In March 2021, the Research and Technology House of Graz University of Technology (TU Graz), the Institutes of Architecture and Media and of Spatial Design, together with “Printkultur”, a service department of the TU Graz Students’ Union, initiated the platform StudentsART. In the spirit of the strategic focus of the “entrepreneurial university”, TU Graz students gained the opportunity to publicize and exploit their student work for the first time.
Since then, objects have been sold that have been produced in the context of courses or created as a final project. In short, unique pieces by design talents, such as artistically designed seating furniture, high-quality acoustic panels or artistic ornaments and three-dimensional cityscapes made of special paper.
Just a few days after the launch, a large number of the exclusive individual pieces were sold out and the online shop operator Printkultur had its hands full keeping up with the demand.
New eye-catchers for sale
Now there are new products in the programme. Both in the previous product genres (furniture, ornaments, cities and acoustics) and in the form of new categories. For the first time there are decorative cushions made of organic cotton as well as 3D-printed ceramics, such as flower pots, vases and a wine rack in the range.
The alginate artworks by Ivan Marjanović are a special highlight. Alginate is extracted from brown algae and is mainly used in the food industry as a gelling and thickening agent, but also in cosmetics and textiles. In his final thesis for his Master’s degree in architecture, Marjanović looked at alginates as a sustainable alternative to conventional building materials such as stone or concrete.
Experience products live
The TU Graz graduate’s experiments resulted in spectacular works that have already been exhibited many times over; among others, at Pula Aquarium and most recently at the Ars Electronica Center Linz. Now parts of the series “ALG-A – Algae Architecture” are being presented in Graz. Together with selected pieces of furniture from the StudentsART online shop, they will adorn the shop windows of the fashion boutiques Secret Room (Hans-Sachs-Gasse 14) and Pilatus (Stempfergasse 4) until January. A welcome opportunity to have a look at the products not only online but also physically before buying.
