Rasa Weber   

is an experimental designer, researcher, and diver exploring practice-based research on the intersection of critical ecology and anthropogenic environmental change. Her work integrates design, materials research, biology, and anthropology, with a strong narrative approach and a critical ecological perspective. The ocean serves as a central focus in her design research, particularly in the context of queer ecological figurations.

She is a lecturer and researcher at Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) and is pursuing a practice-based PhD, «SymbiOcean», investigating artificial reefs and marine habitat creation as a form of sympoietic design. She is also part of the Swiss National Science Foundation project «Interfacing the Ocean» and an associated researcher at the Cluster of Excellence «Matters of Activity» at Humboldt-University of Berlin.

She co-founded They Feed Off Buildings, a design and architecture collective, and previously led the studio Blond & Bieber, known for bio-based materials and color concepts. She has taught at institutions including the Royal College of Art London, Berlin University of the Arts, OCAD University Toronto, and the University

of Leeds.

She recently published her first book together with Flore de Crombrugghe »333 Saftige Papayas. Ein unvollständiges Kompendium der dicken Dinger« at März Verlag. 

Rasa is a 2nd Dan in Aikido (Tenshinkan Watanabe Sensei, Gruber).

PhD PROJECT

«SYMBIOCEAN. Sympoietic design practices with/in troubled waters.»

Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Karmen Franinović (Interaction Design, ZHdK) and Prof. Dr. Karin Harrasser (Cultural Theory, Kunstuniversität Linz)

Research Project: Interfacing the Ocean.

                                Swiss National Science Fund 2024-2027.

                                Zurich University of the Arts.
                                PIs: Karmen Franinović & Roman Kirschner  

                                PhDs: A. Bertin, A. Oestreicher & R. Weber.

Affiliations: Zurich University of the Arts

                     Linz University of Arts and Design

Research Associate: Matters of Activity. Cluster of Excellence.

                                    Humboldt Universität zu Berlin. 

Member: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Designforschung
                Deutsches Konsortium für Meeresforschung

COMMISION 

IKEA I LXSY Architekten I Bruzkus Batek Architekten I Studio David Thulstrup I Studio Werner Aisslinger I Goethe Institut Los Angeles I Goethe Institut Toronto I Los Angeles Fashion Week I Amsterdam Fashion Week I Designblok Prague I Werkstudio Axel Kufus I Kunsthalle Praha I Vollebak UK a.o.

COLLABORATION 

Atelier Marie Drouet I Polynesian Institute of Biomimicry I Jordan Lab, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior I Paraiso Dive Cartagena I Blue Apple Beach Resort I Curaçao Divers Global Coral Reef Alliance I Keracol UK I Hien Le I Michael Sontag I Schmidttakahashi I Vladimir Karaleev I Dawid Tomaszewski I Perret Schaad I Trippen I Swarovski I Jurlights I Fraunhofer Institut für Grenzflächen und Bioverfahrenstechnik I Schlaflabor der Charité Berlin I G.Tecz I Festool a.o.

TEACHING 

Zurich University of the Arts I University of the Arts Berlin I University Anhalt Dessau I Berlin International University I OCAD University Toronto I University of Leeds UK I Royal College of Arts UK KhB Weißensee DE I KEA Copenhagen School of Design and Technology DK I Cee Cee Berlin DE I Textilskole Holte DK I AKI Academy of Arts and Design NL a.o.

AWARDS 

2020 DEUTSCHER NACHHALTIGKEITSPREIS NOMINATION

Category: Aktuelle Vorreiter with TFOB

Deutscher Nachhaltigkeitspreis e.V.

2019 GERMAN DESIGN AWARD NOMINATION (finalist)

Category: Newcomer with TFOB I Rat für Formgebung

2019 AD AWARD NOMINATION Category: Best Concept I AD Magazine

2019 - 2018 KULTUR- UND KREATIVPILOTEN for «Urban Terrazzo»

Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie & U-Institut

2018 BUNDESPREIS ECODESIGN for «Urban Terrazzo»

Internationales Design Zentrum Berlin

2018 GREEN PRODUCT AWARD (finalist) for «Urban Terrazzo»

2017 CREATIVE PROTOTYPING STIPENDIUM for «Urban Terrazzo»

Europäischer Sozialfonds, ESF, Senatsverwaltung Berlin, UdK

2016 GERMAN DESIGN AWARD NOMINATION with Blond & Bieber

2015 GERMAN DESIGN AWARD NOMINATION for «Algaemy»

2015 MAKE ME! A WARD for « Algaemy»“, Łódź Design F estival (PL)

2014 BUNDESPREIS ECODESIGN for «Algaemy»

      CORE 77 (honorable mention) for «Algaemy» (USA)

      DMY YOUNG TALENTS NOMINATION with Blond & Bieber

      DESIGN FOR DEATH designboom (shortlist) 

      OUTPUT AWARD (NL)

      THE PITCH Arte Creative (shortlist)

SCHOLARSHIPS & GRANTS

2027 - 2024 Interfacing the Ocean I Swiss National Science Fund

                    Project Grant, PIs: K. Franinović & R. Kirschner

                    Interaction Design I Zurich University of the Arts

2023            PROCOPE Mobility Grant I France I Government of                                   France-Embassy of France in Germany I DAAD

2023            Auslandsstipendium Kunstuniversität Linz

2019 - 2018 Kultur- und Kreativpiloten 2019 I „Urban Terrazzo“     

                    Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie I U-Institut

2018 - 2017 Creative Prototyping Stipendium I „Urban Terrazzo“ 

                     Europäischer Sozialfond, Stadt Berlin, UdK                           

2017 - 2010 STUDIENWERK VILLIGST e.V. scholarship for talented

  and socially engaged students, Bundesministerium für

  Bildung und Forschung

2013 - 2012 DAAD & ERASMUS

                    Design Academy Eindhoven