In a world increasingly shaped by climatic, ecological, and material extremes, there is an urgent need for biomaterials that can perform under demanding conditions without compromising circularity. This contribution presents two material strategies developed within the MUSE – MyceliUm SEat research project, both centred on the use of fungal mycelium as a biological binding agent to form bio-integrated composites across distinct material regimes. Each strategy is designed for different extreme conditions.

The first strategy engages organic substrates such as hemp, sawdust, or straw, where mycelium grows through and partially decomposes the material, physically binding fibres into a dense, cohesive mass. This decay-driven fusion relies on enzymatic activity and mycelial entanglement to transform waste into structurally robust composites. The organic composite aims to achieve the lightest possible structure while remaining strong enough to withstand the racing environment, tested through its integration into a motorsport seat, where weight, impact resistance and performance are critical.

The second strategy explores the use of inorganic matter, such as sand or crushed mineral or synthetic waste, where mycelium functions not by decomposition but through encapsulation - locking inert particles within an organic matrix. This creates composites that suggest new models of containment, stabilisation, and reuse, particularly relevant in closed-loop systems. The heavier sand-based composite investigates the use of inorganic substrates for potential extraterrestrial applications, where structural stability and the use of in-situ resources are prioritised. These contrasting scenarios reflect how each material system is tailored to specific environmental and functional extremes, implementing various material-specific production strategies.

Both strategies use mycelium to create composites, but each applies a distinct logic tailored to its context. Together, the two approaches demonstrate mycelium’s dual potential: as a metabolic processor for organic waste and as a structural entangler of inert matter. This redefines resilience as a biologically informed capacity to grow, adapt, and stabilise matter across extreme contexts.

Ultimately, this research aims to develop biohybrid composites that enable the reuse of inorganic construction waste, supporting future space architecture and more sustainable terrestrial building practices.

Brandić Lipińska, Magdalena, Martyn Dade-Robertson, Maria Theodoridou, and Lynn Rothschild. 2025. Alien Technology for Alien Worlds: Design for Biological Construction of Living Habitation on Mars. Cambridge Open Engage. https://doi.org/10.33774/coe-2025-l464l.This content is a preprint and has not been peer-reviewed.

Camilleri, Emma, Sumesh Narayan, Divnesh Lingam, and Renald Blundell. 2025. “Mycelium-Based Composites: An Updated Comprehensive Overview.” Biotechnology Advances 79: 108517. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biotechadv.2025.108517.

Elsacker, Elise, Lieve De Laet, and Eveline Peeters. 2022. “Functional Grading of Mycelium Materials with Inorganic Particles: The Effect of Nanoclay on the Biological, Chemical and Mechanical Properties.” Biomimetics 7 (2): 57. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics7020057.

Moser, Franziska, Martin Trautz, Anna-Lena Beger, Manuel Löwer, Georg Jacobs, Felicitas Hillringhaus, Alexandra Wormit, Björn Usadel, and Julia Reimer. 2017. “Fungal Mycelium as a Building Material.” In Proceedings of the IASS Annual Symposia 2017 Hamburg Symposium: Materials for Spatial Structures, 1–7. Madrid: International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures (IASS). https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/iass/piass/2017/00002017/00000001/art00001.

Piórecka, Natalia B., Judith Ascher-Jenull, and Barbara Imhof. 2025. MUSE MyceliUm SEat: Developing Mycelium-Based Materials with Enhanced Durability, Adaptable Design, and Natural Colouration for Automotive and Architectural Applications. Cambridge Open Engage. https://doi.org/10.33774/coe-2025-l7t62.

Piórecka, Natalia, Rita Morais, and Jennifer Levy. 2023. Urban MYCOskin. In B-Pro Show 2023: Bio-Integrated Design 23, The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL. https://bpro2023.bartlettarchucl.com/bio-integrated-design-23/bio-id-urban-mycoskin.

Saini, Rahul, Guneet Kaur, and Satinder Kaur Brar. 2023. “Textile Residue-Based Mycelium Biocomposites from Pleurotus ostreatus.” Frontiers in Fungal Biology 4: 1276584. https://doi.org/10.3389/ffunb.2023.1276584.

