The Research Group Socio-Ecological Systems and Design investigates the interdependencies of natural – social – technological systems to develop appropriate design competencies for future oriented thrivable ecologies. We work at the interface of science – humanities – engineering/design.
Biologists, economists, engineers, architects, designers, social scientists and philosophers are invited to start a conversation and to exchange individual tools, methodologies, material and ways of operating. We are looking for developing strategies and designing systems of design for a ‘theory and practice of Gestaltung’ in a newly framed environment. Instead of continuing parallel running research projects, we encourage researchers from science, humanities, economics, and engineering disciplines as well as practitioners to collaborate in a transdisciplinary process in order to decode and encode domain and discipline specific modes of working, to strengthen the involved disciplines.
Design (Gestaltung) is more than a human potential. All we as humans do or not do is Gestaltung. The Research Group conducts research that takes the complexity of ecological, social, and technological systems into account and extends the subject matter into the paradigm of design and Gestaltung as living and learning system.
Emerging interdisciplinary design approaches like Transformation Design have been associated with work within communities for socially progressive ends, but also with work within organizations to introduce human-centered design approaches. Research and practice have been related to the role and impact of organizational development, business model innovation, innovation ecosystems, creative communities and social innovation as well as in urban design and regional development, and even the wide debate on the redesign of public services and the welfare state.
Expertise beyond the designers is a requirement! Transformation design tackles large scale complex issues involving many stakeholders and components, and their interdependencies. Co-creative “design with” the system approaches informed by Evolutionary and Social Systems Design insights are applied in holistic, multi-stage, iterative processes to engage with the complex dynamic systems and their constantly arising novel and coherent structures, patterns and properties during the process of self-organization, called emergence.
The Research Group engages in
- Architecture and Spatial Design
- Biological, systemic and computational design strategies
- Urban design (e.g. sustainable urbanism, smart cognitive cities), and regional development
- Biodiversity, agriculture and rural development
- Designing and governing from biosphere reserves to nature sanctuaries
- Design of supply networks in public services (e.g. energy, water, traffic and public transport, information technologies and telecommunications, health care, and education infrastructures) and value networks in business services
- Designing Innovation and Business Ecosystems (cross-overs welcome)
- Designing research and development systems and governmental systems to address the challenges of future oriented thrivable ecologies.
Stefan Blachfellner is the Managing Director of the Bertalanffy Center for the Study of Systems Science (BCSSS) in Vienna, hosting the European Meetings on Cybernetics and Systems Research and the Circular Economy Forum Austria, a former Vice President of the International Society for the Systems Sciences (ISSS), and former Vice President and General Secretary of the International Federation for Systems Research (IFSR). From 2016 to 2018 he was appointed as Special Adviser to the European Commissioner for Transport.
He has broad experience as an entrepreneur and business consultant, and has taught entrepreneurship, leadership, creativity and innovation management, future studies, and various systems theories at several universities and in professional management training programs in Austria, Germany, Slovenia, France, Belgium, China and the USA.
His current projects are focused on the development of a General Systems Transdiscipline, Systems Design, Systemic Innovation and Impact Assessment to improve methods for addressing complex challenges towards the so called Next Economy, in particular the Circular Economy.
Call for Papers and Participation ISSS 2016 Special Integration Group on Socio-Ecological Systems in Boulder, USA, July 24-30, 2016
In 2016 we continue our successful collaboration with the International Society for the Systems Sciences. The Bertalanffy Center for the Study of Systems Science calls for your papers and participation in this years meeting in Boulder, USA from 24-30 July 2016. Stefan Blachfellner, Managing Director of the BCSSS, and Liss…
Stefan Blachfellner, Leader of the BCSSS Research Group “Socio-Ecological Systems and Design” appointed as Special Advisor of the European Commission for Mobility and Transport
In March 2016 Stefan Blachfellner, BCSSS Managing Director and leader of the BCSSS Research Group “Socio-Ecological Systems and Design“, was appointed as Special Advisor of the European Commission for Mobility and Transport „to prepare advice on infrastructure, data, apps, services, networks in the context of multi-modality”. Stefan Blachfellner is…
Several BCSSS members have been invited to the Systemic Inquiry on Governing the Anthropocene. Cybersystemic Possibilities?
The Systemic Inquiry ‘Governing the Anthropocene. Cybersystemic Possibilities?’ was held at Herrenhausen Palace, Hanover from 30-31st July 2015. Stefan Blachfellner (BCSSS Managing Director and IFSR Vice President), David Rousseau (BCSSS Scientific Council Member), Felix Tretter (BCSS Fellow), Thomas Wallner (BCSSS Board Member), and Liss C. Werner (BCSSS Research Group Leader)…
“Transforming Systems through Design” marked the cornerstone for a new research group at the BCSSS
On June 6th 2015 the newly established Research Group on Socio-Ecological Systems and Design led by Stefan Blachfellner at the BCSSS contributed to the International Society for Information Studies Summit at the Technological University in Vienna with a track and workshop on Transforming Systems through Design. The workshop was held…
Call for Papers and Participation ISSS 2015 Special Integration Group on Socio-Ecological Systems
We are excited at the Bertalanffy Center for the Study of Systems Science to share the latest news. Our Call for Papers and Participation for the upcoming 59th Meeting of the International Society for the Systems Sciences held in Berlin, Germany, August 2 – 7, 2015. Stefan Blachfellner, Managing Director…
Invitation to the 3rd B.S.Lab.International Symposium: Advances in Business Management
The Bertalanffy Center for the Study of Systems Science has partnered with the scientific society Business Systems Laboratory after a successful EMCSR and is glad to announce the Call for Papers of the 3rd B.S.Lab.International Symposium: “Advances in Business Management. Towards Systemic Approach” that will be held in Perugia (Italy) at the…
“OnePlanet”
The Bertalanffy Center invites to a discussion of a project idea for a serious game. “OnePlanet” is a computer-based game. The players shall organise themselves such that a planet is run on a sustainable path. This idea is presented by Peter Judmaier. He teaches Media Computing at the University of…
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Recent News
- Keynote at the invitation of CIRCULAR4.0 “The European Green Deal – Economic Potential for SMEs”
- Keynote address at the invitation of Energie Steiermark “Potentials of the Circular Economy”
- Expert interview with Circular Business Academy (CBA), Slovenia on the innovation potential of the circular economy for SMEs
- UNIDO: Global consultations on circular economy
- Mission Innovation Austria 2021: A platform for all drivers and shapers of innovation and the energy system of the future