{"id":8812,"date":"2025-05-26T13:10:50","date_gmt":"2025-05-26T13:10:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.zhdk.ch\/immersivearts\/?p=8812"},"modified":"2026-05-28T10:24:58","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T10:24:58","slug":"immersion-studies-for-climate-experiences-2025-2028","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.zhdk.ch\/immersivearts\/immersion-studies-for-climate-experiences-2025-2028\/","title":{"rendered":"Immersion Studies for Climate Experiences (2025-2028)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Supported by SNSF, Practice to Science
Rasa Smite, PI (Principal Investigator)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Rasa Smite, Raitis Smits. Atmospheric Forest, 2020. Ecodata\u2013Ecomedia\u2013Ecoaethetics (SNSF, 2017-2020).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This project explores how complex climate data can be transformed into immersive experiences that enhance public understanding and engagement. By combining artistic experimentation with scientific data, it aims to develop innovative methods for making climate change more accessible\u2014turning abstract environmental shifts into emotional, tangible experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The research focuses on three key questions: (1) How can complex climate science data be transformed into sensory, immersive experiences that help us imagine and understand the invisible processes in nature and society affected by climate change? (2) What kinds of collaborations and experimental tools between art and science are needed to make this transformation possible? (3)  How can the effects of such immersive experiences on public awareness and emotional engagement with climate issues be studied?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The three-year project will involve fieldwork and the translation of collected data into immersive (XR) environments, which will be exhibited and analyzed in public venues. Reflexive and multimodal ethnography will be used to examine the scientific research process, artistic experimentation, and how audiences respond to and engage with immersive environments\u2014co-creating new ways of sensing and communicating environmental change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hosted by the Immersive Arts Space the project will result in workshops, exhibitions, video interviews, and publications. It will contribute new knowledge at the intersection of climate-related arts and sciences and offer an original, critical contribution to interdisciplinary research and education on climate and environmental issues\u2014within ZHdK, across Switzerland, and internationally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner Meeting &<\/strong> Workshop on Climate Data Sensorialization<\/strong>,
11th May 2026, ZHdK<\/mark><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Screenshot<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This first internal partner meeting (Year 1 \u2014 Workshop 1: Tools) focused on the methodological foundations of the project. Following initial field studies in Switzerland (e.g. Pfynwald and TreeNet monitoring sites) and early data collection, the workshop brought together close collaborators to reflect on datasets, sensing and modelling approaches, and strategies for climate data sensorialization that may open up new possibilities for bridging immersive experience and climatic realities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Big thanks to all participating partners for sharing their invaluable expertise and contributing to this discussion across a broad interdisciplinary spectrum: Chris Salter \/ ZHdK Immersive Art Space \u2013 on immersion, and sensorial perspective , Micah Wilhelm \/ ZHdK \/ WSL \u2013 sensing (ecophysiolical) data and climate modelling, Marcus Schaub \/ WSL \u2013 climate science and the Pfynwald VPDrought experiment, <\/a>Eric Nowak<\/a> \/ USI \u2013 socio-economic climate realities, Michael Krohn and Karin Zindel \/ ZHdK \u2013 art, sustainability, and environmental psychology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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VR-Exhibition “Atmospheric Forest”<\/strong>
15.\u2013 29.06.2026
Mon\u2013Fri 11-18:00, 3.F03 (3rd floor Toni Areal)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
\u00a9Rasa Smite, Raitis Smits, Atmospheric Forest (VR, 2020)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Atmospheric Forest is a Virtual Reality experience by artists Rasa Smite and Raitis Smits exploring the relations between forest ecosystem, atmospheric processes and climate change through immersive data visualizations and sound in virtual environments. Originally created in 2020 by Rasa Smite and Raitis Smits within the research project Ecodata\u2013Ecomedia\u2013Ecoaesthetics<\/em> (2017\u20132021), funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation and hosted by the FHNW Academy of Art and Design (PI: Yvonne Volkart), in collaboration with the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The exhibition of Atmospheric Forest is a part of the project \u201cVon der Behauptung zur Evidenz\u201d (Dossier Nachhaltigkeit ZHdK and Umwelt- und Nachhaltigkeitspsychologie ZHAW\u00a0), supported by Swissuniversities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please, book a slot for a viewing sessions [here<\/a>]<\/strong>
The 15-minute VR experience is followed by a short research questionnaire.
For additional reservation requests or inquiries about available VR viewing slots, please contact: rasa.smite@ zhdk.ch<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Supported by SNSF, Practice to ScienceRasa Smite, PI (Principal Investigator) This project explores how complex climate data can be transformed into immersive experiences that enhance public understanding and engagement. By combining artistic experimentation with scientific data, it aims to develop innovative methods for making climate change more accessible\u2014turning abstract environmental shifts into emotional, tangible experiences. … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “Immersion Studies for Climate Experiences (2025-2028)”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3675,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[576143],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8812","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-i-a-research"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.zhdk.ch\/immersivearts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8812","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.zhdk.ch\/immersivearts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.zhdk.ch\/immersivearts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.zhdk.ch\/immersivearts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3675"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.zhdk.ch\/immersivearts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8812"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/blog.zhdk.ch\/immersivearts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8812\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9272,"href":"https:\/\/blog.zhdk.ch\/immersivearts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8812\/revisions\/9272"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.zhdk.ch\/immersivearts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8812"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.zhdk.ch\/immersivearts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8812"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.zhdk.ch\/immersivearts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8812"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}