Seven days at sea together: Professor Gesa Foken experienced this alongside five students from the Department of Design as part of the ‘MEER Demokratie’ project. Also on board: Josephine Gerhardt from the independent design and sustainability initiative ‘greenD’. She organises and runs the annual ‘Seaside’ summer schools. The aim of these design expeditions is to raise design students’ awareness even further of sustainable thinking and action, as well as of democratic processes. The journey began in Hyères on the French Côte d’Azur, near Toulon. From there, the group set sail aboard a Vaka catamaran – a faithful yet state-of-the-art replica of a sailing vessel once used by Polynesian seafarers. The project was supported by the Okeanos Foundation, which funded not only the boat but also three experienced female sailors.