In times of resurgence of ultra-nationalistic and xenophobic tendencies across Europe, education and awareness-raising for all age groups about the history of the Holocaust are of paramount for agency and civil engagement. Stefan Sonvilla-Weiss examines commemorative culture and its transformation towards interactive and participatory experiences through a novel form of visitor engagement at the Mauthausen memorial visiting center. This unique space from an arts-based and media research project builds on human-centered design and individual and collective experiences of contributing to a living memory culture.

Stefan Sonvilla-Weiss, born in 1961, has held full professor and administrative positions at the Aalto University, School of Art, Design and Architecture, Finland, and the Kunstuniversität Linz, Austria. He is currently a senior faculty member at the college of Media and Communication Sciences at Zayed University Abu Dhabi, Dubai.