Shen, Sabrina C., Nicolas A. Lee, William J. Lockett, Aliai D. Acuil, Hannah B. Gazdus, Branden N. Spitzer, and Markus J. Buehler. 2023. Robust Myco-Composites as a Platform for Versatile Hybrid-Living Structural Materials. arXiv preprint arXiv:2305.12151. https://arxiv.org/abs/2305.12151.

Womer, Scott, Tien Huynh, and Sabu John. 2023. “Hybridizations and Reinforcements in Mycelium Composites: A Review.” Materials Today Sustainability 23: 100343. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtsust.2023.100343.

How can mycelium growth play an active role as the design driver in the development of an architectural project and biofabrication methodologies? How to adopt cultivation as the design medium?

Mycelium-based composites are a genre of materials which can be designed to target improvement in certain physical properties or fabrication methods. Textile hybridisation of mycelium-based composites has been thematised in multiple research studies as a method which can contribute to both goals - improving predominantly tensile properties and allowing for the new speculative fabrication processes.

The project develops a novel biofabrication method for cultivating doubly-curved geometries with elastic textile scaffolds and mycelium composites. The resulting mycelium-textile hybrid modules were to be applied for the spatial installation, Flight Into Shadow, in Salone Verde in Venice, in an appearance parallel to the Architecture Biennale 2025. This restrained the solution space into the geometries which could be cultivated easily in multiple copies within the available low-threshold infrastructure.

The paper discusses first how iterative investigation in the material composition, cultivation settings and maintenance, sterilisation concerns, and geometric limits shaped the design and biofabrication of the installation’s modules. The intermediate results and consequent feedback loops in the biofabrication process are thematised and reflected. The special focus is on the development of the elastic scaffold for cultivation allowing for cultivating both sides with the same expression of air mycelium surface and preventing cracking.

Secondly, the paper reflects on the mycofabrication process of 600+ copies of the selected module geometry. The heterogeneities of the resulting artefacts are reflected in the relation to the process parameters. Regardless, attempts to keep the established cultivation protocol constant, some unexpected growth phenomena (rhizomorphic mycelium growth on top of continuous tomentose mycelium surface and water blisters) occur. They give a base to further research or advancements in mycofabrication crafting.

The project proves that mycofabrication can be functionalised for the production of the scenographic elements for interior applications within a low-threshold setup. The anticipated aesthetic can be achieved in an interactive process when responsive experimental design and a learning-based approach are adopted.

Amudhan, K., A. Zolfaghari, M. Jafari, E. Biala, T.-Y. Chen, M. Ostermann, and J. Knippers.
Living Tex’Celium: Exploring Sustainable Architectural Practices Unique to Mycelium-Textile Composites. Cambridge Open Engage, 2025. https://doi.org/10.33774/coe-2025-wqg3q.
Note: This content is a preprint and has not been peer-reviewed.

Biala, E., and M. Ostermann.
"Mycostructures—Growth-Driven Fabrication Processes for Architectural Elements from Mycelium Composites." Architectural Structures and Construction 2 (2022): 509–519. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44150-022-00073-6.

Kaiser, R., B. Bridgens, E. Elsacker, and J. Scott.
"BioKnit: Development of Mycelium Paste for Use with Permanent Textile Formwork." Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology 11 (2023): 1229693. https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2023.1229693.

Rigobello, A., and P. Ayres.
"Design Strategies for Mycelium-Based Composites." In Fungi and Fungal Products in Human Welfare and Biotechnology, edited by T. Satyanarayana and S. K. Deshmukh. 2023. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-8853-0_20.

Yogiaman, C., C. Pambudi, D. Jayashankar, and K. Tracy.
"Knitted Bio-Material Assembly." Presented at the ACADIA Conference, 2020

In recent years, mycelium or fungi-based composite biomaterials have emerged as a genre of low-cost, low embodied carbon, sustainable, and potentially self-healing materials for use in packaging, consumer products, furniture, and more. In architecture, these biomaterials have been used to create acoustic panels, internal sidings, decorative features, and standalone structures. The mycelium has been shown to grow well with sawdust, hemp, straw, coffee grounds, and other plant-derived substrates, enabling composite materials that can fully biodegrade at end-of-life. However, the true nature of how mycelium bonds and integrates with other materials is unknownwhich limits our ability to use hybrid mycelium systems in large-scale building applications. In this work, we explore the morphology and underlying mechanics of how mycelium bonds with other materials. We study both solid materials such as woods, ceramics, metals and polymers, and flexible textiles of various organic and inorganic materials. We conduct experimental shear pull-out tests of coupons and fibers grown within the biomaterial. and explore the bonding interfaces with microscopic imaging. Our results show that mycelium can bond well with a variety of materials, and surprisingly the bonding with Copper, Zinc, Nickel, and their alloys are particularly strong. Furthermore, the contact surface area, texture, and porosity of the materials also play a role in the bond strength. The work offers guidelines for how to harness mycelium as a bonding agent for multi-material hybrid systems for various functional applications. Moreover, our work gives insights into how mycelium biomaterials can seamlessly integrate with existing and future architectural systems.

