Foreword

Written By Gabriel Harp

The ability to create new combinations from existing resources is a powerful force for creativity and innovation. By recombining ideas, materials and practices, new and potentially unknown possibilities can emerge. This idea underlies many of the technologies, creative outcomes, and collaborations we find in art/science integration and more broadly in the world we live in.

Universal Construction Kit

The Universal Construction Kit offers a series of adapters for interoperability between ten popular children’s construction toys. Developed by Golan Levin and Shawn Sims, it has been recognized by Prix Ars Electronica with an Award of Distinction in 2012 as well as receiving a Core77 Design Award.

The Center for Genomic Gastronomy

The Center for Genomic Gastronomy explores “the political, technological and cultural contexts of what we consume.” Through research, and experimentation, it creates thoughtful provocations and reflections on human food systems presented as exhibitions, meals, public lectures and publications.

Hackathons

The ‘hackathon’ is a cultural phenomenon. It is an event in which over a focused and intense period of collaboration, usually a 24-hour period or a weekend, small teams from diverse backgrounds come together to explore ideas from concept to prototype.