Issuu

2019•2021

2020•2022

2021•2023

2022•2024

2023•2025

FIVE LIFECYCLES OF MA BIODESIGN: 2019 ~ 2023 WINDOW GALLERY CSM 14.12 - 23.01.23

REVOLUTIONS showcases five generations of MA Biodesign projects. Each incorporates workflows that embed biological systems, data and interconnectedness into their design processes.

Introduction Curatorial Note

5 7

2019 - 2021 Co-Obradoiro Galego Blimey! Algae Vodka

11 15

2020-2022 The Soothing Cup Cassiopeia Maldives Pearl Collective Weaving Worlds Decomposition Library

21 25 29 33

2021-2023 S.A.L.T Frankenflowers BioSoothe Eclosion Pearlescence of the Future Melwear Bactoware

39 43 47 51 55 59 63

2022-2024 Living Minerals: Treasured Enchantments Living Minerals: Alps wonderland Meta-moth-osis

69 73 77

2023-2025 MOD Eco-systems: Terraria Ornamentia

Acknowledgements

Introduction

“REVOLUTIONS is a showcase of 16 projects from five cohorts of Masters in Biodesign at Central Saint Martins. Since 2019, MA Biodesign has developed workflows that embed biological systems, data and interconnectedness into design processes to revalue, remediate, regenerate, and revolutionise. The work shown integrates biological systems and their interconnectedness, adaptation, and circularity in different ways to find solutions to complex environmental and social issues. Biodesign is an emergent field, with new trends rapidly developing. Like in the natural world, each designer’s creative process evolves the scientific knowledge and creative work which came before it. Exhibited chronologically along a delicate continuous ribbon, viewers are invited to follow the evolution of the intricate process of Biodesign and to consider how each project may be an ancestor for your next REVOLUTION.”

Curatorial Note

REVOLUTIONS was, first and foremost, a project to build community. With more than 130 students having studied MA Biodesign at Central Saint Martins, we wanted to connect alumnis and current students to encourage interconnectedness between generations of biodesigners. REVOLUTIONS draws attention to evolutionary processes and nature’s circularity. Not only are these principles embodied in each project, but they are also reflected in each designer’s creative process and the radical projects created. The exhibition features a hanging purple ribbon painted by first-year Biodesign student Kirsten Tingle. This ribbon chronologically weaves together possibilities beyond the norm, emphasises the contrast between humankind and nature, and highlights the intricate process of Biodesign. As visitors progress along this “catwalk”, they witness how Biodesign has progressed over the years, adapting and evolving. The viewer is invited to consider the future direction of what is to come as the exhibition reimagines scientific language through minimalism. The “neo-nature” colour palette and cubic space-age forms infuse a futuristic and modular quality. Textures add depth, and using translucent sheets highlights the project’s future speculations.

scientific research behind these projects and the significance they have had in their field. We have worked hard to limit the impact of the exhibition as much as possible. Most materials used are workshop waste – all furniture has been borrowed – and all inks and paints are water based. We are particularly proud to have not used vinyl for window lettering. Instead we have developed a way of stencilling soil directly onto the glass. Finally, we would like to thank all of the designers who have volunteered their time to support the creation of this exhibition. In particular, Paul Treichl, for his work developing the graphics and imagery; Namita Bhatnagar, for her help procuring materials and Kirsten Tingle, for her artwork. Chris Bellamy MA Biodesign 2022-2024 - @bio.crafted Paula Camiña Eiras MA Biodesign 2019-2021 - @paula.camina

Our collaboration with the Curation Society has allowed us to extend the impact of this exhibition through printed literature and an audio guide – allowing viewers to understand the detailed

2019-2021

Co-Obradoiro Galego

Paula Camiña Eiras

Co-Obradoiro Galego, Paula Camiña Eiras

‘Co-Obradoiro Galego’ revitalises traditional basket weaving techniques by repurposing seashell waste into a flexible biobased material. Aiming to address the environmental issues in Paula’s home region of Galicia and its interconnection with the decline in local crafts, this project seeks to design from an ecological and sociocultural perspective. Historically, basketry techniques made from vegetal fibres were passed on through familial generations and often sold to fishermen. However, due to climate change leading to forest fires and the restrictive impact of invasive monoculture tree species, the wood used for many years to craft these baskets is no longer available. Upon noticing the abundance of wasted seafood shells, paired with the overwhelming use of synthetic fishing tools, a bridge between the fishing industry and traditional basketweaving practices soon formed.

