Klimahouse.
The Project.
Part of the new living laboratory at the ArtMill center is the KlimaHouse project—a greenhouse that simulates the predicted climate in 2050 and a space for collaboration between artists, scientists, ecologists, farmers, educators, and communities through innovative and participatory artistic practices and workshops. The work is inspired by artists Helen and Newton Harrison, who designed a series of greenhouses for climate change research in their project The Garden of Hot Winds and Warm Rains. After years of planning with Newton Harrison, this year we are launching a collaboration with researcher Leslie Ryan and artist Jan Fabián. We approach the issue of the climate crisis through hope, community resilience, and the coexistence of human and more-than-human species. According to a 2021 survey, 87% of young Czechs feel affected by the climate crisis and perceive it as a serious problem, but awareness and knowledge of adaptation options remain low. This project responds to the lack of access for the general public to emerging research and solutions, such as assisted plant migration and the development of community resilience as an adaptation strategy. A greenhouse simulating the climate of future generations provides a backdrop for practical research and education and bridges the gap between scientific knowledge and its application in practice. Participatory artistic practices are essential as a tool for connecting these fields and actively engaging communities in solving the crisis through creativity and imagination.
Participants.
Design: Jan Fabián
Creative Direction: Gabriela Benish-Kalná
Materials: Václav Mach
Botanical Research: Leslie Ryan & Natália Benish-Kalná
This project was created thanks to the grant program of Nadace Partnerství within the "Akademie Hybatelů" program.
The Harrisons.
Inspired by the work of Helen and Newton Harrison, pioneers of environmental art who focused on adapting to the changing climate. Their project future gardens explored how species of plants will adapt to rising temperatures. In 1995 they created a study for the construction of greenhouses that replicate the climate in the next 50 years. Prototypes were made at the University of California in Santa Cruz. After years of planning, we are building the next prototype at ArtMill. Our KlimaHouse will stand at the edge of a large monoculture field. On the site of our project Inter-Species refuge, the home for our horses. A space for participatory practices, to imagine collective futures, host workshops, study the environment, support ecosystem health, understand the impacts of the climate crisis, and adapt to a changing climate predicted to be similar to today’s Serbia.
Our Design.
This living laboratory will be located within the dry ecosystem of our meadow and will integrate models of adaptation measures through permaculture and regenerative practices, agroforestry, and a silvopastoral system. The site is used for art installations and participatory practices, ecosomatic healing, and hippotherapy, with an emphasis on connecting people with nature. In the fall of 2025, hedgerows will be planted, marking the first phase of establishing regenerative grazing.
The Workshop.
Within the project KlimaHouse 2050, our Open Mill Day included a special workshop led by Václav Mach. This workshop focused on traditional and ancient building techniques using natural material such as cob, during which we laid a symbolic foundation for a greenhouse that will simulate the local predicted climate of 2050. The structure is being built this year as a transdisciplinary project focused on climate adaptation.
This project was created thanks to the grant program of Nadace Partnerství within the "Akademie Hybatelů" program.
