Biological Design
A studio exploring biology as a material and a method of design. Students developed living artifacts and biomaterial experiments while examining their environmental, ethical and cultural implications.
The Fall 2023 course paired laboratory and fabrication work with speculative design. The final brief, Overlooked Ecologies, invited students to investigate urban waste streams and overlooked species as starting points for new material applications.
← Back to TeachingFall 2023
Selected student projects
Coffee-Based Bioleather
Student project by Alejandra Chamorro · Fall 2023
Overlooked Ecologies · Final project
Alejandra developed a reusable cup sleeve from used coffee grounds, with a thermochromic pigment intended to respond to the temperature of a drink. Her documentation follows material trials through a sleeve prototype.
Methylcellulose Based Swimsuits
Student project by Hannah Lee · Fall 2023
Overlooked Ecologies · Final project
Hannah explored a methylcellulose-based material for a swimsuit prototype, motivated by the environmental effects of synthetic swimwear. The submitted presentation documents preparation, molding and the final material form. Her reflections identify shrinkage, cracking and flexibility as areas for further development.
Course outline
Goals
- Develop design research informed by life sciences and biological art.
- Test material recipes and fabrication methods through physical prototypes.
- Consider the ecological and ethical relationships created by working with living systems.
Assignments
Biomaterial experimentation
Recreate and remix a biomaterial recipe, then document the material and its development.
Futures scaping and mutualism
Use scenarios and speculative species to explore relationships between organisms.
Overlooked Ecologies
Investigate locally foraged materials and urban waste streams through models, material samples and fictional artifacts.