This brought Paula to produce a flexible yarn made from powdered crustacean waste which she explored in weaving techniques once learnt through families or schools, such as wicker and split wood that are steadily declining in interest. By opening up a collaborative dialogue between local basket weavers, Paula seeks to rejuvenate value in the craft and educate the younger generations on the local ecological issues impacting their region. She views her baskets as more of an artistic vessel for starting conversations than an innovative product for utilitarian consumption.

biodesigners to design more as we enter the era of the Anthropocene. Paula hopes that through her basketry, one will learn not only about the importance of traditional weaving crafts but also of the value of biodiversity and the Galician forests.

When we think of biodesign, we often think of innovation through a futuristic lens. Paula instead believes we must first understand the past in order to find solutions to the present and the future. As biodesign acts as a tool to connect humans and non-humans, she feels that there is an ever-increasing need for 13

Blimey! Algae Vodka Kit Ondaatje Rolls

Blimey! Algae Vodka, Kit Ondaatje Rolls

‘Blimey! Algae Vodka’ is an alcoholic product created from repurposing high-starch-producing algae through fermentation and distillation focused on designing within environmental circularity. Initially inspired by the ‘Spirit’ prompt from the LVMH brief ‘Design for Nature’, Kit began investigating how traditional methods of creating spirits relied on monoculture crops such as potatoes and wheat grown with large amounts of fertilisers. These fertilisers are washed into streams during rainfall, leading to the process of eutrophication, where an excess of fertiliser in a body of water causes algae to build up on the water’s surface. This blocks out light, resulting in plants underwater dying and the fish that feed on them, eventually impacting the entire aquatic ecosystem. Upon researching algae and its connection to biofuels and, subsequently, to bioethanol, Kit began exploring how algae could act as an alternative to these monoculture crops when making spirits and preventing further eutrophication.

Algae proved to be the perfect candidate as it uses less space and grows at a faster rate than traditionally high-starch monoculture crops. Kit also found that the excess biomass at the end can be repurposed as a natural fertiliser as a replacement for artificial fertiliser. This attention to a material’s byproducts and valuing the regenerative aspects of her Biodesign eventually led her to upcycle this biomass into the packaging of her final product. Kit aims for circularity to be at the heart of her product, whereby everything would either feed back into the overall system or be used as a byproduct by collaborators or other industries in order to transform a ‘waste’ product into something desirable. She believes that REVOLUTIONS morphs between innovation and tradition where we, as humans, have the opportunity to relearn, remember and re-evolve our relationship to the world around us.

2020-2022

The Soothing Cup Lucrezia Alessandroni

The Soothing Cup, Lucrezia Alessandroni

What if a living object could reconnect humans with their menstrual cycle and change the way we perceive it? ‘The Soothing Cup’ explores a speculative future reimaging the interaction between the menstrual body, the vaginal environment, and a living menstrual cup. The vaginal microbiome plays a central role in preventing vaginal infections and resorting to balance, as well as reducing symptoms of dysmenorrhea. These severe menstrual cramps affect around 80% of people who menstruate. However, recent studies have highlighted how most menstrual hygiene products and pain relief medication affect our bodies and the planet by interfering with the healthy microbes we live with. Furthermore, the patriarchal and capitalistic culture has perpetuated the stigma around periods by promoting the production of single-use products that have negatively influenced the behaviours of many generations.

Thanks to an incubator that acts as a surrogate vagina, people who menstruate can cultivate their anti-inflammatory bacteria and let them colonise their cups once a month. When off-menses, the user is asked to take care of the cup by adjusting both growing and maintenance paraments. The level of care required in this ritual creates an intimate connection between the menstruator and the cup and thus reduces the desire to purchase single-use hygiene products. Thanks to this process, menstruators increase their awareness of periods whilst challenging the societal stigma. The menstrual cycle then becomes the perfect ground to open up a conversation about the social and environmental transition towards a Post Waste and Post Anthropocentric future.

‘The Soothing Cup’ explores a future where menstruators are deeply attached to their menstrual cups, establishing a mutualistic relationship as an alternative to chemically preventing periods. The development of an algae-based hydrogel allows the cup to become a membrane able to interact with the vaginal environment.

