The Sustainability Lighthouse – a Makerspace concept for wicked problems and AI

Mapped principles

The project is mapped to the following framework principles: 

P5. Available experimental environments

P1. Essential knowledge of the subject  

P2. Ability to handle wicked problems for a sustainable societal development  

P3. Active student-centred learning 

P4. Assessment and examination for learning  

P6. Vibrant campus  

P7. User-oriented support services

Definitions of the principles

Contact

Martin Rissler research engineer

mrissler@kth.se

Profile

Project number 

This project is implemented at the School of Architecture and the Built Environment (ABE) within the Future Education programme (project no. 2605-ABE) 

Project context 

In an open makerspace, students, teachers, and researchers can collaborate, learn, and teach on everything from ideas to complex research questions and technologies, moving from theory to practice in a setting where a prototype can be tested in reality. 

Makerspaces already exist at some KTH schools (for example at EECS and CBH), but there is no open makerspace at ABE, despite the school’s long tradition of experimental learning. None of the makerspaces identified has developed an ethical and sustainable perspective. 

If ABE develops an open makerspace with these additional dimensions, ABE can become an inspiration and a pioneer in KTH’s work on sustainability, which can then be spread and integrated with makerspaces at other schools. This would strengthen KTH’s ability to educate students to handle complex sustainability challenges at the intersection of technology, AI, ethics, and practice.

Purpose (outcome) 

The more long-term purpose of the project is to strengthen KTH’s ability to educate students to handle complex sustainability challenges at the intersection of technology, AI, ethics, and practice, based on a scientific and ethical framework, “Hållbarhetsfyren” (The Sustainability Lighthouse). The proposal also connects to the stated focus of Future Education 2026 on wicked problems, makerspaces, and AI. 

The purpose of the pre-study project is to create a robust basis for decision-making and application for the main project, Hållbarhetsfyren, next year. 

Project results (output) 

The project will deliver the following concrete results: 

• a documented needs and external analysis for Hållbarhetsfyren, including a current overview of relevant initiatives, learning environments, and potential collaboration partners within and outside ABE; 
• a concept description for Hållbarhetsfyren that clarifies the pedagogical idea, target groups, use cases, connection to sustainability, AI, and wicked problems, as well as the relationship between theory and practice;
• a requirements overview and preliminary implementation plan for a future makerspace or educational initiative, including possible forms of premises, equipment, support resources, organisation, and operation; 
• a basis for a larger project application in 2027, including target vision, expected results, resource assessment, budget framework, risks, stakeholders, and plan for scaling and dissemination; 
• a brief summary of recommendations to ABE and Future Education on possible next steps. 

Time plan 

Start date: 2026-04-01
End date: 2027-03-01 

Project documentation 

If you have a KTH ID, you can read the documents when logged in: 

• Poster (English): Poster_FrU26vt_2605-ABE_Hållbarhetsfyren.pdf  
• Project directive (Swedish): Projektdirektiv_FrU26_2605-ABE_Hållbarhetsfyren.pdf