Biodesign: Insects, Fungus & Bacteria Could Be the Future of Design
Five exceptional designers tell us why unexpected sources may provide the materials of tomorrow
Today it sounds like science fiction, but tomorrow it could be the norm: biodesign, the creation of furniture and objects from living organisms, is the latest frontier in product design. Most biodesigners are young but work from solid interdisciplinary training. They experiment with the potential of insects, algae, bacteria and plants to provide environmentally friendly solutions and explore new avenues for moulding organic materials to current needs.
For a closer look at what biodesign is all about, Houzz interviewed five of the most promising designers in the field. They told us why they got into this nascent industry, the opportunities they’ve discovered along the way and the innovations they’re ready to share with the world.
For a closer look at what biodesign is all about, Houzz interviewed five of the most promising designers in the field. They told us why they got into this nascent industry, the opportunities they’ve discovered along the way and the innovations they’re ready to share with the world.
Detail of the texture of a vase made out of propolis in Marlène Huissoud’s From Insects colleciton
“In my work, I focus on insects and study how to use them to produce materials, thus celebrating biodiversity,” says Huissoud. “I have recently developed insect houses to create a refuge for them within the human environment. Humans have taken up a lot of space and it is important to consider the respect we owe other species on the planet. Considering other ways to rethink how we live alongside other species is essential.”
“In my work, I focus on insects and study how to use them to produce materials, thus celebrating biodiversity,” says Huissoud. “I have recently developed insect houses to create a refuge for them within the human environment. Humans have taken up a lot of space and it is important to consider the respect we owe other species on the planet. Considering other ways to rethink how we live alongside other species is essential.”
Cocoon Wardrobe. Photo from Studio Marlène Huissoud
Concern for the health of the ecosystem certainly motivates Huissoud and other biodesigners. “Nature is all around us, but sometimes we forget about it. Biodesign seeks new means of production by questioning our forms of creation and consumption. Sometimes what biodesigners come up with may seem a little crazy to the general public, but it is essential in order to give society a better understanding of the overall state of nature.”
The Cocoon storage unit, pictured here, is one such example. Its design was driven by research into new ways of using silkworm cocoons without killing the worms themselves, as is the case in normal silk production.
The piece consists of thousands of discarded silkworm cocoons in a protective coating of propolis, a bio-resin made by bees. This piece takes a long time to produce, emphasising the beauty of not only the insect world but also of slow manufacturing.
Do you want to redesign your home sustainably? Find an experienced interior designer near you on Houzz to work with
Concern for the health of the ecosystem certainly motivates Huissoud and other biodesigners. “Nature is all around us, but sometimes we forget about it. Biodesign seeks new means of production by questioning our forms of creation and consumption. Sometimes what biodesigners come up with may seem a little crazy to the general public, but it is essential in order to give society a better understanding of the overall state of nature.”
The Cocoon storage unit, pictured here, is one such example. Its design was driven by research into new ways of using silkworm cocoons without killing the worms themselves, as is the case in normal silk production.
The piece consists of thousands of discarded silkworm cocoons in a protective coating of propolis, a bio-resin made by bees. This piece takes a long time to produce, emphasising the beauty of not only the insect world but also of slow manufacturing.
Do you want to redesign your home sustainably? Find an experienced interior designer near you on Houzz to work with
Technofossils, a project by Gionata Gatto for the Milanese gallery Subalterno1 in Italy. Gatto applied a leaf-clearing technique borrowed from palaeontology to highlight the veins of the leaf.
Gionata Gatto: let me explain ‘multi-species design’
Gionata Gatto, an Italian designer who has settled in Dubai, is the pioneer of ‘multi-species design’, a theory that he developed in his doctoral thesis.
“It is grounded in the fact that the concept of sustainability has been used by designers and architects to tackle problems related to the current environmental crisis since the ’80s. This has contributed to generating design approaches capable of mitigating the impact of humankind on the planet, but little has been done to explore sustainability as a concept that goes beyond anthropocentrism,” says Gatto.
“Multi-species design proposes taking non-human points of view into account while examining environmental issues in an attempt to create less techno-centric and more eco-inclusive design for the environment and those who populate it. Thus, animals, plants, bacteria, fungi, and even viruses become not only the beneficiaries of but also true partners in design projects.”
Gionata Gatto: let me explain ‘multi-species design’
Gionata Gatto, an Italian designer who has settled in Dubai, is the pioneer of ‘multi-species design’, a theory that he developed in his doctoral thesis.
“It is grounded in the fact that the concept of sustainability has been used by designers and architects to tackle problems related to the current environmental crisis since the ’80s. This has contributed to generating design approaches capable of mitigating the impact of humankind on the planet, but little has been done to explore sustainability as a concept that goes beyond anthropocentrism,” says Gatto.
“Multi-species design proposes taking non-human points of view into account while examining environmental issues in an attempt to create less techno-centric and more eco-inclusive design for the environment and those who populate it. Thus, animals, plants, bacteria, fungi, and even viruses become not only the beneficiaries of but also true partners in design projects.”