Cassiopeia Maldives Pearl Collective Collier Michelle Lowe-Holder

Cassiopeia Mother of Pearl V-Collier / Pearl Drop bracelet / Hoop Earring , Michelle Lowe-Holder Photo by Carlo Zambon Model Lily Hopkins Hair & Makeup Melissa Lee Studio & Shoot Assistant Grace Liu

The “Cassiopeia Maldives Pearl Collective” group proposal aimed to create a community centre around the first Maldivian pearl farm as a long term solution to the growing problems with climate change. By leveraging the pearl’s bioremediation abilities the “pterna sterna oyster” enhances coastal biodiversity with the potential to foster future resilient local enterprises. Local fishing and rope-making skills were researched with the intention of transferring heritage skills to cultured pearl aquaculture systems and handcrafted products. The pearl and mother of pearl collection was designed as a speculative concept by Michelle Lowe-Holder. Utilising all parts of the pearl and oyster shell - the jewellry addresses conservation while simultaneously creating employment in the communities most affected by overfishing, microplastic pollution and rising sea levels.

Graphics by Alex Huller Illustration by Jiayu Flora Yang Cassiopeia Pearl Centre by Jasper Zehetgruber Film by Eva Pujol https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=hE4CP00ayiE

The collection emphasises hand weaving and explores the symbolism of the classic “Figure 8” shape, representing concepts of “limitless,” “infinity,” and “love.” The numeral “8” holds positive meanings in various historical religions and traditions, from reincarnation in Buddhism to gods and eight-sided shapes in ancient Greece and Egypt. Islamic faith references eight angels carrying the throne of Allah and the eight gates of heaven. In the Bible, Jesus delivers his “eight Beatitudes” in the Sermon on the Mount, while in Judaism, “8” signifies “Life.” Today, “Figure 8” symbolises good luck in modern-day Asia, with Japan associating it with prosperity and China considering “8” the luckiest of all numbers.

Embarking on a transformative chapter from 2020 to 2022, Michelle immersed herself in the MA Biodesign, integrating principles of circularity, regeneration, and bio luxury into her artistic oeuvre. Through her showcased work, she aspires to present a rich tapestry of solutions for future design, encapsulating the diversity and ingenuity inherent in their artistic endeavours.

“Cassiopeia Maldives Pearl Collective” research and concept development Group 4 - Michelle Lowe-Holder , Jasper Zehetgruber, Eva Pujol, Jiayu Flora Yang.

Weaving Worlds Jasper Zehetgruber

Weaving Worlds, Jasper Zehetgruber

Unlike humans, weaver ants do not have categories of good and evil and no nations. Instead, they have societies and communicate through pheromones rather than language. Each choice or move the weaver ants make is much more fluid than humans.

‘Weaving Worlds’ utilises the collective intelligence and construction behaviours of weaver ant societies to explore alternative methods of mapping the internet. Weaver ants create nests by connecting leaves, creating a spider weblike material. They live in the leaves until they have withered, and then they proceed to move to a new location and build a new cocoon. Jasper finds it interesting how weaver ants understand the world and construct cocoons out of organic material in a way similar to collaging and piecing pieces together rather than how humans have a more structured understanding of the world. He views the ants as “situationists,” making maps as collages as they form their nests. He tried to understand how the ants might look at the world and understand it.

With this understanding, Jasper collaborated with the weaver ants to reconstruct a map of the internet, a space historically holding great power imbalances regionally. He explored giving the ants squares of paper representing different densities of IP addresses clustered in different locations, represented by different colours. Jasper iterated with a few different formats of collaborating with the ants to produce a visual map output highlighting how we currently divide the world into zones of power. His hope through the project output is that viewers might have a new perspective on how our world is organised today and how we might learn from weaver ants how the world might have less power imbalance.

Decomposition Library Hana Hudson

Decomposition Library, Hana Hudson

‘Decomposition Library’ catalogues the deterioration of various plant-based textiles and the intricacies of soil health. After founding a small design studio, Hana soon found her responsibility to the nuances of how her products are made and sourced sharpened. This led Hana to research the greenwashing of large corporations wanting to “decompose everything” yet remaining vague with what this process entails or how they aim to achieve this goal. Noticing a need for textile literacy and driven by her concern about the mounting accumulation of textile waste observed from her fashion design background, ‘Decomposition Library’ was formed.