1. Elsacker, Elise, Simon Vandelook, Joost Brancart, Eveline Peeters, and Lars De Laet. "Mechanical, physical and chemical characterisation of mycelium-based composites with different types of lignocellulosic substrates." PLoS One 14, no. 7 (2019): e0213954.

2. Sun, Wenjing, Mehdi Tajvidi, Caitlin Howell, and Christopher G. Hunt. "Functionality of surface mycelium interfaces in wood bonding." ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 12, no. 51 (2020): 57431-57440.

3. Jones, Mitchell, Andreas Mautner, Stefano Luenco, Alexander Bismarck, and Sabu John. "Engineered mycelium composite construction materials from fungal biorefineries: A critical review." Materials & Design 187 (2020): 108397.

4. Scott, Jane, Romy Kaiser, Dilan Ozkan, Aileen Hoenerloh, Armand Agraviador, Elise Elsacker, and Ben Bridgens. "Knitted cultivation: Textiling a multi-kingdom bio architecture." In Structures and Architecture. A Viable Urban Perspective?, pp. 3-10. CRC Press, 2022.

5. Womer, Scott, Tien Huynh, and Sabu John. "Hybridizations and reinforcements in mycelium composites: a review." Bioresource Technology Reports 22 (2023): 101456.

Textile systems do not merely produce surfaces, they define spatial logic.
This research project investigates the architectural potential of combining textile construction techniques with mycelium-based composites (MBC) in the form of filament hybrids, producing upscaled, solidified textiles. Envisioning structural applications of textiles in adaptive, lightweight, and biodegradable architecture.

The central research questions are: Which textile construction techniques are suitable for building with MBC filaments? How can they be evaluated in the context of different architectural applications?

‘MBC-filaments’ are produced by stuffing textile sleeves with substrate inoculated with mycelium in the form of a paste. The process can be manual or semi-automated. The interoperability of the various parameters (sleeve material, the composition of MBC paste, filament diameter, and constructions (mesh-based with stretchability vs. surface-forming with dimensional stability)) is crucial for testing and comparing various textile techniques.

Construction choices are guided by manufacturing complexities, sizes, and shapes. Knitted meshes are stretchable and suited for round elements or non-load-bearing surfaces, but struggle with increasing weight and shape control. Weaving enables open or dense grids, offering lightness yet stable constructions and integration of diverse yarns. Macramé enables grids, foldable systems and can facilitate material combinations.

The research follows a practice-based approach, where artefacts are constructed and analysed. It builds on works by the authors from 2020-2025.

The work reflects on the production constraints of knitting, weaving and macrame MBC-demonstrators in the form of surfaces, shells and pillars. They are then evaluated under the four-criteria framework: (A) form stability and forming, (B) scalability, (C) integration of reinforcement materials and (D) biological growth behaviour, which are qualitatively reflected. Two main cultivation scenarios emerged during the works: hanging state (good for adjustments and contamination limiting) and bottom-up construction (preferable in up-scaled and structural scenarios). Macramé tests proved to offer potential not only for stable surfaces but also for integrating predefined breaking points to create foldable surfaces (held together by the intact sleeve material), which is relevant for adaptive components.
For particularly high structural stability, bio-welding at dense weaves or crossing points is essential.

This project understands textile construction not merely as a technique, but as a design logic for grown architecture. This opens up a new perspective for the development of architectural systems that are embedded in the paradigm of ‘cultivating matter’, creating a post-extractionist built environment.

