E. Karana
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Bio-digital systems that merge microbial life with technology promise new modes of computation, combining biological adaptability with digital precision. Yet realizing this potential symbiotically – where biological and digital agents co-adapt and co-process – remains elusive, largely due to the absence of a shared vocabulary bridging biology and computing. Consequently, microbes are often constrained to uni-directional roles, functioning as sensors or actuators rather than as active, computational partners in bio-digital systems. In response, we propose a taxonomy and pathways that articulate and expand the roles of biological and digital entities for synergetic bio-digital computation. Using this taxonomy, we analysed 70 systems across HCI, design, and engineering, identifying how biological mechanisms can be mapped onto computational abstractions. We argue that such mappings enable computationally actionable directions that foster richer and reciprocal relationships in bio-digital systems, supporting regenerative ecologies across time and scale while inspiring new paradigms for computation in HCI.
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Bio-digital systems that merge microbial life with technology promise new modes of computation, combining biological adaptability with digital precision. Yet realizing this potential symbiotically – where biological and digital agents co-adapt and co-process – remains elusive, largely due to the absence of a shared vocabulary bridging biology and computing. Consequently, microbes are often constrained to uni-directional roles, functioning as sensors or actuators rather than as active, computational partners in bio-digital systems. In response, we propose a taxonomy and pathways that articulate and expand the roles of biological and digital entities for synergetic bio-digital computation. Using this taxonomy, we analysed 70 systems across HCI, design, and engineering, identifying how biological mechanisms can be mapped onto computational abstractions. We argue that such mappings enable computationally actionable directions that foster richer and reciprocal relationships in bio-digital systems, supporting regenerative ecologies across time and scale while inspiring new paradigms for computation in HCI.
Microbial Biomineralisation in Living Artefacts for Regenerative Ecologies
An Overview and Design Pathways
Conference paper
(2026)
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Verindi Vekemans, Stefano Parisi, Joana Martins, Jun Wu, Marie Eve Aubin-Tam, Elvin Karana
This paper explores the potential of microbial biomineralisation—a biological phenomenon where microorganisms drive mineral formation, generating structures with exceptional mechanical properties—for sustainable design futures. In particular, we discuss how leveraging microbial biomineralisation in designing living artefacts can support regenerative ecologies. Although a few pioneering biodesigners have begun to explore the potentials of microbial biomineralisation for design, a vast design space remains under-explored in the realm of living artefacts. In response, we first characterise a design space by analysing 22 microbial biomineralisation cases from art, design, architecture, materials science, and engineering. We examine the specifics of the organisms and substrates used, the fabrication or growing techniques developed, and the unique design outcomes. Following this, we further analyse these cases through a five-pillar framework of living artefacts for regenerative ecologies, speculating on potential pathways where these cases can be further developed as living artefacts to achieve the specific goals related to these pillars. Our results signal a promising era for designing living artefacts that promote cleaner production practices, foster biodiversity, and cultivate care and sensibilities towards other-than-human entities in our daily lives, by integrating the unique properties of microbial biomineralisation into everyday interactions with living artefacts.
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This paper explores the potential of microbial biomineralisation—a biological phenomenon where microorganisms drive mineral formation, generating structures with exceptional mechanical properties—for sustainable design futures. In particular, we discuss how leveraging microbial biomineralisation in designing living artefacts can support regenerative ecologies. Although a few pioneering biodesigners have begun to explore the potentials of microbial biomineralisation for design, a vast design space remains under-explored in the realm of living artefacts. In response, we first characterise a design space by analysing 22 microbial biomineralisation cases from art, design, architecture, materials science, and engineering. We examine the specifics of the organisms and substrates used, the fabrication or growing techniques developed, and the unique design outcomes. Following this, we further analyse these cases through a five-pillar framework of living artefacts for regenerative ecologies, speculating on potential pathways where these cases can be further developed as living artefacts to achieve the specific goals related to these pillars. Our results signal a promising era for designing living artefacts that promote cleaner production practices, foster biodiversity, and cultivate care and sensibilities towards other-than-human entities in our daily lives, by integrating the unique properties of microbial biomineralisation into everyday interactions with living artefacts.
On-body biodesign
exploring the human body’s role in designing with living organisms
On-body biodesign involves designing with living organisms in direct relation to human bodies and their surrounding ecosystems. Operating within this intimate and dynamic space, the practice creates opportunities by developing novel biotechnologies, cultivating new sensibilities, strengthening ecological literacy and enabling more attentive and reciprocal coexistence with other living organisms. Yet, given the emerging and cross-disciplinary nature of the field, existing work remains fragmented. How are designers currently biodesigning with, for and through human bodies, and what design opportunities could emerge for future on-body biodesign? To address these questions, we present a review of 40 artefacts spanning design, art, HCI and materials science, mapping the design space across three dimensions: the key biological phenomena that enable interactions, the unique experiences these interactions offer and the ecological configurations through which human bodies, living organisms and digital technologies interface with one another. With this work, we aim to introduce on-body biodesign as a design research programme and offer a structured overview of its current landscape. We further outline potential design pathways, inviting designers to engage with on-body biodesign as a generative space for relational thinking and regenerative practice.