Hana especially enjoys how this experience brought about a unique sense of empathy and care to the life cycle of fashion. The textile industry is very opaque, and we don’t know what dyes or finishes our clothes are treated with. How these production processes eventually affect the compost it will decay in also often remains elusive. Everything that grows will eventually decompose, but Hana believes in an ideal world, it would benefit the health of the soil instead of harming it. This website archive aims to improve material literacy and reintroduce to designers how a material behaves in its entirety instead of solely how it looks or feels.

Hana began by observing the weekly decomposing effects of compost on her repurposed textile scraps under controlled environments where the temperature, moisture and pH levels were kept consistent. Compost houses around 9 billion microorganisms; the soil is beaming with life, and within this project, an unlikely type of interspecies collaboration is cultivated.

Hana believes biodesign should aim to reattach the biological and environmental processes around us to other industries, creating a more circular, robust system. She hopes that sharing this decomposition archive opens the door to further biodesign and fashion design collaborations in the future.

2021-2023

S.A.L.T

Sanna Rokka

S.A.L.T, Sanna Rokka

‘S.A.L.T’ introduces a groundbreaking approach to disrupting traditional material norms in interior and architecture. Sanna identified salt as her desired material, seeking to work with a base element fundamental to Earth’s systems since far back in time. She then investigated existing waste streams and identified two: salt brine as a byproduct of seawater desalination and discarded textiles. Currently, the treatment that saltwater goes through to become freshwater produces intense salt brine that is ten times saltier than ocean saltwater. This salt brine is then typically pumped back into the ocean and destroys the delicate balance of ocean ecosystems. Sanna, therefore, chose this brine and decided to rethink how it can be more circular within the context of built interior environments. Sanna has experimented with discarded textiles, plastic netting, and metal wire to create handcrafted scaffoldings that she submerges into a saltwater bath and crystallises into structures that become rigid. A unique material emerges from this process, mirroring nature’s beauty with rippling, organic structures. She is particularly curious about how structures created with salt brine crystallisation can be considered in the interior environment, e.g. as walls. As these structures can be continuously resubmerged, dissolved, and re-crystallized into new shapes, this has the potential to help change perspectives on the life cycle of structures that form and currently consist of in our built environment. Now, the structures in our daily life are rigid, non-moving, and unchanging. Using ‘S.A.L.T.’ can bring texture, movement, and natural elements into public spaces and increase engagement with the spaces we inhabit. 41

Frankenflowers Millicent Sutton

Frankenflowers, Millicent Sutton

‘Frankenflowers’ is a human-centred project designed from the perspective of a flower, which delves into the complexities of floriculture and the aestheticised yet damaging relationships humans cultivate with flowers. The skyrocketing desirability of ‘Tulip Mania’, for example, soon saw bulbs being infected with tulipbreaking virus in order to induce colourful striped patterns. This led Millicent to examine mimicry, a defensive process of mirroring predators in flowers, such as the phalaenopsis orchids, which utilise this to attract pollinators. What if the plants adopting genetic modifications begin to view humans as a threat? Would they start mirroring humans? After conducting a study with 120 participants investigating what body part was most disliked, Millicent pursued these questions through anthropomorphic Frankenstein-esque combinations of orchids with ears, a body part which ranked surprisingly high in this study. This soon developed into imagining how future plant evolutions could adopt these defensive mechanisms against wider human-influenced issues such as climate

change. In her toothed poppy sculpture, she investigates how poppies, in their unusual favouring of phosphorous-rich soil, could be utilised to soak up excess phosphorous and help maintain a smoothly run ecosystem. For Millicent, Biodesign should make scientific research more conspicuous to engage with. She aims to generate uncomfortable feelings within the viewer, where the uncanny meets the familiar as humans are made more aware of their anthropocentric impact on the natural world. We need to be more thoughtful of our actions and how we impact ecosystems by reflecting on how we can support other species. Millicent believes that we, as biodesigners, need to support each other and collaborate more, as we need people from biology and design to work together to find more feasible solutions to these ecological problems.