1. Biala, Eliza, Anne-Kathrin Kühner, and Martin Ostermann. 2024. “Building-by-Growing with Textile Logic: Speculative Morphologies of Biohybrid Textile Architecture.” In What’s Around Design? Strategic and Speculative Biodesign for a Sustainable Future, Vol. 1. Cham: Springer Nature. Forthcoming September 2025.
2. Sauer, Christiane, and Anne-Kathrin Kühner. 2022. “Concrete Textiles.” In Architectures of Weaving, edited by Christiane Sauer, Magdalena Stoll, Eva Waldhör, and Matthias Schneider, 136–37. Berlin: Jovis Verlag. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783868598315.
3. Kühner, Anne-Kathrin. 2016. Strukturen aus BetonTextil. Master’s thesis, Kunsthochschule Berlin-Weißensee.
4. Kühner, Anne-Kathrin. 2023. “Knitted Mycelium: Transforming Mycelium Hybrids into Solidifying and Lightweight Textile Structures.” Cambridge Open Engage. https://www.cambridge.org/engage/coe/article-details/653e028648dad23120a0367a.

Plant galls—specialized structures induced by insects, viruses, fungi or bacteria—demonstrate a remarkable natural capacity for interspecies co-design. Gall-inducing organisms, such as gall wasps, chemically and/or epigenetically activate specific developmental pathways in host plants, causing them to grow complex micro-architectures that serve as habitats, protective environments and nutrient sources for their offspring. These galls often feature sophisticated adaptive properties, including structures that could be interpreted as defences, bitter compounds that deter herbivores, precisely timed exit routes and—in rare cases—even ballistic dispersal mechanisms that launch them into the soil.

These structures embody biological principles highly relevant to the theme of cultivated matter: they are autonomously generated, functionally optimized and the result of inter-organismic communication and reprogramming. We propose to view plant galls as living analogues of programmable materials. The gall can be understood as a naturally bio-printed entity, where the instructions originate from one species and the form is produced by another.

We explore in our conceptional research the potential of this phenomenon as a model for future biointegrated materials and living architectures. Could humans one day direct plants to grow objects—structural components, tools or even devices—through targeted biochemical or genetic cues, much like insects direct plants to grow galls? The vision is not of extraction, but of symbiotic fabrication: architecture that grows, adapts and disassembles in harmony with ecological systems.

This biomimetic speculation contributes to emerging discussions on regenerative materials, self-assembling systems and the cultivation of responsive, embodied matter. By shifting from assembly to growth and from control to dialogue, we outline a pathway toward circular strategies that integrate care, maintenance and co-evolution. The gall becomes not just a structure, but a symbol: of interdependence, of resilience and of an architecture that is, in every sense, alive.

Gebeshuber, Ille C., and Richard W. van Nieuwenhoven. “Plant Galls on Alpine Plants — Fascinating Connection between Nature and Physics.” Cecidology 39, no. 1 (2024): 10–15. ISSN 0268-2907.

Freigassner, Julia, Richard W. van Nieuwenhoven, and Ille C. Gebeshuber. “From Nanostructure to Function: Hierarchical Functional Structures in Chitin and Keratin.” Zeitschrift für Physikalische Chemie 239, no. 9 (2025): 1443–97. https://doi.org/10.1515/zpch-2024-0913.

van Nieuwenhoven, Richard W., Manfred Drack, and Ille C. Gebeshuber. “Engineered Materials: Bioinspired ‘Good Enough’ versus Maximized Performance.” Advanced Functional Materials 34 (2024): 2307127. https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202307127.

van Nieuwenhoven, Richard W., Florian Gisinger, Pia M. Graves, August Hammel, Mathias Mörth, and Ille C. Gebeshuber. “Insights into Growth Regulation by Connecting Simulations of Plant-Growth to the Plant Gall Life Cycle.” Poster presented at the MRS 2023 Spring Meeting & Exhibit, San Francisco, California, USA, April 10–14, 2023. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.28736.61445.

van Nieuwenhoven, Richard W., Florian Gisinger, Lukas Hageneder, and Ille C. Gebeshuber. “Engineered Living Materials III: Structure, Function, and Scale.” NanoTrust Dossiers, no. 68en (2025): 6 pp. Austrian Academy of Sciences. ISSN 1998-7293. https://epub.oeaw.ac.at/ita/nanotrust-dossiers/dossier068en.pdf.

van Nieuwenhoven, Richard W., Florian Gisinger, Lukas Hageneder, and Ille C. Gebeshuber. “Engineered Living Materials II: Mapping the ELM Field from Biogenic Content to Fabrication.” NanoTrust Dossiers, no. 65en (2025): 6 pp. Austrian Academy of Sciences. ISSN 1998-7293. https://epub.oeaw.ac.at/ita/nanotrust-dossiers/dossier065en.pdf.

van Nieuwenhoven, Richard W., Florian Gisinger, Lukas Hageneder, and Ille C. Gebeshuber. “Engineered Living Materials I: Foundations, Classifications and Future Potentials.” NanoTrust Dossiers, no. 64en (2025): 7 pp. Austrian Academy of Sciences. ISSN 1998-7293. https://epub.oeaw.ac.at/ita/nanotrust-dossiers/dossier064en.pdf.

