ETH Zurich

This project is a holistic engagement with regenerative systems through regenerative design research and practice in two partnering, experimental Living Systems Labs (LSL), located in the bioregions 1. of the High Po River Valley downstream the Italian-French Alps toward the plains around Turin, and on 2. Mallorca as part of the Balearic Archipelago. Managed by the MonViso Institute’s (MVI) Swiss association, and the ETH Systemic Design Labs (SDL) group, the project scales deep into place-specific details through regenerative practices across spatial and governance scales, i.e. land use, food and material supply systems, cultural values, local climate change impacts, and social networks. It applies various didactics to weave projects, people, places and practices in their bioregional contexts - to then scale out and understand what can be shared and learnt for regenerative design and systemic intervention in other regions. This research, practice and learning is part of a leading academic program in Designing Resilient Regenerative Systems (DRRS), offered by ETH Zurich, both through a globally available, cost-free Massive Open Online Course series, and a top-level executive study degree as Master of Advanced Studies in Regenerative Systems. Through mutual engagement between the two LSL with long-term bioregional practices and networks, and the leading academic learning program in Regenerative Systems by ETH Zurich, the project is transforming academia to a certain extent by creating illustrations of regenerative practice in research and teaching of a globally leading, large science and engineering university.

The DRRS program is best illustrated with a tree metaphor: The far visible crown with an uncountable number of leaves, sequestering CO2 from the atmosphere and building sugars through photosynthesis, comprises the cost-free Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) series, with in total four MOOCs. After having studied one of the MOOCs, one can travel with the sugar saps through the branches and underneath the bark of the stem to the root system of the program, and study one of three Certificates of Advanced Studies (CAS). Each CAS, a hybrid study program with an intense in-person field design trip to the partnering LSL and a virtual live conversation part, corresponds to one of the preparing MOOCs. If one took all MOOC’s and the three CAS’, one can take a final MAS module to finish one’s QUEST, an individual question-based design research project that is specific to place, to a bioregion, and attain the complete Master's degree MAS ETH in Regenerative Systems.

This project is systemic and unfolds its impact systemically - which means it takes time, it grows its relations and synapses and rhizomes often invisibly deep in the soil as the basis for healthy ecosystems. Regenerative practice is a systemic intervention which comprises sets of simultaneous actions in and from multiple parts of the system, and also non-actions as of giving e.g. mutual trust between people time to grow. The project applies concrete actions, research and didactics, such as the DRRS field design trips and the participants’ Quests as forms of bioregional research; the Systemic Cycles (S) didactic, a moving exploration to map bioregional flows of circularities, of engaging with the region and their stakeholders through repetitive (visual) dialogue; through the development of the Living Systems Labs (LSL) Explorer, a bio-geo-cultural data explorer to participate in regenerative practice. DRRS student numbers, participants’ feedback, Quest deliverables, guided SC tours, hosted events, various forms of outreach and publications, produced short movies, the LSL Explorer prototype - all of which are examples for measuring the impact of this project. Another major impact can be assessed through the further integration and embedding of regenerative practices into education and research at ETH Zurich, and its Long-term institutional establishment. The continuation of regenerative practices at and from the MonViso Institute’s LSL campus in the High Po River region, and the weaving practices of the Mallorca-Balearic LSL, are foundational for the project’s impact and success.

This multi-faceted project has its roots in more than fifteen years of research, practice, teaching and outreach by Daniel Wahl and Tobias Luthe, together with their respective teams, supporters, and students. The project foundations evolved simultaneously but independently in the two partnering bioregional activities over the years, while the initiation for a joint project was formed through the launch of the first MOOC in the ETH DRRS program in about 2021. DRRS program director Tobias Luthe invited Daniel Wahl to collaboratively build up this program, and merge the rich practice experiences from both bioregions with the research capacity and educational reputation of ETH Zurich as a globally leading school. This MOOC collaboration was the launch of a highly successful partnership and the built-up of this triple partner project - ETH Zurich, MonViso Institute CH/IT, and Daniel Wahl’s work on the Balearic Archipelago of Spain. The mentioned specific projects and didactics within this main project - Systemic Cycles and Living Systems Labs Explorer - evolved from and around this nutritious collaboration, and already proved the impact.