The project Alphabet des Lebens – Lernwerkstatt Natur took place in 2018 at the Werkraumhaus Bregenzerwald in Andelsbuch. It was an interdisciplinary research, educational, and exhibition project focused on exploring how principles from nature can be applied to sustainable design and resource-efficient solutions. The concept of the “Alphabet of Life” introduced 26 natural principles, validated through evolution, which can serve as inspiration for creative and innovative processes. The project brought together biology, ecology, craftsmanship, design, and pedagogy, creating a space where scientists, designers, and the wider public could meet, experiment, and explore new forms of collaboration between nature and human creativity.

As part of this initiative, various accompanying programs and workshops were organized, including our own contribution. The workshop built on the main idea of the exhibition – to observe and investigate the functions of natural phenomena and translate them into the language of design. Through hands-on experience and working directly with natural objects, participants were introduced to the methodology of biomimicry and encouraged to perceive nature not only as a source of aesthetic inspiration but above all as a source of functional solutions for contemporary challenges.