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On-body biodesign involves designing with living organisms in direct relation to human bodies and their surrounding ecosystems. Operating within this intimate and dynamic space, the practice creates opportunities by developing novel biotechnologies, cultivating new sensibilities, strengthening ecological literacy and enabling more attentive and reciprocal coexistence with other living organisms. Yet, given the emerging and cross-disciplinary nature of the field, existing work remains fragmented. How are designers currently biodesigning with, for and through human bodies, and what design opportunities could emerge for future on-body biodesign? To address these questions, we present a review of 40 artefacts spanning design, art, HCI and materials science, mapping the design space across three dimensions: the key biological phenomena that enable interactions, the unique experiences these interactions offer and the ecological configurations through which human bodies, living organisms and digital technologies interface with one another. With this work, we aim to introduce on-body biodesign as a design research programme and offer a structured overview of its current landscape. We further outline potential design pathways, inviting designers to engage with on-body biodesign as a generative space for relational thinking and regenerative practice.
Societal implications of self-healing engineered living materials:
Insights from a co-design study
While Engineered Living Materials (ELMs) are increasingly investigated for technical viability, discussion of their broader societal implications remains limited. To address this gap, we conducted a multidisciplinary co-design workshop centred on a self-healing biomineralised bacterial cellulose (BMBC). Twenty participants from biodesign, bio-nanoscience, materials science and engineering worked in six groups through a three-phase process: (1) generating application concepts, (2) designing how self-healing would unfold and be experienced and (3) reflecting on ecological, social, economic and future implications. Workshop outcomes and discussions were analysed using thematic analysis. Participants framed self-healing not merely as functional repair but as temporal, expressive and relational transformation, emphasising personalisation, regeneration, trust and systemic embedding. The study demonstrates how early, material-led design exploration can surface societal dimensions before technical pathways stabilise. We argue that multidisciplinary co-design supports more responsible ELM development by revealing how such materials may function, be interpreted and acquire meaning in everyday contexts.
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While Engineered Living Materials (ELMs) are increasingly investigated for technical viability, discussion of their broader societal implications remains limited. To address this gap, we conducted a multidisciplinary co-design workshop centred on a self-healing biomineralised bacterial cellulose (BMBC). Twenty participants from biodesign, bio-nanoscience, materials science and engineering worked in six groups through a three-phase process: (1) generating application concepts, (2) designing how self-healing would unfold and be experienced and (3) reflecting on ecological, social, economic and future implications. Workshop outcomes and discussions were analysed using thematic analysis. Participants framed self-healing not merely as functional repair but as temporal, expressive and relational transformation, emphasising personalisation, regeneration, trust and systemic embedding. The study demonstrates how early, material-led design exploration can surface societal dimensions before technical pathways stabilise. We argue that multidisciplinary co-design supports more responsible ELM development by revealing how such materials may function, be interpreted and acquire meaning in everyday contexts.
Journal article
(2026)
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Clarice Risseeuw, Likhitha Kummetha, Colin Ingham, Elvin Karana, Marie Eve Aubin-Tam, Joana Martins
By leveraging the unique qualities of microorganisms, engineered living materials (ELMs) offer functional and economic advantages in everyday applications along with notable ecological benefits. This study contributes to the growing field of biodesign by examining the potential of Flavobacteria for thermochromic ELMs. Many Flavobacteria, commonly found in marine environments, produce iridescent structural colorations as their colonies expand on semi-solid surfaces through gliding motility. In this study, we analyzed the effects of temperature variations on flavobacterium Cellulophaga lytica PLY-A2, characterizing distinct changes in colony growth and iridescent colorations at a macroscopic and microscopic scale. Using scanning electron microscopy, we investigated the relationship between iridescent color and the underlying cell-based optical structures. By providing insights into the temperature-responsive behavior of Flavobacteria, our findings highlight their potential for future thermochromic ELMs—with applications ranging from sustainable food packaging to smart textiles—while encouraging further characterization studies within biodesign research.