BioSoothe

Namita Bhatnagar

BioSoothe, Namita Bhatnagar

In an era marked by the detachment of urban living from the natural world, “Biosoothe: Co-Culturing Rituals” aims to revive the use of natural remedies by harnessing the potential of microalgae and bacterial cellulose. These organisms have a wide range of beneficial properties, and they can be used to create a variety of skincare and healing products. Rooted in the ancient traditions of natural remedies and healing practices, ‘BioSoothe’ seeks to revitalise a relationship that has long been overshadowed by the allure of synthetic and industrialised alternatives pushed by modern pharmaceuticals. “Humans have long used natural remedies derived from plants, animals, and their byproducts. This practice is rooted in a symbiotic relationship between humans and non-human organisms, as both parties

benefit from each other’s existence.” The project’s inspiration lies in this historical harmony between humans and diverse organisms, where both parties flourished through cooperation. The final contraption is set up for the requirements of diverse algae to be cared for, maintained, extracted, and used, and serves as a reminder of the constant human interaction these organisms call for. Similar to the building blocks of possibility, its modular design speaks to versatility and adaptability. This innovation transcends the mundane, inviting users to engage with a transformative futuristic narrative where skincare becomes a ritualistic journey that harmonises efficiency with centuries-old wisdom.

Eclosion

Shuyao Gong

Eclosion: Birth of a Plastic-Degrading Symbiont, Shuyao Gong

‘Eclosion: Birth of a Plastic-Degrading Symbiont’ introduces a novel organism capable of digesting microplastics and aiding in coral health. Symbionts are organisms living in symbiosis with each other, contributing to the breakdown of plastic. Creating organisms that do not exist in nature involves synthetic biology; this field combines biology and engineering principles to design and construct new biological entities with desired functions. This project is an innovative response to the escalating issues of plastic pollution and coral degradation. Anchored in extensive literature review to ensure informed and responsible decisionmaking, the research is aligned with sustainable development principles, aiming for long-term environmental benefits and minimal negative impacts.This represents a transformation for threatened marine ecosystems, turning human-created waste into a source of nutrition, like nitrogen and phosphorus. They can be released into the surrounding waters to serve as natural fertilisers for coral reefs and help address nutrient deficiencies in areas impacted by human activities. The organism is specifically designed to be resilient to changes in sea temperature, diseases, and pollution. Utilising the inherent porosity of loofahs, Gong has integrated vesicles into the organism’s anatomy to enhance its structure. This structural and organic fortitude allows the organism to thrive in fluctuating marine environments.

Biodesign, at its core, involves applying principles of biology, ecology, and sustainable design to create solutions that are effective and harmonious with nature, influencing Gong’s approach significantly. Exploring various integrations of these fields has been a key driving force in her work, guiding the development of the project.Beyond this, ‘Eclosion: Birth of a Plastic-Degrading Symbiont’ proposes a new conservation model, empowering nature’s self-healing and transitioning the narrative from environmental harm to restoration, resilience, and harmonious co-existence. The research is aligned with sustainable development principles, aiming for long-term environmental benefits and minimal negative impacts.

Pearlescence of the Future Mia Luong

Pearlescence of the Future, Mia Luong

Mia’s persistent fascination with pearls has always been the root of her art practice. The only gemstones sourced from a living organism led her to a stark realisation— the alarming depletion of oysters and oyster reefs. This revelation inspired her to envision a world bereft of oysters, prompting the development of a groundbreaking concept—creating pearls entirely within the lab. Her inspiration for delving into Biodesign is deeply rooted in a profound passion for sustainability cultivated during her undergraduate studies in Product & Industrial Design. Fuelled by a deep appreciation for the intricate balance of nature, her journey in Biodesign is propelled by a sincere desire to be a catalyst for positive change. Biodesign, in her view, is an approach that draws inspiration from nature’s ingenious ways of living—a deliberate and thoughtful process harmonising human innovation with the delicate balance of the natural world. This philosophy underpins her artistic practice, particularly evident in ‘Pearlescence of the Future,’ a piece

situated within the biomimetic aspect of the REVOLUTIONS exhibition. Here, she explores revalue and regeneration, proposing a sustainable approach to crafting pearls through biomimetics and regenerative materials like cellulose, adapting traditional techniques for a futuristic jewellery landscape. For the exhibition, her vision is to showcase the evolution of the Biodesign course, highlighting the fusion of biology, creativity, design freedom, design thinking, technology, and more. ‘Pearlescence of the Future’ offers an immersive experience, encouraging viewers to contemplate the transformative potential of Biodesign in reshaping the futuristic jewellery landscape. She wants the visitors to be inspired and see it as an educational platform that informs the public about the significance of design in various aspects of life, immersing themselves in the world of Biodesign and seeing its potential and how it can change the future.

