The Garden of the Future imagines an ecosystem where self-sustaining robots, powered by renewable energy sources like solar and wind, perform ecological roles in harmony with natural cycles. Free from batteries or power grids, these robots adapt to energy fluctuations, challenging conventional consumption.
The installation by Kris Verdonck proposes a poetic integration of robotics into ecosystems, encouraging dialogue on sustainable technology and its potential to address environmental challenges.
The core research explores the feasibility, design, and control of low-tech motors that operate solely on the irregular availability of sunlight and wind. This challenges the prevalent model of continuous, stable energy supply, advocating for systems attuned to ecological cycles.
Ohme Lab contributions
Ohme Lab collaborated with Kris Verdonck on key technical developments, including the design and creation of a robotic woodpecker fulfilling ecological functions inspired by its natural counterpart. The team also explored low-tech motors powered by fluctuating energy sources and contributed to biomimetic designs that align with ecosystem rhythms.
Ongoing collaboration
While The Garden of the Future remains a work in progress, the residency has laid a strong foundation for continued exploration. The interdisciplinary collaboration between Ohme, Kris Verdonck, and scientific institutions highlights the potential for innovation in sustainable robotics and ecological integration. This ongoing project reexamines energy use, ecological restoration, and the role of art and science in addressing today’s environmental concerns.
Created by
Kris Verdonck (born 1974) studied visual arts, architecture and theatre and this training is evident in his work. His creations are positioned in the transit zone between visual arts and theatre, between installation and performance, between dance and architecture. As a theatre maker and visual artist, he can look back over a wide variety of projects. By integrating robotics, energy systems, and ecological perspectives, Kris challenges traditional boundaries between disciplines and creates narratives that resonate with contemporary issues.
A Two Dogs Company (ATDC) serves as the creative core for Kris Verdonck’s innovative projects in performing and transdisciplinary arts since 2010.
Ohme launched the Sustainable Robotics residency programme (2023-24) in partnership with the Brussels Institute for Advanced Studies – BrIAS, and with FARI – Institute of Artificial Intelligence for the Common Good, both co-founded and co-led by the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) and the Vrije Universiteit Brussels (VUB).
This research is co-produced by Ohme in the framework of Ohme’s artistic residencies programme,
funded by Innoviris – the Brussels-Capital Region & the Federation Wallonie-Bruxelles.