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By leveraging the unique qualities of microorganisms, engineered living materials (ELMs) offer functional and economic advantages in everyday applications along with notable ecological benefits. This study contributes to the growing field of biodesign by examining the potential of Flavobacteria for thermochromic ELMs. Many Flavobacteria, commonly found in marine environments, produce iridescent structural colorations as their colonies expand on semi-solid surfaces through gliding motility. In this study, we analyzed the effects of temperature variations on flavobacterium Cellulophaga lytica PLY-A2, characterizing distinct changes in colony growth and iridescent colorations at a macroscopic and microscopic scale. Using scanning electron microscopy, we investigated the relationship between iridescent color and the underlying cell-based optical structures. By providing insights into the temperature-responsive behavior of Flavobacteria, our findings highlight their potential for future thermochromic ELMs—with applications ranging from sustainable food packaging to smart textiles—while encouraging further characterization studies within biodesign research.
This paper presents our investigation into methods to create fungal textiles with variable cushioning and flexibility properties, for differing technical and experiential characteristics. Fungal materials have generated rising interest in design communities over the past several years, resulting in applications in packaging, building, insulation, fashion and more due to their circular lifecycle and tunable customization on a myriad of properties and scales. In the fashion industry, these novel materials have been used as leather alternatives with a broad range of applications to the human form. Imitating conventional textile behavior, these applications, however, usually retain the same characteristics throughout the breadth of the material, a departure from the dynamic living organism it was created from. We aim to bridge this gap by endowing a singular fungal textile with multiple properties, serving the dual function of highlighting its organic origins and reducing the material complexity often required to achieve such versatility in a single material. Specifically, we present our design exploration to create localized support and flexibility in fungal textiles. We explored two techniques of creating fungal textiles, investigating diverse fungal species, growth and manufacturing methods, and post-processing techniques. The new techniques and unique properties of these materials suggest promising applications in areas such as assistive wearables, enhancing both user and planetary wellbeing.
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This paper presents our investigation into methods to create fungal textiles with variable cushioning and flexibility properties, for differing technical and experiential characteristics. Fungal materials have generated rising interest in design communities over the past several years, resulting in applications in packaging, building, insulation, fashion and more due to their circular lifecycle and tunable customization on a myriad of properties and scales. In the fashion industry, these novel materials have been used as leather alternatives with a broad range of applications to the human form. Imitating conventional textile behavior, these applications, however, usually retain the same characteristics throughout the breadth of the material, a departure from the dynamic living organism it was created from. We aim to bridge this gap by endowing a singular fungal textile with multiple properties, serving the dual function of highlighting its organic origins and reducing the material complexity often required to achieve such versatility in a single material. Specifically, we present our design exploration to create localized support and flexibility in fungal textiles. We explored two techniques of creating fungal textiles, investigating diverse fungal species, growth and manufacturing methods, and post-processing techniques. The new techniques and unique properties of these materials suggest promising applications in areas such as assistive wearables, enhancing both user and planetary wellbeing.
Orthopaedic garments improve the quality of life for individuals with chronic conditions, injuries, or in search of preventative support. This study explores the potential application of fungal textile materials to orthopaedic garments for the hand and wrist areas, focusing on identifying key experiential qualities for seven participants. Iterative exploration in creating fungal materials with differential flexibility and cushioning resulted in three distinct material samples, four textural patterns, and three concepts, each showcasing the varied qualities. These outcomes were assessed through semi-structured qualitative interviews, focusing on qualities of fungal textile and user perceptions of their comfort, relevance, and desirability. Participants valued the materials’ natural qualities and potential for varying combinations to suit breathability and temporal needs in their unique use cases, informing further prototyping. By harnessing the unique qualities of fungal textiles, this research proposes how these materials can meet diverse wellness needs while reducing reliance on synthetic and non-renewable materials.
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Orthopaedic garments improve the quality of life for individuals with chronic conditions, injuries, or in search of preventative support. This study explores the potential application of fungal textile materials to orthopaedic garments for the hand and wrist areas, focusing on identifying key experiential qualities for seven participants. Iterative exploration in creating fungal materials with differential flexibility and cushioning resulted in three distinct material samples, four textural patterns, and three concepts, each showcasing the varied qualities. These outcomes were assessed through semi-structured qualitative interviews, focusing on qualities of fungal textile and user perceptions of their comfort, relevance, and desirability. Participants valued the materials’ natural qualities and potential for varying combinations to suit breathability and temporal needs in their unique use cases, informing further prototyping. By harnessing the unique qualities of fungal textiles, this research proposes how these materials can meet diverse wellness needs while reducing reliance on synthetic and non-renewable materials.
