Sophia Reißenweber

Sophia Reißenweber is an Artistic Associate in Industrial Design at Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design Halle, specializing in design in digital contexts since 2024. Her work bridges research and industry with a focus on sustainable production and consumption systems.

Her research interests center on developing design strategies for biotechnological processes and initiating circular, locally anchored value creation systems. She explores the intersection of digital fabrication, sustainable materials, and social-ecological transformation through hands-on design projects that address pressing environmental challenges.

Reißenweber's work demonstrates consistent trends across multiple projects: transforming waste streams into valuable resources (HYNER, RESUS), creating open and participatory design systems (MFG, Break-up Lab), and developing sustainable alternatives for everyday products (APOTHEEKE, FLUSHED). Her approach integrates digital tools with sustainable material innovation to create holistic design solutions.

• Finalist Newcomer Design Award 2025
• Bundespreis Ecodesign Winner: Break-up Lab 2024
• Giebichenstein Design Award Winner: Break-up Lab 2024
• Pure Talents Contest Winner: MFG 2024
• Designblok Prague Diploma Selection Winner: Break-up Lab 2024

As an educator, Reißenweber teaches courses on Complex Design and CAD modeling at Burg Giebichenstein, focusing on sustainable design methodologies and digital fabrication techniques. She has also taught at the Kassel Art Academy in the Department of Sustainable Product Design. Beyond academia, she serves on the board of das Bedürfnis e.V., an art and culture association that repurposes unused urban spaces in Halle (Saale), demonstrating her commitment to community engagement and social transformation through design.

Her work spans multiple collaborative spaces including the BioLab at Burg Giebichenstein (2022-2024) and the BurgMaterial research project (2021-2023), where she contributed to developing and communicating sustainable materials and processes. These labs serve as interdisciplinary hubs connecting design, science, and industry to address sustainability challenges through innovative approaches.