon – “Share it” – in a pitch format.
Festival “URBAN.WATER.DIALOGUE”
The first group addressed the questions: how might we generate and share knowledge together in Europe? And how we could we learn from past successes and failures in terms of water and human interaction in the city? During the sprint phases, the group developed a large festival that they presented in the pitch. The group worked out many details of the festival, which would consist of four elements – a social media campaign, an “against trash” campaign, an augmented reality tour, and stations along the Pader River.
Interactive travelling exhibition “URBAN.WATER.ART
The second group addressed the questions of how we could create a sustainable balance between humans and the natural ecosystem in the city and how we might initiate inspiring encounters with water (through art) . The developed project of this group turned out to be an interactive traveling exhibition. 10 creatively designed stations shall invite to experience the Pader in a new way and with all senses, e.g. by sound installations or by exploring together living creatures that are native to the Pader.
First Makerthon Paderborn a great success
From the perspective of both the organizers and the participants, the event was a great success. All participants as well as the experts expressed in the feedback round that they were “impressed” by the variety and depth of the ideas that were developed in such a short time. Through the creativity of the participants in interdisciplinary teams, innovative project ideas were developed that both included the perspective of young people and established international references. The goal of the event, to develop ideas for projects for the application of the European Cultural Heritage Label while keeping in mind the requirements for such an accompanying project, was achieved.