Seasonal biodesign
Real-world studies with living artefacts for urban biodiversity
Living artefacts situated in real-world contexts hold potential to support regenerative ecologies, for instance by enabling multispecies interactions and promoting biodiversity. However, a gap between theory and practice remains in demonstrating this potential, partly due to absent methodological frameworks that enable biodesigners to systematically engage with ecosystems and the unpredictable biotic and abiotic factors they entail. In response, we present an approach that integrates field studies and laboratory experiments, demonstrated through studies across four seasons in which living artefacts were situated in urban garden contexts. By harnessing the habitabilities of bacterial cellulose, these artefacts were designed to attract, host and surface local biodiversity. Through photography and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) analysis, the study reveals a rich diversity of multispecies interactions, varying across artefacts, gardens and seasons. Our findings highlight prospects for biodesigners to thoughtfully tune ecological habitabilities and interactions through living artefacts and offer guidance on navigating tensions between intentionality and openness.
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Living artefacts situated in real-world contexts hold potential to support regenerative ecologies, for instance by enabling multispecies interactions and promoting biodiversity. However, a gap between theory and practice remains in demonstrating this potential, partly due to absent methodological frameworks that enable biodesigners to systematically engage with ecosystems and the unpredictable biotic and abiotic factors they entail. In response, we present an approach that integrates field studies and laboratory experiments, demonstrated through studies across four seasons in which living artefacts were situated in urban garden contexts. By harnessing the habitabilities of bacterial cellulose, these artefacts were designed to attract, host and surface local biodiversity. Through photography and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) analysis, the study reveals a rich diversity of multispecies interactions, varying across artefacts, gardens and seasons. Our findings highlight prospects for biodesigners to thoughtfully tune ecological habitabilities and interactions through living artefacts and offer guidance on navigating tensions between intentionality and openness.
Living Therapeutic Skin (LTS)
Design Opportunities and Challenges of On-Skin Living Artefacts
The Living Therapeutic Skin (LTS) is a novel living material currently in development as part of a European project. Integrating engineered microbes to detect and treat eczema flare-ups, LTS offers significant promise for managing this prevalent skin condition. However, as a microbial material in its early developmental stage, LTS faces challenges related to social acceptance when it is embedded in on-skin living artefact for daily human use. To address these challenges in the further development of these materials, we conducted a workshop employing boundary objects to illustrate four hypothetical LTS applications in everyday contexts. Our participatory approach engaged a multidisciplinary group, including a dermatologist, scientists, biodesigners, and eczema patients. Analysis of the workshop data revealed several important factors affecting the wearability and acceptance of on-skin living artefacts. This paper elaborates on these factors to explore the potential implications of LTS, examining its design prospects and hurdles while discussing possible avenues for a broader range of human-skin interfaces.
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The Living Therapeutic Skin (LTS) is a novel living material currently in development as part of a European project. Integrating engineered microbes to detect and treat eczema flare-ups, LTS offers significant promise for managing this prevalent skin condition. However, as a microbial material in its early developmental stage, LTS faces challenges related to social acceptance when it is embedded in on-skin living artefact for daily human use. To address these challenges in the further development of these materials, we conducted a workshop employing boundary objects to illustrate four hypothetical LTS applications in everyday contexts. Our participatory approach engaged a multidisciplinary group, including a dermatologist, scientists, biodesigners, and eczema patients. Analysis of the workshop data revealed several important factors affecting the wearability and acceptance of on-skin living artefacts. This paper elaborates on these factors to explore the potential implications of LTS, examining its design prospects and hurdles while discussing possible avenues for a broader range of human-skin interfaces.
Animated textile-forms hold great potential to seamlessly embed interaction in textile-based artefacts. This paper presents a comprehensive design space for animated woven textile-forms, explored via shuttle weaving. HCI designers have explored the potential of shuttle weaving for local material placement via partial weft insertions and continuous yarn paths to create flexible circuits, sensors in textiles, and, more recently, for animated textile-forms. While these examples indicate early steps towards animated woven textiles, further articulation of the many processes, ingredients, structure, and form variables available to designers is required to realize the full potential of this weaving technique. Addressing this gap, we developed a design space through a combination of literature review and practice-led exploration undertaken for a specific design case - animated 3D shuttle-woven trousers. Our work aims to inspire HCI designers to explore and expand the use of shuttle weaving as an accessible and versatile technique for textile-forms with rich interaction possibilities.
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Animated textile-forms hold great potential to seamlessly embed interaction in textile-based artefacts. This paper presents a comprehensive design space for animated woven textile-forms, explored via shuttle weaving. HCI designers have explored the potential of shuttle weaving for local material placement via partial weft insertions and continuous yarn paths to create flexible circuits, sensors in textiles, and, more recently, for animated textile-forms. While these examples indicate early steps towards animated woven textiles, further articulation of the many processes, ingredients, structure, and form variables available to designers is required to realize the full potential of this weaving technique. Addressing this gap, we developed a design space through a combination of literature review and practice-led exploration undertaken for a specific design case - animated 3D shuttle-woven trousers. Our work aims to inspire HCI designers to explore and expand the use of shuttle weaving as an accessible and versatile technique for textile-forms with rich interaction possibilities.