GeoMerce, a project by Gionata Gatto and Giovanni Innella. This hydroponic system houses a plant that absorbs heavy metals from the soil through its roots, transforming itself into a storage system. Sensors detect the plant’s rate of extraction. The biomass is then burned to extract the metals.
The central cultural premise is, therefore, to overturn the primacy of humankind as the privileged beneficiary of each project. All organisms deserve inclusive attention and can be involved as productive agents in a process that, in the end, respects all different forms of life in the ecosystem.
“On a higher level, the goal is to understand sustainability not only as a result of a design process but, first and foremost, as a behavioural attitude oriented toward cultivating reciprocity, and to view design as a natural implementation of this attitude. We hope that one day, all of this will lead to an improvement in our understanding of the Anthropocene age.”
Gatto is currently an assistant professor at the Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation (DIDI), where he is in charge of designing a new curriculum that includes a course called ‘More-Than-Human Factors’. In parallel, he is working on the Vegetal Rescuers project, which is an installation about the human-plant relationship that will be debuted next year.
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The central cultural premise is, therefore, to overturn the primacy of humankind as the privileged beneficiary of each project. All organisms deserve inclusive attention and can be involved as productive agents in a process that, in the end, respects all different forms of life in the ecosystem.
“On a higher level, the goal is to understand sustainability not only as a result of a design process but, first and foremost, as a behavioural attitude oriented toward cultivating reciprocity, and to view design as a natural implementation of this attitude. We hope that one day, all of this will lead to an improvement in our understanding of the Anthropocene age.”
Gatto is currently an assistant professor at the Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation (DIDI), where he is in charge of designing a new curriculum that includes a course called ‘More-Than-Human Factors’. In parallel, he is working on the Vegetal Rescuers project, which is an installation about the human-plant relationship that will be debuted next year.
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Mykes, Mycelium Chair, made as part of the the Growing Lab/Mycelia project by Officina Corpuscoli. Source: Officina Corpuscoli
Maurizio Montalti: can we use fungus as a design material?
Another Italian designer based in Amsterdam is one of the most recognised voices internationally when it comes to designing… with fungus. For almost a decade, Maurizio Montalti has studied the applications of mycelia (the vegetative part of a fungus) for the creation of materials with myriad applications.
We asked Montalti how building with fungus works from a technical point of view. “At the heart of the process is the production of a composite material, a mix between a wood-cellulose substrate and a fungal biomass. To obtain it, we get waste material from other supply chains, such as those of agro-industrial or furniture production, literally feeding it to fungus and thus creating the conditions under which the latter may grow.
“Our materials are therefore engineered biologically. By controlling their techno-mechanical and experiential characteristics, that is, traits relating to touch and texture, we produce materials to be marketed.”
Maurizio Montalti: can we use fungus as a design material?
Another Italian designer based in Amsterdam is one of the most recognised voices internationally when it comes to designing… with fungus. For almost a decade, Maurizio Montalti has studied the applications of mycelia (the vegetative part of a fungus) for the creation of materials with myriad applications.
We asked Montalti how building with fungus works from a technical point of view. “At the heart of the process is the production of a composite material, a mix between a wood-cellulose substrate and a fungal biomass. To obtain it, we get waste material from other supply chains, such as those of agro-industrial or furniture production, literally feeding it to fungus and thus creating the conditions under which the latter may grow.
“Our materials are therefore engineered biologically. By controlling their techno-mechanical and experiential characteristics, that is, traits relating to touch and texture, we produce materials to be marketed.”
Mogu Home, samples of materials made of mycelia. Source: Mogu
Montalti has been working for years in his own studio, Officina Corpuscoli, and has also opened a company in Italy, Mogu, which markets his research, ramps up industrial production of mycelial products, and specialises in interior design applications.
We asked him whether there are any applications that are particularly suited for mycelial materials. “The sky is the limit. There are many possible applications. For example, Mogu has started to produce sound-absorbing products for interiors. Now we are developing resilient floors with a certified life of at least 20 years, where the inside of the tile is made of a mycelium-based composite, while the outside is an external bio-resin that we developed. The natural material is fully circular: it comes from waste and, at the end of its life cycle, can be composted,” says Montalti.
Montalti has been working for years in his own studio, Officina Corpuscoli, and has also opened a company in Italy, Mogu, which markets his research, ramps up industrial production of mycelial products, and specialises in interior design applications.
We asked him whether there are any applications that are particularly suited for mycelial materials. “The sky is the limit. There are many possible applications. For example, Mogu has started to produce sound-absorbing products for interiors. Now we are developing resilient floors with a certified life of at least 20 years, where the inside of the tile is made of a mycelium-based composite, while the outside is an external bio-resin that we developed. The natural material is fully circular: it comes from waste and, at the end of its life cycle, can be composted,” says Montalti.
The Growing Lab/Mycelia. Source: Officina Corpuscoli, Maurizio Montalti. Tableware made of mycelia
Prototypes of shoes made from Mogu Leather, an eco-leather developed from a fungus. Photo from Mogu
Montalti says that attention from the furniture industry, commercial partners and investors has grown considerably in recent years. The fashion industry, big luxury brands included, has also come knocking for solutions that will allow for truly sustainable production.
