At the heart of Urban Refuge are the students of Institut auf dem Rosenberg, who place their own learning and creativity at the center of this exhibition. Building on Earth Story—an initiative first developed at MIT—its educational curriculum found its practice in collaboration with Rosenberg students aged 6 to 18, who have co-designed and prototyped the immersive installation now presented in New York.

Urban Refuge is composed of modular earthen structures and interactive stations where visitors are invited to test soils, build clay modules, map thermal comfort, and contribute creative fragments to a growing installation. Student-led sessions are complemented by collaborating partners, including members of the MIT team, as well as Climateflux, Climate Words, Loop + Line, the Smithsonian Science Education Center, Vitra, and the Diplomatic Courier, who together bring scientific, cultural, and artistic perspectives into the space.

This three-day activation explores how design can respond locally to global urban challenges, blending traditional material knowledge with digital experimentation and collective storytelling. More than an exhibition, it is a living laboratory: a place where young people, artisans, and global experts meet to rethink the future of climate-resilient urban life.