Whether relating to aesthetics, cost, ease of production, the scale of the material, or the body and the time frame contained in interaction design, conventional design’s critical zone [1] has been stubbornly human centered. While our desire for technological novelty has been challenged and the adoption of dynamic notions of material, time, and scale encouraged in HCI design, a gap between practices and theories of sustainability persists. Since all physical outcomes embody our engagement with these ideas and their application, if we can’t expand HCI’s critical zone and do sustainability when designing, prototyping, and materializing, the gap will persist. In truth, design and HCI’s critical zone already encompass ecological time and scale; it is just often easier to pretend that they don’t. How can we ensure our work celebrates materiality, innovation, and creativity, while nurturing and respecting wider systems that support us all? In response, we introduce multimorphic material thinking as a strong concept grounded in materiality that frames temporality across design, use, and ecological scales. We discuss the broader implications of this approach in the context of HCI textiles and textile-forms.
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Whether relating to aesthetics, cost, ease of production, the scale of the material, or the body and the time frame contained in interaction design, conventional design’s critical zone [1] has been stubbornly human centered. While our desire for technological novelty has been challenged and the adoption of dynamic notions of material, time, and scale encouraged in HCI design, a gap between practices and theories of sustainability persists. Since all physical outcomes embody our engagement with these ideas and their application, if we can’t expand HCI’s critical zone and do sustainability when designing, prototyping, and materializing, the gap will persist. In truth, design and HCI’s critical zone already encompass ecological time and scale; it is just often easier to pretend that they don’t. How can we ensure our work celebrates materiality, innovation, and creativity, while nurturing and respecting wider systems that support us all? In response, we introduce multimorphic material thinking as a strong concept grounded in materiality that frames temporality across design, use, and ecological scales. We discuss the broader implications of this approach in the context of HCI textiles and textile-forms.
Bacterial cellulose (BC), also known as a Kombucha mat or SCOBY, is a grown material widely adopted in design and HCI communities due to its biodegradability, accessibility and mechanical versatility. Alongside these aspects, BC's qualities to become a habitat for other living organisms, i.e., its habitabilities, have been researched in biotechnological sciences but not fully explored in design. In response to the call for biobased material alternatives and the expanding design space for multispecies interactions in HCI, in this paper, we unpack this habitability potential of BC in the design of living artefacts. Through visual storytelling we unveil our hands-on biolab journey with Komagataeibacter, the bacteria that produce BC, and show how fungi, microalgae and cyanobacteria can inhabit this material. We outline diverse options for tuning the habitabilities of BC to incite HCI designers in the creation of living artefacts that are fully grown and compatible with regenerative ecologies.
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Bacterial cellulose (BC), also known as a Kombucha mat or SCOBY, is a grown material widely adopted in design and HCI communities due to its biodegradability, accessibility and mechanical versatility. Alongside these aspects, BC's qualities to become a habitat for other living organisms, i.e., its habitabilities, have been researched in biotechnological sciences but not fully explored in design. In response to the call for biobased material alternatives and the expanding design space for multispecies interactions in HCI, in this paper, we unpack this habitability potential of BC in the design of living artefacts. Through visual storytelling we unveil our hands-on biolab journey with Komagataeibacter, the bacteria that produce BC, and show how fungi, microalgae and cyanobacteria can inhabit this material. We outline diverse options for tuning the habitabilities of BC to incite HCI designers in the creation of living artefacts that are fully grown and compatible with regenerative ecologies.
Multimorphic Textile-forms (MMTF) proposes a novel approach for creating seamless and sustainable textiles by simultaneously understanding both textile and form, which change over time across material, social, and ecological scales. MMTF capitalizes on textiles’ ability to be situated in multiple contexts, i.e., multi-situatedness, for enriched experiences and prolonged user-textile engagements. In this paper, we delve into this under-explored potential of textiles’ multiplicity by investigating the materials experience, particularly the performativity of an everyday MMTF artifact, AnimaTo. We designed AnimaTo to display morphing behavior when exposed to water over two sequential stages: shrinking and unfolding. Then, we deployed AnimaTo in a two-week longitudinal study, presenting it as an ordinary tea towel and encouraging users to interact as they wished, guided by its evolving shape, size, and texture. We collected in-depth accounts of materials experiences combining qualitative and quantitative methods. AnimaTo’s morphing behavior generated curiosity, suggesting creative uses beyond the kitchen context. However, deviations from AnimaTo’s initial state also caused frustration and interrupted use. We discuss the design implications of MMTF artifacts, emphasizing a critical balance between function, temporality, and materiality. This work advocates for embracing multiplicity in designing textile artifacts, generating value at use time, fostering sustained user-textile relationships, and ultimately contributing towards regenerative futures.
