Seasonal biodesign
real-world studies with living artefacts for urban biodiversity
Eduard Groutars (TU Delft - Industrial Design Engineering)
J. Martins (TU Delft - Industrial Design Engineering)
I. Nicenboim (TU Delft - Industrial Design Engineering)
E. Karana (TU Delft - Industrial Design Engineering)
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Abstract
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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