Global temperatures rise and urban areas are increasingly exposed to extreme heat, pressing a dire need for sustainable and passive cooling strategies in architecture. Butterflies can inspire us in this matter, as they benefit from various multifunctional nanostructures on their wing scales. The properties enabled by these hierarchical structures range from structural coloring, hydrophobicity and self-cleaning properties to structural integrity and passive thermoregulation. Recent research indicates interesting thermal properties, especially a high emissivity within the atmospheric window (the wavelength spectrum from 7.5 μm - 13 μm, where the Earth’s atmosphere is transparent for radiation). This work investigates different kinds of butterflies with a thermal camera as well as a novel hyperspectral imaging camera to identify species and wing areas of interest. The scale nanostructures are furthermore analyzed on micro- and nanometer length scales for potential application in the thermoregulation of buildings. With Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Focused Ion Beam (FIB) techniques it is managed to cut into single scales, to analyze the cross-section of these structures. Color scales, scent scales and reflective scales from various butterfly species (both tropical and native to the temperate zone of Middle Europe) are compared. The findings aim to highlight the potential of integrating biological nanostructures into human-made architecture for multifunctional designs.

Tsai, C.-C., Childers, R.A., Shi, N.N., Ren, C., Pelaez, J.N., Bernard, G.D., Pierce, N.E. & Yu, N. (2020). Physical and behavioral adaptations to prevent overheating of the living wings of butterflies. Nat Commun. 11, 551. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-14408-8

Köchling, P., Niebel, A., Hurka, K., Vorholt, F. & Hölscher, H. (2020) On the multifunctionality of butterfly scales: a scaling law for the ridges of cover scales. Faraday Discuss. 223, 195-206.

Corti, M., Zischka, F., Preda, F., Perri, A., Polli, D., Cerullo, G., Ballada, O., Barta, C., Chroust, L., Valentini, G., Gebeshuber, I.-C., & Manzoni, C. (2024). A bolometric hyperspectral camera based on a birefringent interferometer for remote sensing in the thermal infrared. In L. De Stefano, R. Velotta, & E. Descrovi (Eds.), EOS Annual Meeting (EOSAM 2024). EDP Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/202430913001

Gebeshuber I.C. & Zischka F. (2023) Lernen vom Schmetterling für passiv selbstkühlende Fassaden. Bulletin - Alumni-Magazin der TU Wien Nr. 54, Themenheft “Energieeffizienz – Das Gebot der Stunde”. März 2023, Cover Page & p. 22-23.

Zischka F. & Gebeshuber I.C. (2023) Lernen vom Schmetterling für passiv selbstkühlende Fassaden. TMW-Zine, 12. Juli 2023, Technisches Museum Wien.

This research addresses the apparent conflict in building design between the need for stability and performance to withstand climate change and the imperative for degradability and circularity that leaves no waste. Drawing upon two decades of biomimetic design research, including frameworks from Architecture Follows Nature and site-specific investigations of the Nature, Art & Habitat Residency (NAHR), this paper defines the conceptual foundations and early hypotheses for a "coexistent" architecture. The central inquiry explores how architectural materials and assemblies can transition from inert, waste-generating objects to active participants in resilient, regenerative ecosystems, responding to a need for more conventional abstract structuring and contextualization in biodesign.

The methodology is grounded in the perspectives of geoecology and edaphology—fields that study the dynamic interaction between geological substrates, soils, and biological systems over time. This approach explores the potential for architecture to be designed with biomaterial responsiveness and slow transformation, allowing it to become geo-bio-reactive. This involves asking how principles of edaphology, especially the interaction between mineral substrate and plant life, can inspire new biomaterial assemblies strategies and structural morphologies.