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Multimorphic Textile-forms (MMTF) proposes a novel approach for creating seamless and sustainable textiles by simultaneously understanding both textile and form, which change over time across material, social, and ecological scales. MMTF capitalizes on textiles’ ability to be situated in multiple contexts, i.e., multi-situatedness, for enriched experiences and prolonged user-textile engagements. In this paper, we delve into this under-explored potential of textiles’ multiplicity by investigating the materials experience, particularly the performativity of an everyday MMTF artifact, AnimaTo. We designed AnimaTo to display morphing behavior when exposed to water over two sequential stages: shrinking and unfolding. Then, we deployed AnimaTo in a two-week longitudinal study, presenting it as an ordinary tea towel and encouraging users to interact as they wished, guided by its evolving shape, size, and texture. We collected in-depth accounts of materials experiences combining qualitative and quantitative methods. AnimaTo’s morphing behavior generated curiosity, suggesting creative uses beyond the kitchen context. However, deviations from AnimaTo’s initial state also caused frustration and interrupted use. We discuss the design implications of MMTF artifacts, emphasizing a critical balance between function, temporality, and materiality. This work advocates for embracing multiplicity in designing textile artifacts, generating value at use time, fostering sustained user-textile relationships, and ultimately contributing towards regenerative futures.
A reflective lab journal for biodesign
Navigating more-than-human sensibilities and disciplinary tensions
This paper introduces reflective journaling as a tool for advancing biodesign practices, merging documentation methods from biology and design while integrating more-than-human sensibilities into laboratory practices. It highlights the need for tools that can flexibly support record-keeping across biology and design, balancing precision and accountability with iteration, creativity, and collaboration. Furthermore, it critically addresses calls to support care ethics and nurturing multispecies interactions within biodesign. Through an explorative review of diverse documentation formats, including laboratory notebooks and annotated portfolios, and informed by our own biodesign experiences, we introduce the Reflective Biodesign Lab Journal as a potential approach to address these needs. This innovative format is designed to support rigorous experimentation, creative design processes, and interdisciplinary reflections. This proposal lays the groundwork for addressing the unique nature of biodesign experiments, unlocking new possibilities that transcend the limitations of traditional disciplinary approaches.
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This paper introduces reflective journaling as a tool for advancing biodesign practices, merging documentation methods from biology and design while integrating more-than-human sensibilities into laboratory practices. It highlights the need for tools that can flexibly support record-keeping across biology and design, balancing precision and accountability with iteration, creativity, and collaboration. Furthermore, it critically addresses calls to support care ethics and nurturing multispecies interactions within biodesign. Through an explorative review of diverse documentation formats, including laboratory notebooks and annotated portfolios, and informed by our own biodesign experiences, we introduce the Reflective Biodesign Lab Journal as a potential approach to address these needs. This innovative format is designed to support rigorous experimentation, creative design processes, and interdisciplinary reflections. This proposal lays the groundwork for addressing the unique nature of biodesign experiments, unlocking new possibilities that transcend the limitations of traditional disciplinary approaches.
Conference paper
(2025)
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Iohanna Nicenboim, Elvin Karana, Holly McQuillan, Laura Devendorf, Yasuaki Kakehi, Fiona Bell, Chris Speed, Doenja Oogjes, Lining Yao, More authors...
Regenerative thinking is gaining momentum in HCI, shifting the focus from merely mitigating environmental harm to actively fostering cohabitation within more-than-human ecosystems. This shift challenges HCI researchers to develop new methodologies that engage with both material and cultural regeneration—harnessing the regenerative capacities of ecologies while preserving valuable knowledge systems. It also underscores the need for a fundamental onto-epistemological shift beyond anthropocentric notions of sustainability. To support HCI researchers in adopting regenerative approaches while addressing these challenges, this panel brings together a diverse group of design researchers working hands-on with materials ranging from biological to algorithmic. Through concrete examples and actionable insights, the panelists provide practical guidance on engaging with regenerative material ecologies. By interweaving multiple perspectives through a diffractive approach, the panel also explores the opportunities this emerging perspective offers for HCI, particularly at the intersection of sustainability, posthumanism, and decoloniality.
