The research institute InnoRenew CoE, in collaboration with students of Visual Arts and Design at the Faculty of Education, University of Primorska, officially opened the exhibition WOODWALL, at Mala Loža in Koper. The exhibition will be displayed until 5 June 2025.

At the opening, assoc. prof. dr. Polonca Lovšin, the curator and mentor of the exhibition, addressed the audience and presented the exhibition’s concept:

»These are creative ideas of our students, developed in collaboration with researchers from InnoRenew CoE. Students took on the challenge of reusing wood waste in the design of indoor wooden walls and created their own concepts, which are now exhibited in the form of samples. Students experimented with various wood processing techniques such as pressing, sanding, and breaking, and drew inspiration from optical illusions and processes found in nature, such as mushrooms growing on tree trunks, organically perforated surfaces, aged bark, and visible growth rings.«

The exhibition represents a fusion of science, visual arts, design, and sustainability. It also embodies the core values of the New European Bauhaus – sustainability, aesthetics, and inclusion.

Assoc. prof. dr. Michael Burnard, InnoRenew CoE’s Deputy Director, emphasized: »Students developed innovative wall concepts that reflect the principles of the New European Bauhaus by using underutilized wood and wood waste. They demonstrated how a creative and interdisciplinary approach can successfully connect sustainable development, art, and science.«

This exhibition is part of the Horizon Europe project WoodStock (GA #101181021), a broader research initiative reimagining the role of underused wood in sustainable architecture. It is one of the co-creation activities of the WoodStock Living Lab at InnoRenew CoE, which is a collaborative innovation environment where real-world experiments are conducted to address societal challenges and develop innovative solutions.

Visitors are invited to join the experiment by responding to an international survey on wood perception, available here: https://nettskjema.no/a/525863#/page/1

Learn more about the WoodStock project.