This was not just an installation, but the outcome of months of learning, testing, and co-creation. Built from moulded earth and modular clay components, Urban Refuge demonstrates how traditional materials can be reimagined with digital tools and hands-on design strategies. For the students, it represents both a prototype for climate-responsive architecture and their vision of resilient urban futures.

The exhibition opened with visitors including the Swiss Consul General in New York, Ambassador Niculin Jäger, and distinguished guests from across the diplomatic, cultural, and academic communities. Presented as part of the Planetary Embassy by Swissnex, the installation combined participatory workshops, augmented reality overlays, and dialogue, linking ancient cooling techniques with cutting-edge design. Partners included UC Berkeley, Vitra, the Smithsonian Science Education Center, Diplomatic Courier, Climateflux, Climate Words, and Loop + Line.

A heartfelt thank you to our students, partners, and collaborators for bringing this vision to life, and to everyone in New York who joined us on this learning journey.

Urban Refuge Opens at Climate Week New York 2025