The interactive exhibition ’Nature. And us?’ questions the ambivalent relationship between humans and nature. Rather than providing answers, the exhibition creates space for dialogue and new perspectives.

This exhibition awakens your senses from the very start. Your shoes? Take them off. Because isn’t it strange that humans are the only creatures that detach themselves from the ground in this way? You enter the exhibition by walking barefoot across a surface of ancient, yet ordinary, grains of sand. Your footprints remain visible until they’re covered by other footprints or disappear with time. In this way, you also become part of this ‘living’ exhibition.

The heart of the exhibition is a large open space full of monumental projections. Images and live improvised music form the backdrop for stories about politics, science and philosophy that illustrate human’s relationship with nature. Headphones enable you to listen to the perspectives of a surfer, Minecraft gamer, florist or shaman. The room’s atmosphere changes with each perspective.

This landscape of projections also houses eight pavilions in which eight different ambassadors or experts introduce you to alternative human-nature relationships. You can learn from fungi, communicate with plants and try to experience the world like a fox.

A cylindrical structure at the center of the room acts as an abstract representation of the earth. On the outside, satellite images reveal traces of human activity. On the inside, a world full of graphs and data shows the earth’s current state. This is not meant to alarm, but to serve as a place to discuss how to deal with the crippling feelings this data evokes.

‘Nature. And us?’ is a personal, transformative journey. You receive a compass to help you navigate fundamental questions about your relationship with nature. At each section of the exhibition, you are given a question or statement. You then enter a ‘live debate’ where you vote on how we will shape the future. While a compass normally directs you, this one only provides directions at the end of your journey. This shows that your choices matter, as do your subsequent actions. Before exiting the exhibition, your compass comes to life in a personal animation, and you receive your ‘result’ as a ticket. This ticket allows you to view the results of all visitors online, compare your findings and explore your perspectives.

The Stapferhaus’ building is a wooden construction and functions as a theatrical ‘black box’ which facilitates minimal and poetic set-ups. We worked with pre-existing elements and objects wherever possible. The additions are as sustainable as possible and can be reused in subsequent exhibitions. Materials are finished no more than necessary. Technology and screws are visible. Benches are modular. There is also a piece of mycelium floor in which contiguous fungi become tiles. In this way, nature also helps create the exhibition.