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Regenerative thinking is gaining momentum in HCI, shifting the focus from merely mitigating environmental harm to actively fostering cohabitation within more-than-human ecosystems. This shift challenges HCI researchers to develop new methodologies that engage with both material and cultural regeneration—harnessing the regenerative capacities of ecologies while preserving valuable knowledge systems. It also underscores the need for a fundamental onto-epistemological shift beyond anthropocentric notions of sustainability. To support HCI researchers in adopting regenerative approaches while addressing these challenges, this panel brings together a diverse group of design researchers working hands-on with materials ranging from biological to algorithmic. Through concrete examples and actionable insights, the panelists provide practical guidance on engaging with regenerative material ecologies. By interweaving multiple perspectives through a diffractive approach, the panel also explores the opportunities this emerging perspective offers for HCI, particularly at the intersection of sustainability, posthumanism, and decoloniality.
Design for serene textile experiences
A toolkit
Serenity plays a pivotal role in human well-being, as it fosters an enduring sense of peace and calmness. Everyday textile artifacts, with their qualities of softness, malleability, and flexibility, hold the capacity to greatly enhance serenity in user experiences. Drawing from the foundation of materials experience and material-driven design, this paper introduces a design toolkit aimed at harnessing the potential of textiles in creating serene experiences. The toolkit was refined through two exploratory workshops involving design professionals from both academic and industrial backgrounds. By emphasizing the interplay of form, material, and time in textile experiences, this toolkit offers a vocabulary and set of techniques for discussing and designing for serene textile experiences across different material and time scales. We further explore avenues for the toolkit's employment, expansion, and adaptation for use in a wide array of material-driven design projects.
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Serenity plays a pivotal role in human well-being, as it fosters an enduring sense of peace and calmness. Everyday textile artifacts, with their qualities of softness, malleability, and flexibility, hold the capacity to greatly enhance serenity in user experiences. Drawing from the foundation of materials experience and material-driven design, this paper introduces a design toolkit aimed at harnessing the potential of textiles in creating serene experiences. The toolkit was refined through two exploratory workshops involving design professionals from both academic and industrial backgrounds. By emphasizing the interplay of form, material, and time in textile experiences, this toolkit offers a vocabulary and set of techniques for discussing and designing for serene textile experiences across different material and time scales. We further explore avenues for the toolkit's employment, expansion, and adaptation for use in a wide array of material-driven design projects.
Living with Cyanobacteria
Exploring Materiality in Caring for Microbes in Everyday Life
Materiality of artefacts holds the potential to intricately and dynamically shape our daily practices. We posit this capacity can be harnessed in fostering creative unfolding of everyday care practices towards living artefacts. To explore this premise, we designed a cyanobacterial living artefact with air purifying capacity, and invited eight participants to live with and care for it for two weeks. The artefact can be situated in diverse locations within domestic spaces, wherever the participant would consider air purification necessary and certain lighting conditions beneficial for the artefact’s vitality. This versatility is supported by the artefact’s colour-changing, pliable, adhesive, and suspendable nature. We analysed visual documentation and semi-structured interviews of participants’ experiences of the artefact. Our findings suggest distinct roles of materiality for care regarding labour, knowledge, and exploration. We further highlight the intricate design space encompassing openness, temporalities and semantic fitness towards nurturing mutualistic care in human-microbe interactions.
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Materiality of artefacts holds the potential to intricately and dynamically shape our daily practices. We posit this capacity can be harnessed in fostering creative unfolding of everyday care practices towards living artefacts. To explore this premise, we designed a cyanobacterial living artefact with air purifying capacity, and invited eight participants to live with and care for it for two weeks. The artefact can be situated in diverse locations within domestic spaces, wherever the participant would consider air purification necessary and certain lighting conditions beneficial for the artefact’s vitality. This versatility is supported by the artefact’s colour-changing, pliable, adhesive, and suspendable nature. We analysed visual documentation and semi-structured interviews of participants’ experiences of the artefact. Our findings suggest distinct roles of materiality for care regarding labour, knowledge, and exploration. We further highlight the intricate design space encompassing openness, temporalities and semantic fitness towards nurturing mutualistic care in human-microbe interactions.
Becoming microbes
An approach to cultivating microbial sensibilities in biodesign
Microbes assume an indispensable role in design, given their inherent adaptability, functional diversity, and abundance. Yet, designing with microbes presents notable challenges for biodesigners, stemming from, for example, the distinct temporalities and scales of microbes. Conversely, cultivating microbial sensibilities—reflecting human comprehension and alignment with the distinctive characteristics of microbes—stands out as a unique potential of biodesign for fostering a deep connection between humans and other living entities. In response, we present the concept of “becoming microbes”, a philosophically grounded approach advocating for a non-anthropocentric stance in biodesign, aiming at immersing biodesigners in the realms of microbes with a fresh perspective for imagining the world through the lens of a microbe. By harnessing diverse microbial qualities, including motility and communication, we present various design avenues to explore the notion of becoming microbes. We reflect on the role of merging the biological with the immersive digital systems in this context.
