Between August 23rd and 27th, 2023, Gamescom unfolded in Cologne's Messe Koeln, celebrating the gaming world's diversity, creativity, and passion. Level Infinite collaborated with Walbert Schmitz to craft their exhibition presence, highlighting new and iconic games.
Level Infinite embodies innovation, fervently supporting their teams to deliver unparalleled gaming experiences to players globally, granting studios the liberty to envision and birth groundbreaking games.
At Gamescom 2023, Walbert Schmitz amplified Level Infinite's vision of innovation. Renowned for crafting enduring, impactful transformations, Walbert Schmitz engages audiences with compelling narratives and boundary-pushing concepts. Alongside this, Walbert Schmitz also promote sustainable strategies in event planning and were committed to delivering on Level Infinite’s vision as well as making sure they had clear post event repurposing path for materials used on the stand that reduced impact on the environment and increased impact in the community near to where the event took place.
Guiding the project were three key principles:
Collaborative Approach: In partnership with Walbert-Schmitz's sustainability team and Event Cycle, a detailed plan was crafted for efficient derigging and distributing leftover materials to charities, schools, and other groups.
Responsible use of Resources: Recognising the short lifespan of products in the events industry, there's a focus on sustainable practices and judicious use of materials and energy.
Increasing Social Impact: Beyond just recycling, repurposing materials for community use is prioritized, ensuring both environmental and social needs are addressed
Working with Event Cycle to repurpose materials and hit all three of these principles, Walbert-Schmitz were able to provide benefits to six different organisations in North Rhine-Westphalia with their work.
Caritasverband für die Stadt Köln e.V., an advocate for inclusivity, offers counseling and support for individuals with disabilities to integrate into the workforce. Through their "Caritas Wertarbeit" initiative, they empower people with disabilities by providing job opportunities. Their skilled sewing department will transform the donated exhibition graphics into sustainable fabric tote bags and other products. These creations will find their way to their shop, "CariLädchen," where they'll be sold as part of their noble cause. This endeavor not only supports individuals with disabilities but also embodies the spirit of sustainability and community engagement, encapsulating the essence of a truly inclusive society.
Festausschuss Euskirchener Karneval e. V is a volunteer-run club and stands as a collaborative force in partnership with the City Council and municipal administrations. Its purpose is to champion the essence of the Euskirchen Carnival, uniting local carnival societies and orchestrating the vibrant annual Rose Monday parade. Beyond this, the committee takes on the responsibility of curating the Rose Monday newspaper and curates a remarkable archive.
This archive serves as a treasure trove, chronicling the colorful history of the Euskirchen Carnival since its inception in 1957. From captivating images to medals, and even memorabilia from the yearly carnival royalty, this repository captures the heart and soul of the carnival. The meticulous curation, led by archivist Ulrich Stolz, preserves an array of exhibits including historical costumes, photographs, and documents.
In a significant move this year, the archive is relocating to a new home. To ensure a seamless transition, the carpet from Gamescom 2023 is finding a new purpose. This carpet will be thoughtfully repurposed to create a clean, organised, and inviting environment for all visitors of the new archive.
Das Bergische gGmbH stands as a non-profit endeavor dedicated to the preservation, expansion, and appreciation of local heritage within the Bergisches Land nature park. With an emphasis on both nature and culture, this project company undertakes infrastructural enhancements to enrich the existing recreational offerings within the Bergisches Land cultural landscape. By thoughtfully developing tourism opportunities and promoting them through educational means, Das Bergische gGmbH strengthens the regional identity while enhancing the nature park's recreational essence.
Aiming to amplify their mission, Das Bergische gGmbH is creatively repurposing the wooden plinths from Walbert Schmitz project, which were used for gaming demonstrations. These plinths, now transformed, will serve as captivating platforms to showcase the myriad wonders that the Bergisches Land has to offer.
Also benefiting from the exhibition donations were; PRODIA Kolping WfbM gGmbH a workshop for individuals with psychological disabilities promoting their social inclusion; Sozialwerk St. Georg Werkstätten gGmbH a decentralised social service to enable people with assistance needs to lead self determined lives according to their wishes and needs; and WIR GmbH - Werkstatt für Integration und Rehabilitation, a sheltered workshop with employees with psychological disabilities. Under the guidance of qualified professionals, they are employed in various work areas across their workshops in Bergheim and Hürth, receiving vocational and general education training and further education.
By diverting these materials from the bin and to social causes instead, the team at Walbert Schmitz saved a total of 0.40 tCO2e from being produced in landfill, 1.04 tCO2e from these materials being produced when the charities bought the items new and they have donated a value of £24,116 worth of materials to good causes in the local area. These causes between them contribute towards 5 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Through this project, Walbert Schmitz not only celebrated the world of gaming but also played a pivotal role in uplifting the local community and saving the planet too. The project showcased how collaboration, foresight, and sustainability can lead to meaningful impacts in real-world scenarios.
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