“In general, it takes a lot of research and development to get a product on the market. If you want to make a functional material starting from biology, which is the most advanced form of technology, you cannot rely on improvisation alone,” he says.
Montalti says that attention from the furniture industry, commercial partners and investors has grown considerably in recent years. The fashion industry, big luxury brands included, has also come knocking for solutions that will allow for truly sustainable production.
“In general, it takes a lot of research and development to get a product on the market. If you want to make a functional material starting from biology, which is the most advanced form of technology, you cannot rely on improvisation alone,” he says.
Ambio (2014), a bioluminescent lamp that is powered by bacteria instead of electricity, must be fed once a week with a solution of water and acetate. Photo by Hans Boddeke
Teresa van Dongen: light created by bacteria
Another surprising material with applications in a wide range of craft and industrial processes is bacteria, which can be used in everything from medical diagnosis to textile dye production.
Dutch designer Teresa van Dongen, who is based in Amsterdam, was among the first to experiment with the use of these micro-organisms in lighting technology.
Teresa van Dongen: light created by bacteria
Another surprising material with applications in a wide range of craft and industrial processes is bacteria, which can be used in everything from medical diagnosis to textile dye production.
Dutch designer Teresa van Dongen, who is based in Amsterdam, was among the first to experiment with the use of these micro-organisms in lighting technology.
Lumist (2014), created by Teresa van Dongen, is a light source that also functions as a humidifier. The heat of the bulb causes the water to evaporate, in turn allowing more water to flow in from the adjacent container, offering a visualisation of how energy is lost. Photo by Hans Boddeke
Working in both biology and design, van Dongen is guided above all by the desire to connect scientific discoveries to everyday applications. “Many secrets of nature remain unknown, and many scientific discoveries never make it out of the laboratory. Very few people know that each bacterium has an electrode that collects electrons secreted by the bacterium itself. If bacteria are placed inside a specially designed electrical circuit, they can be a light source,” says van Dongen. This is the technical secret behind the lamps she has been making since 2014, which generate light without electricity.
Working in both biology and design, van Dongen is guided above all by the desire to connect scientific discoveries to everyday applications. “Many secrets of nature remain unknown, and many scientific discoveries never make it out of the laboratory. Very few people know that each bacterium has an electrode that collects electrons secreted by the bacterium itself. If bacteria are placed inside a specially designed electrical circuit, they can be a light source,” says van Dongen. This is the technical secret behind the lamps she has been making since 2014, which generate light without electricity.
Omer Polak: imagining the future through smells
Among the many ideas and proposals that fuel the debate on biodesign, there are also those who look at this field as an area of speculative research. The Olfactory Forest project by Berlin-based Israeli designer Omer Polak, who specialises in the study of the olfactory dimension, is an example.
“What if the forests gradually disappear in the world and will become a rare natural phenomenon that masses of tourists want to see?” asks Polak in the project description. “Beyond the terrible consequences for nature, what would be the impact on our mental health? What are the implications for our senses? … Will we have to fake nature in order to sustain humanity? And if so, will it become a place of mystery and fairytales, like real forests used to be?”
Among the many ideas and proposals that fuel the debate on biodesign, there are also those who look at this field as an area of speculative research. The Olfactory Forest project by Berlin-based Israeli designer Omer Polak, who specialises in the study of the olfactory dimension, is an example.
“What if the forests gradually disappear in the world and will become a rare natural phenomenon that masses of tourists want to see?” asks Polak in the project description. “Beyond the terrible consequences for nature, what would be the impact on our mental health? What are the implications for our senses? … Will we have to fake nature in order to sustain humanity? And if so, will it become a place of mystery and fairytales, like real forests used to be?”
The installation pictured here looks to recreate the smells of today for a future world where they may have been lost. Each of the 15 rattan poles releases different odour molecules alongside sounds collected in a real forest, stimulating the human senses and evoking the richness of the natural environment.
This is a way of reminding us how designing with and through other biological forms is an attempt to make different species the protagonists and recognise their central importance in the ecosystem. It also sees us further projected into a world that will become increasingly marked by artificial objects and technological advancement.
Read more:
Sustainability is Changing Danish Design in These 7 WaysGlobal Snapshot: Thought-Provoking Sustainability Solutions
Tell us:
Are you keen to embrace the sustainable new frontier of biodesign? Tell us in the Comments below. And while you’re at it, like this story, save the images and join the conversation.
This is a way of reminding us how designing with and through other biological forms is an attempt to make different species the protagonists and recognise their central importance in the ecosystem. It also sees us further projected into a world that will become increasingly marked by artificial objects and technological advancement.
Read more:
Sustainability is Changing Danish Design in These 7 WaysGlobal Snapshot: Thought-Provoking Sustainability Solutions
Tell us:
Are you keen to embrace the sustainable new frontier of biodesign? Tell us in the Comments below. And while you’re at it, like this story, save the images and join the conversation.
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Marlène Huissoud: experimenting with insects
London-based French designer Marlène Huissoud is one of the most respected voices in the field of biodesign. Born into a family of beekeepers, she was inspired to re-evaluate the potential of the waste these insects produce.