Five creative teams are hard at work developing ideas for a living culture of production on the site of the Ottakringer Brewery.

In 2050, two-thirds of the population will live in cities. Work, life and recreation in urban areas must be coordinated intelligently to enhance the quality of life for residents. Combining traditional production methods with digital tools provides new opportunities for both small and large scale production. For city-based companies, urbanity stands for close proximity to a wealth of highly qualified employees, research and development at a university level, and the added advantage of short travel distances for everyone. Digitally supported production is an exciting opportunity for cities. This is where the Vienna Business Agency exhibition FUTURE FACTORY. RETHINKING URBAN PRODUCTION comes in. Starting on 11 September 2019, the project, organised in cooperation with the MAK and the Ottakringer Brewery, will showcase new solutions for the future of production.

The exhibition FUTURE FACTORY at the gallery Die Schöne on the Ottakringer site presents cutting-edge ideas for radically new production models in the city. With the Manner and Staud’s companies in the immediate vicinity, the brewery is an excellent example of a company opting to continue production in the city, to invest in vertical production, and to be closer to residents and customers. The brewery site, which is currently evolving away from a closed industrial location towards a more open urban hub, is a prime example of this development.

The five best ideas submitted in response to the FUTURE FACTORY challenge announced by the Vienna Business Agency early this year have now been transformed into prototypes for the exhibition in Ottakring. Wechselstrom demonstrates the potential uses of slime mould for urban planning on site. Daryn Chook designs urban-sustainable fashion that meets a wide range of leisure and work requirements. An urban food hub conceived by the vertical farm institute, a DJ school for girls and women by Masha Dabelka, and an interactive escape room with augmented reality by Polycular showcase how sustainable production can be integrated into a living Grätzl. Visitors can try out the experimental city catalysts for themselves at the exhibition. The artists also present the potential of their ideas at special events held over the course of the exhibition. The experiment will be conducted in the garage of the Galerie Die Schöne, a large former upholsterer’s workshop on the grounds of the Ottakringer Brewery. This location is dedicated to production, celebration, and an increasingly active sense of community with Grätzl residents.

The exhibition will open on Wednesday, 11 September at 6 p.m. (Ottakringer Kantine, Ottakringer Platz 1, 1160 Wien) with a panel discussion featuring key speakers on urban production. The key note will be held by Lina Streeruwitz (Studio VlayStreeruwitz). She will be joined by Elke Rauth (dérive, Urbanize) and Daniel Podmirseg (vertical farm institute, California).. After the panel discussion, the artists will invite visitors to take part in a tour of the exhibition.

The exhibition is organised by the Vienna Business Agency in cooperation with the MAK and the Ottakringer Brewery. The Vienna Business Agency ist currently presenting a teaser exhibition of the five designers’ concept ideas at the MAK as part of the Vienna Biennale for Change until 6 October 2019.

Vienna, 26 August 2019.