It wasn’t long ago that ‘Biodesign’, as in designing using biological systems that exist in nature – microorganisms, bacteria, biological waste et cetera, was a term unbeknownst to many. Not dissimilar to the microorganisms from which it’s founded, its presence and potential is evolving, proliferating perhaps, into mainstream understanding. Biodesign now sits at the forefront of innovation in material futures.
Central Saint Martins get it. So much so that in 2019 the university became one of the first in the world to welcome a cohort of hybrid minds onto its new course, MA Biodesign.
“Although a recent discipline, Biodesign is growing at an exponential speed and permeating all fields of design and interdisciplinary subjects,” says Nancy Diniz, MA Biodesign Course Leader. “On MA Biodesign, we develop impactful and feasible sustainable design solutions by following and developing rigorous lab experimental protocols that integrate biological systems into creative design solutions. We grow and manipulate living organisms to calibrate design strategies that drive new forms of seeing, thinking, mapping and making. This is already making a difference in the industry.”
And, last week, the next generation of biodesigners came together to showcase a collection of technologies once unfathomable at the class of 2023’s graduate show. Hosted at the Kings Cross campus, the exhibition featured prototypes, installations and concepts that demonstrate biodesign’s promise to address environmental challenges across fashion, architecture, food and further. This year’s interdisciplinary makers set about to consider the real-world applications of their labour, ‘Post-Petri’ – beyond the petri dish.
With furs, fibres and dyes made from invasive plants like nettles, Xue Chen’s ‘Bio-Invasive Library’ sets about as a solution for both fashion and ecology. By using invasive plants, Chen aids in the prevention of lost biodiversity not to mention the inhumane use of animal furs. It takes the form of a library or reference point for designers looking for alternative materials because of Chen’s extensive research and experimentation into the application of different techniques such as felting and spinning and how they can be applied to yarns from invasive plants to create different material textures.
“I used abundant invasive plant resources found in the N1C area of London as a designated experimental site. By conducting a comprehensive inventory of invasive plants in London and comparing it to the local resources, I was able to create a map of invasive plant distribution,” says Chen. “Using exclusively plants from these regions in my dying processes therefore plays a part in the management of invasive plants which would otherwise threaten local biodiversity and require excessive financial resources for treatment and prevention.”
‘The Sweeeet Side’ by Liv Tsim blew my mind. Just wait for it. It’s tomorrow’s confectionery. Considering the role that electronics and chemical pollution play in “a new colonialism of our environment,” as she puts it, Tsim is creating edible candy using bacteria and waste copper. Taking the form of a mobile candy cart, Tsim uses bioleaching and cooking processes to make electronic waste into something edible. “To combat E-waste is a long journey. We can start imagining our sustainable future with a small but sweet bite,” says Tsim. Through such a project, Tsim hopes to raise the possibility of connecting the material flow of metals from industrial systems with our future food chain as a sustainable and interconnected ecosystem.
Jessica Evans is fascinated by the carbon impact of digital fashion and its visualisation. A future in the Metaverse has made novel concepts like NFTs and digital garments, hyper customised and made in collaboration between humans and machines, a possibility. “The textile and apparel field, one of the most polluting industries on the planet, can leverage a digital future that is informed with greater control over its environmental impact,” says Evans. “Digital fashion is a part of this transition. It can enable industry democratisation, increase stability and greater creativity, creating garments which would be physically impossible in the real world. But – the invisible carbon impact of this technology must be considered.” This is where Evan’s project comes in.
Evans has created a cyber-physical system, namely ‘The Alginator’, that measures energy used in the making of a particular digital garment on a computer, it then calculates the estimated carbon emission and off-sets an equalised quantity of carbon in an algae bioreactor, which, since algae is the fastest carbon eater on the planet, is then “eaten” via photosynthesis.
Evans isn’t the only one using Algae on the MA Biodesign course. In her project ‘Grown Blur’, Boqun Huang uses microalgae cultivation to produce naturally and sustainably grown pigments which can then be incorporated into textiles using Indonesian traditional heritage weaving technique, Ikat. Huang’s project sits at the nexus of past and present, paying homage to artisanal craftsmanship while promoting sustainable fashion practice through novel technologies. Ikat is a centuries old art form that involves resist-dyeing threads before weaving them.
“Microalgae are known for their rapid growth and rich pigment content. When cultivated in a controlled environment, and combined with Ikat, we can grow algae on the yarns before weaving. These natural pigments serve as a sustainable and renewable alternative to the synthetic and chemical dyes commonly used in fashion,” says Huang.
‘Melwear’ by Maca Barrera harnesses the power of microbes to protect our bodies from harmful UV radiation, which, as a result of the climate crisis, is increasing due to ozone depletion. Taking the form of membrane – a second skin, I suppose, Barrera explores the possibility of using bacterial melanin as a naturally derived sunscreen with UV absorbance and antioxidant properties – that can also help protect the health of ecosystems.
WTF! Right? The future is now.