Melwear

Maca Barrera

Melwear, Maca Barrera

And harness the incredible power of these organisms, which may be invisible to the naked eye yet possess essential capabilities to protect the body and preserve lives.

The initial inspiration stemmed from the connection between the body, microbes, and the environment. Our health and wellbeing depend entirely on the ecosystem’s health and the microbes found there. Contact with nature influences the diversity of our skin microbiome through simple acts such as touch and breathing, ultimately contributing to enhanced health. However, Maca observed a prevalent perspective that viewed the body as a capsule, protecting it from all forms of microorganisms. This approach, she argued, not only eradicated harmful bacteria but also eliminated healthy microbes capable of safeguarding the body from pathogens.

The primary focus of ‘Melwear’ was the exploration and production of bacterial melanin as a biocompatible and biodegradable alternative to conventional sun protection methods. Firstly, UV radiation stands out as a pervasive environmental stressor encountered daily, leading to sunburn, photoaging, and even skin cancer. Secondly, there are adverse effects associated with traditional sunscreens on human health, the environment, and marine ecosystems. Every year, tons of sunscreens end up on waterways; when we swim or shower, these filters wash off and enter the environment, negatively affecting marine wildlife, contributing to coral bleaching and causing bioaccumulation of UV filters within food webs. ‘Melwear’ is a speculative project that aims to push the boundaries of what we currently know as UV protection and explore solutions that consider a balance between human and environmental health. Working in an intersection with sciences, we can combine different skill sets and perspectives to drive innovation and address current challenges while building a brighter future from a hearth-centric perspective.

The project aimed to reestablish a connection with microbes, seeking to learn from them and understand their biological systems.

Bactoware

Crystal Wang

Bactoware, Crystal Wang

‘Bactoware’ leverages Sporosacina Pasteurii bacteria for biomineralisation to make earthenware, bridging the gap between traditional craft and Biodesign. While traditional ceramics making puts many strains on the environment, ‘Bactoware’ provides a way for artists and makers to craft and sculpt in a revolutionary, eco-friendly way surrounded by this biological phenomenon. Rather than conventional kiln firing, ‘Bactoware’ uses waste seashells from the food industry or household waste and pulverises them to a particle size that works well with the bacteria’s preferences to initiate a metabolic process to produce calcite. This process is called Microbial Induced Calcite Precipitation (MICP) and produces a hardened material that can be shaped into different products.

Crystal comes from an industrial and product design background and now sees her role as a biodesigner as a hybrid, integrating different life factors to make them a loop. ‘Bactoware’ is an ongoing project exploring how this process might be scaled, standardised, and potentially implemented in ceramics studios to provide an alternative to the kiln firing process while reusing waste from seashells.

Using a soft casting method, ‘Bactoware’ utilises mesh fabrics within a frame that are durable in the bacterial environment. The artist creates the cast, deciding several elements to control the flow of the bacteria, for example, how loose or tight it might be or potentially threading gaps into the fabric. The frame is then put in a bioreactor liquid environment, where the pores in the mesh fabric allow the bacteria to travel around and create unique, random structures.

2022-2024

Living Minerals: Treasured Enchantments

Chris Bellamy, Paul Treichl & Pamela Pan69

Living Minerals: Treasured Enchantments, Chris Bellamy, Paul Treichl & Pamela Pan

The two packaging solutions are created using biofabrication techniques, mycelium-based composites, bacteria biomineralisation, and bio-based iridescent cellulose nanocrystal coatings.

‘Treasured Enchantments’ is the winning proposal of Swarovski’s sustainable design programme ‘Living Materials’, delivered in collaboration with Central Saint Martins. For this brief, the crystal industry giant posed the question: “How can we radically use living systems as a driver for planetpositive innovation?” Bellamy, Pan, and Treichl answered the complex crisis of material scarcity and ecosystem extinction through a product discovery experience using Swarovski’s waste stream. This circular thinking birthed two packaging solutions, ‘bio rock’ and ‘flower ceremony’, created and inspired by nature.