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Microbes assume an indispensable role in design, given their inherent adaptability, functional diversity, and abundance. Yet, designing with microbes presents notable challenges for biodesigners, stemming from, for example, the distinct temporalities and scales of microbes. Conversely, cultivating microbial sensibilities—reflecting human comprehension and alignment with the distinctive characteristics of microbes—stands out as a unique potential of biodesign for fostering a deep connection between humans and other living entities. In response, we present the concept of “becoming microbes”, a philosophically grounded approach advocating for a non-anthropocentric stance in biodesign, aiming at immersing biodesigners in the realms of microbes with a fresh perspective for imagining the world through the lens of a microbe. By harnessing diverse microbial qualities, including motility and communication, we present various design avenues to explore the notion of becoming microbes. We reflect on the role of merging the biological with the immersive digital systems in this context.
Designing Living Artefacts for Multispecies Interactions
An Ecological Approach
Living systems are not only characterised by the sum of individual organisms but also by the multispecies interactions that occur among them, which are crucial for self-regulation, versatility and the evolution of life. Within the fields of biodesign and biological HCI, designers and researchers have strived to facilitate and mimic the qualities that these multispecies interactions entail. However, designing in a way that can account for such intricate dynamic systems presents significant challenges, necessitating alternative approaches that offer greater nuance and sensitivity to natural ecosystems. By incorporating living organisms as interactive components within human-made systems, living artefacts provide an opportunity to explore and design with such sensitivity. Leveraging the inherent interactive potential of living organisms, we propose an ecologically oriented design approach in which living artefacts are recognised and supported within the context of an intricate web of life. To this end, we conducted an in-depth analysis of existing living artefacts, paying particular attention to the multiplicity, connectivity and reciprocity of interactions between humans, other living entities and computers. From this analysis, we identified three distinct types of multispecies interactions that help to articulate and leverage their unique features within, across and beyond living artefacts.
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Living systems are not only characterised by the sum of individual organisms but also by the multispecies interactions that occur among them, which are crucial for self-regulation, versatility and the evolution of life. Within the fields of biodesign and biological HCI, designers and researchers have strived to facilitate and mimic the qualities that these multispecies interactions entail. However, designing in a way that can account for such intricate dynamic systems presents significant challenges, necessitating alternative approaches that offer greater nuance and sensitivity to natural ecosystems. By incorporating living organisms as interactive components within human-made systems, living artefacts provide an opportunity to explore and design with such sensitivity. Leveraging the inherent interactive potential of living organisms, we propose an ecologically oriented design approach in which living artefacts are recognised and supported within the context of an intricate web of life. To this end, we conducted an in-depth analysis of existing living artefacts, paying particular attention to the multiplicity, connectivity and reciprocity of interactions between humans, other living entities and computers. From this analysis, we identified three distinct types of multispecies interactions that help to articulate and leverage their unique features within, across and beyond living artefacts.
AnimaTo
Designing a Multimorphic Textile Artefact for Performativity
Multimorphic textile-forms, obtained through simultaneous thinking of material and form that change in design and/or use time, have the potential to elicit diverse performances in the use of textile artefacts, thereby extending their relevance in our everyday lives. We present AnimaTo, a multimorphic textile artefact designed for performativity that reacts to water exposure via the shrinking and dissolving of its fibres. Adopting a material-driven design approach, we engaged in material tinkering with these qualities to achieve changes in the texture, size, and shape of AnimaTo. Following this exploration, we conducted a pilot study to gain insights into AnimaTo's temporal behaviour and performativity in use. In the further development of the artefact, we highlight the challenges that arise in producing high-fidelity prototypes. This work grants insights into how designers can tune material, form, and temporal qualities of textile artefacts towards multiplicity of use and prolonged user-textile relationships.
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Multimorphic textile-forms, obtained through simultaneous thinking of material and form that change in design and/or use time, have the potential to elicit diverse performances in the use of textile artefacts, thereby extending their relevance in our everyday lives. We present AnimaTo, a multimorphic textile artefact designed for performativity that reacts to water exposure via the shrinking and dissolving of its fibres. Adopting a material-driven design approach, we engaged in material tinkering with these qualities to achieve changes in the texture, size, and shape of AnimaTo. Following this exploration, we conducted a pilot study to gain insights into AnimaTo's temporal behaviour and performativity in use. In the further development of the artefact, we highlight the challenges that arise in producing high-fidelity prototypes. This work grants insights into how designers can tune material, form, and temporal qualities of textile artefacts towards multiplicity of use and prolonged user-textile relationships.