Markus Wernli’s research sits in the activist space between social design, agroecology, and education. His research is concerned with the facilitation of future-opening, collectivized scenarios as a means of engaging with the ‘craft of daily life.’ Thus research evolves around participatory learning, explorative methods, and self-implication in the overall thriving. Of particular interest here is how traditional resource cultivating models become valid, contemporized options for bolstering adaptation capacities and critical leadership via skillful practices in the broader social context.
His ongoing research draws connections between our food systems and practices, and social, cultural, and local ecosystems. It considers how to forge better relationships between what we breathe, eat, expel, wear, and grow. Markus specializes in contextually applied and critical research-through-design, bringing focus to the social and ecological impact of body-technology pairings and human-biosphere interactions.
Formally educated in Europe and the United States in visual communication and new media art, and after an eclectic self-directed career in a variety of socio-cultural contexts, Markus completed his Ph.D. with the PolyU School of Design’s Urban Environments Lab. He taught design-related subjects at the Australian National University in Canberra, Zokei University of Art and Design in Kyoto, and the Multimedia Studies Program at San Francisco State University.
Selected Publications:
Wernli M. (2021). "Anthroponix: Upcycling Urine as Collective Design Practice", in: NERD – New Experimental Research in Design 2: Positions and Perspectives. Christensen, M, Michel, R., and Jonas, W. (eds.). Boston: Birkhaeuser.
Wernli M. & Boyer B. (2021). ‘Breathful’ design in breathless times. Strategic Design Research Journal. Volume 14, number 01, January – April 2021. 175-186. DOI: 10.4013/sdrj.2021.141.15
Wernli M. (2020). "Collective urine upcycling to grow plants and material responsibility", in: Culture, Community and Climate: Conversations about Emergent Praxis. Povall, R. (ed.). Kingsbridge, Devon: art.earth.
Wernli M. (2019). “Short-comings and unintended vulner-abilities” in: Design and Nature: A Partnership; Fletcher K, St Pierre L, Tham M, (eds). Routledge, London.
Wernli M, (2018). “Adventurous Upcrafting Ventures”. Cubic Journal: Design Social, 1(1), 210-213. http://dx.doi.org/10.31182/cubic.2018.1.013
Andreev N, Ronteltap M, Wernli M, Zubcov E, Bagrin N, Borodin N, and Lens P (2017). “Lactic Acid Fermentation of Human Urine to Improve Its Fertilizing Value and Reduce Odour Emissions.” Journal of Environmental Management, no. 198: 63-69. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.04.059
Wernli M, (2016). “Cultivating More-than-Human Lifeworlds”, presented at 22nd International Symposium on Electronic Art ISEA2016 Hong Kong Cultural R>evolution.