‘Treasured Enchantments’ was developed at Central Saint Martins in a shared lab space with other students, researchers, and academics, where every decision was playing around with ideas. This diversity in perspectives and expertise led to a richer pool of solutions, fostering creativity and breakthrough innovation that may not have emerged within a more closed research environment. As an MA Biodesign project, ‘Treasured Enchantments’ works with living materials at the intersection of manufacturing, engineering, and creativity and was achieved through a combination of a rigid scientific side, cross-pollination of ideas, and an adaptable, creative process that allows for funny surprises.

“It’s almost a weird experience; you pick up something that looks like a big rock, and it turns out it’s super light”. The trio was inspired by the dreamscape of Swarovski’s headquarters in Wattens, Austria and informed by a trip to the Natural History Museum collection of Minerals. To awaken the magic entwined in the brand’s DNA and translate it to the store experience, they proposed a visceral ‘unboxing’ ceremony for the customer that guides the customer to live through the magic of nature. By intervening in product scale and stretching the definition of packaging, ‘Treasured Enchantments’ aims to inspire a long-lasting appreciation of the jewellery.

Living Minerals: Alps Wonderland

Shijia Huang, BeiBei Tang, Wenjie Chen 73

Living Minerals: Alps Wonderland, Shijia Huang

As artists and designers, their group has been actively addressing pressing issues relating to social and environmental sustainability issues through a Biodesign approach and also, challenge themselves to find their own way of utilising the living system as a driver for planet-positive innovation. Using climate change in the Alps as their focal point, their primary strategy involves utilising bacteria to generate colours in crystals. A notable achievement includes their collaboration with Swarovski, situated in the Austrian Alps, an area experiencing significant damage to living species due to climate change. Contemplating the environmental impact of natural diamonds, which have finite resources, the group sought a Biodesign perspective to offer an alternative. After conducting a number of experiments, they came up with the idea of using cellulose extracted from agricultural waste pineapple fibre which also could be used in their packaging. This approach led to using pigments mixed with the agar and injected into crystals, resulting in what they term a sustainable diamond—an environmentally friendly, ‘sustainable,’ and ‘ethical’ diamond.

The crystal colouration process integrated living organisms inspired by the Alps wonderland and was designed to resemble an Alpine Mountain, employing 3D printing technology. They also proposed the idea of ‘Swarovski Bio Lab’ in the shop to provide the interactive customer experience where they could customise the colours of pigments using the bio-materials they produced. They believe the theme of the exhibition, REVOLUTIONS, carries dual significance. Firstly, it represents the revolution accomplished in Biodesign over the past four years. Secondly, it embodies the concept of “revolution,” encouraging thinking outside the box to generate new and innovative ideas. Specifically, they aim for the exhibition to inspire individuals to explore the potential for developing creative ideas that transcend existing frameworks in their daily lives.

Meta-moth-osis Sophia Heywood

Meta-moth-osis, Sophia Heywood

‘Meta-moth-osis’ is a bio-hybrid system showcasing how designing around one single creature can impact a whole industry. This exploratory project challenges the norms of the textile industry. It reduces the ecological footprint of silk production by creating a collection of multifunctional garments crafted and dyed by one organism. The significance of this project lies in its potential to revolutionise the textile industry by introducing sustainable alternatives. In a world captivated by the allure of luxury materials, ‘Meta-mothosis’ seeks to shed light on the oftenoverlooked dark side of silk production. Commercial silk production involves the boiling of silkworm pupae, resulting in the demise of the pupa and raising ethical concerns. By highlighting the environmental and ethical implications of traditional silk production, ‘Metamoth-osis’ aims to inspire designers and manufacturers to repurpose existing resources and minimise environmental impact. The biomaterials derived from silk waste could find applications in fashion, interior design, and other industries,

offering a guilt-free experience. Heywood is originally from Northern England, a region where sericulture (the production of silk) has been practised for centuries as a heritage activity; however, it has been steadily declining in recent years. Another objective of Meta-moth-osis is to revitalise this lost craft by understanding the needs, concerns, and challenges of the communities affected by this decline. By fostering dialogue and showcasing the possibilities of Biodesign, ‘Meta-mothosis’ promotes optimistic future thinking where biological, symbiotic processes can help create a more empathetic and spiritual world.

