HUNGRY ECOCITIES : Paths to progress Experiments
+ PROJECT
Sprouting Embryonic Futures
Haseeb Ahmed & Sprout Dynamics
SUMMARY
Sprouting Futures is a collaborative experiment between Studio Haseeb Ahmed and Sprout Dynamics within the Hungry EcoCities PPE program. Over the course of the residency, the team developed a prototype sprouter as both a test-bed for experimentation and a display object that echoes Sprout Dynamics’ founding vision: a small-scale, home-based sprouter that is at once practical and captivating.
The project explored the fundamental properties of sprouts and how they might be reimagined as cultural and ecological symbols, rather than focusing solely on efficiency or industrial compliance. Sensing and novel camera techniques provided new insights for growers and offered consumers a deeper relationship with the food we eat.
A public event, speculative scenarios, and commissioned recipes highlighted sprouts as “embryonic foods” — concentrated forms of life energy that nourish both body and imagination.
The outcome of the residency includes a prototype sprouter, a performative public demonstration, and a short publication. Together, these articulate a vision for how sprouts could shape future urban food practices and inspire cultural shifts toward more resilient diets.
““Haseeb Ahmed brings a unique blend of expertise in physics, chemistry, and climate science, combined with a strong ability to translate complex concepts into engaging, tangible experiences. His multidisciplinary approach aligns with our vision of integrating science, technology, and art to optimize sustainable food production.”
Iryna Gavrylova – CEO of Sprout Dynamics
+ ARTIST
Haseeb Ahmed
Belgium
Haseeb Ahmed (b. 1985) is an American artist, educator, and researcher based in Brussels, Belgium. He produces objects, installations, and films. His work is often collaborative and draws from the hard sciences, blending art and aeronautics, myth and technology, to create new narratives.
+ SME
SPROUT DYNAMIC
Industrial sprouting
Copenhagen, DENMARK
Sprout Dynamics ApS is an industrial sprouting technology developer and producer of fresh, frozen and cooked sprouted (flax)seed as a B2B ingredient.
The HungryEcoCities project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement 101069990.