The University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU) explores, in research and teaching, all the big questions relating to the human biotope of the future, such as sustainable safeguarding and viable use of natural resources. For the 150-year anniversary of the university, Folke Köbberling was commissioned by BIG ART to conceive a jubilee wagon that brings these issues to the urban space of Vienna with a clear message for action in the face of human-cause climate change. In June, KÖR is hosting the jubilee wagon in different public places in Floridsdorf.

The shape of the enterable vehicle is reminiscent of a construction trailer, although its outer hull consists of organic materials like raw sheep wool and climbing plants. It covers a robot-made high-precision wooden construction coming from the university’s Institute of Structrual Engineering and provides a platform to launch the question for possible solutions or approaches to them. QR codes attached to the wagon enable listening to interviews conducted by the artist with BOKU teachers about subjects like climate change or scarcity of resources. The wagon has fold-out benches for use as a place of communication and discussion. Back on the BOKU premises, the wagon will leave signs of sustainable transformation, for example, by unsealing paved surfaces, by laying compostable cobblestones, or by installing a noise protection wall of raw sheep wool.