2023-2025

MOD Eco-systems: Terraria Ornamentia Harry Mann, Weronika Turowska, Joanna Cheng, Kirry Li, Yuhui Gou 83

MOD Eco-systems: Terraria Ornamentia, Harry Mann, Weronika Turowska, Joanna Cheng, Kirry Li, Yuhui Gou

In 2150, as the climate crisis fuels population-food-pessimism and soil loss, can we still use soil for cultivating ornamental plants? Through this speculative design project we envision the decellularized flowers of the future: ornamentals, even terrariums, populated with pigmented bacteria. ‘Terraria Ornamentia’ is a year one MA Biodesign project, delivered as the culmination of our Mapping, Observing, and Designing Ecosystems unit in December 2023. It is the result of a collaboration between designers with backgrounds across digital, product design, fashion, jewellery, and materials.

Acknowledgements

Exhibiting Designers

EXHIBITING DESIGNERS: Name:

Project Name:

2019 - 2021 Paula Camiña Eiras Kit Ondaatje-rolls

Co-Obradoiro Galego BLIMEY! ALGAVODKA

2020-2022 Lucrezia Alessandroni Michelle Lowe-Holder Jasper Zehetgruber Hana Hudson Komanová

The Soothing Cup Cassiopeia Maldives Pearl Collective Collier Weaving Worlds Decomposition Library

2021-2023 Sanna Rokka Millicent Sutton Namita Bhatnagar Shuyao Gong Mia Luong

S.A.L.T Frankenflowers BioSoothe Eclosion Pearlescence of the Future

Maca Barrera Crystal Wang

Melwear Bactoware

2022-2024 Chris Bellamy, Paul Treichl and Pamela Pan Shijia Huang, BeiBei Tang, Wenjie Chen Sophia Heywood

Living Minerals: Treasured Enchantments Living Minerals: Alps wonderland Meta-moth-osis

2023-2025 Harry Mann, Weronika Turowska, Joanna Cheng, Kirry Li, Yuhui Gou

MOD Eco-systems: Terraria Ornamentia

Curation Team

Curation Team: Curators: Chris Bellamy - MA Biodesign 2022-2024 - @bio.crafted Paula Camiña Eiras - MA Biodesign 2019-2021 - @paula.camina The Curation Society Team: Akari Kanaoka, MRes Art: Exhibition Studies, CSM Alice Kim, BA Design for Art Direction, LCC Hera Crossan, BA Culture, Criticism & Curation, CSM Jacqueline Ito, BA Fine Art, CSM Lisja Tershana, MA Innovation Management, CSM Victoria Bilello, MA Global Collaborative Design Practice, Camberwell Catalogue Design: Germaine Canlas, BA Design for Art Direction, LCC Typefaces: Rixel Regular & Roobert Medium Cover Image: Microscopic Image of a Kombucha Scoby, Credits to Paul Treichl Printing & Binding: Coloredge UK UAL Premises All Images and Words are © Copyright to their respective owners. Special thanks to: Paul Treichl - Graphic design and development - @pauljjtreichl Namita Bhatnagar - Materials sourcing and exhibition build - @biocoterie Kirsten Tingle - Backdrop Painting - @kirstentingle The Lethaby Gallery - Mia Cormack and Jamie Johnson CSM Museum & Study Collection

Course Team

MA Biodesign Teaching Team: Nancy Diniz, Course Leader MABD Alice Taylor, Lecturer in Biology and Living Systems Jon Flint, Lecturer in Design and Fabrication Thora Arnardottir, Associate Lecturer Interdisciplinary Design Lucrezia Alessandroni, Visiting Practicioner Associate Lecturer Interdisciplinary Design Alejandro Luna, Biodiversity Scientist and Sustainability Innovation Lorraine Archer, Environmental Scientist Associate Lecturer Anouk Zeeum Van Der Lann, Associate Lecturer in Circular Economy Victoria Geaney, Associate Lecturer Interdisciplinary Design Briony Clarke, Associate Lecturer Interdisciplinary Design Oscar Villareal, Associate Lecturer Computational Design and Interdisciplinary Design Timotej Baca, Visiting Practitioner, Visual Narratives and Communication Vassilis Skandalis, Visiting Practitioner Data Visualization Paula Camiña Eiras, Graduate Teaching Assistant Dominic Oliver, Graduate Teaching Assistant Anshuman Gupta, Graduate Teaching Assistant Grow Lab Team: Shem Johnson, Grow Lab Specialist Technician Paula Corsini, Grow Lab Specialist Technician Barbara Paes, Grow Lab Specialist Technician