Foto ©Marie Grob

Morari

Morari Website

Stops are everyday places with a high level of use - but often functionally underserved. Despite roofing and seating, informal uses arise: People lean against railings, sit on kerbs or improvise learning spaces.

This is exactly where Morari (lat. to linger) comes in: The series uses existing standardized bus stop railings as an interface and thus creates new qualities of stay - flexible, low-threshold and needs-oriented.

The series consists of modular seat and backrest elements that rethink stops in urban spaces.

Morari was created as part of the “Baukultur” 2023 theme year of Kulturland Brandenburg during an experimental course format entitled “Urban Parasites”, which deals with the revitalization and appropriation of urban spaces. This served as an invitation to leave familiar design paths and try out new ways of thinking. The aim was to develop a different kind of design process - open and explorative.

Process

The AI application Midjourney was used in several design sprints to generate initial visual impulses, moods and design ideas. The use of artificial intelligence is an exciting change of perspective - Midjourney proved to be a powerful source of inspiration that helped to break through habitual thought patterns and deal more intuitively with form, material and atmosphere.

The design of Morari was deliberately created without direct influence from the AI - from sketches, models, discussions and iterative decisions. The AI served as a creative prelude, not as a tool for the final design. This allowed us to develop a design result that is both conceptually sound and technically well thought-out - rooted in our own handwriting as designers.

The final prototype was created on a scale of 1:1 under the guidance of Sebastian Voigt - using a 3D printing process with a Kuka® industrial robot. A resistant material mixture of recycled polypropylene (PP) and glass fibers was used, which is particularly suitable for urban areas due to its weather resistance, color fidelity and high mechanical strength. The amorphous shape is a direct result of the additive manufacturing process and gives the series its unique character.

The collection was developed by us - Team Morari: Jesse Altmann, Klara Schneider, Valentina Lenk

The series has won several awards, most recently the Brandenburg Design Award 2023 and the one&twenty Award 2024 during the Milan Design Week 2024.
The first prototype was followed by a further iteration with optimized material efficiency and a clear design language. The design and social relevance has been recognized by several awards:

Brandenburg Design Award 2023, “Young Professionals” category
one&twenty Winner 2024, Milan Milan Design Week 2024
Exhibition as part of the Berlin Design Week 2024
Smow JOURNAL, 05.2024
Publication in Bauwelt, issue 12.2024
Article at BauNetz Campus, 05.2025