The results suggest provocative possibilities for a paradigm shift: that buildings could be designed to mirror the adaptive, context-sensitive behaviors of natural organisms and geological formations, including their responses to periodic disturbances such as fire. This framework envisions life cycles that incorporate transformation, degradation, or decomposition as purposeful, ecologically valuable phases, thereby reducing long-term environmental impact and enhancing climate resilience.

In discussion, the research is framed as foundational thinking on how architecture can emulate the cyclical logic of natural systems—engaging dynamically with environmental forces, embracing disintegration, and ultimately contributing to the metabolic flows of the ecosystem. This aims to contribute to the field by defining the epistemological and practical implications of an architecture designed for resilience and regeneration in the face of climate change.

Benyus, Janine M. Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature. New York: Harper Perennial, 2002.

Bratton, Benjamin H. The Terraforming. Strelka Press, 2020.

Dazzi, Carmelo. Fondamenti di pedologia. Illustrated ed. Milano: Edagricole, 2021.

Mazzoleni, Ilaria. Architecture Follows Nature: Biomimetic Principles for Innovative Design. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 2013.

Mazzoleni, Ilaria, and Nature, Art & Habitat Residency. Transect of Coexistence: Inquiry into Nature, Art, and Habitat. Florence: ListLab, 2024.

Greening urban spaces is of growing importance in the face of climate and demographic change. While vertical greening is a promising and versatile solution in space-limited contexts, its application remains limited. Studies point to social, economic, and ecological challenges. This project explores vertical greening by using textiles as the direct medium for plant growth. Although this technique is expanding in the arts and fashion, it has been overlooked in architecture, urban design, and planting systems. This gap is addressed by developing a series of prototypes that enable plants to grow directly on textiles. Seeds are applied onto fabrics shaped into sculptures or installations, allowing plants to grow and root directly into the textile. The primary textile techniques used are weaving and knitting, with a focus on double-layered structures that can integrate automated water systems and scaffolds. The textile materials employed are of natural origin only, mainly including wool, linen, and cotton. While linen has strong water-absorbent properties, wool appears to have a longer life cycle. Using textiles as a growing medium offers several advantages over conventional vertical greening. Textiles are lightweight, adaptable, and naturally aesthetic. Additionally, they absorb and distribute water across the surface, keeping seeds moist. Using seeds has various advantages in comparison to greenhouse-pregrown plants. Furthermore the system allows adaptation to different ecological, social and architectural contexts. The use of natural textile materials is suited to create circular systems but this comes at the expense of a shorter lifecycle. Another disadvantage is a high demand for water. This project shows the potential of incorporating textiles into greening architecture. While the focus has been on small testing prototypes, these learnings should be applied to larger-scale production systems. Further research in this emerging field could explore holistic water systems, adaptations to different habitats, improved longevity and the use within regenerative cycle systems.

Francis, Robert A., and Jamie Lorimer. „Urban reconciliation ecology: the potential of living roofs and walls.“ Journal of environmental management 92, no. 6 (2011): 1429-1437.

Farrokhirad, Ensiyeh, Marina Rigillo, Manfred Köhler, and Katia Perini. 2024. “Optimising Vertical Greening Systems for Sustainability: An Integrated Design Approach.” International Journal of Sustainable Energy 43 (1). doi:10.1080/14786451.2024.2411831.

Ehrmann, Andrea. „On the Possible Use of Textile Fabrics for Vertical Farming.“ Tekstilec 62, no. 1 (2019).

Keune, Svenja. „Growing textile hybrid structures: Using Plants for Dynamic Textile Transformation, an Approach Towards Biophilic Urbanism.“ In 3rd International Conference of Biodigital Architecture and Genetics, ESARQ, Barcelona, June 7-9, 2017, vol. 3, pp. 264-275. 2017.

Storck, Jan Lukas, Robin Böttjer, Dominik Vahle, Bennet Brockhagen, Timo Grothe, Karl-Josef Dietz, Anke Rattenholl, Frank Gudermann, and Andrea Ehrmann. 2019. „Seed Germination and Seedling Growth on Knitted Fabrics as New Substrates for Hydroponic Systems“ Horticulturae 5, no. 4: 73. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae5040073

University of the Arts London. 2021. “Seed Fabric and Compostable Textiles: MA Textile Design Graduate Apurva Srihari,” March 15, 2021. https://www.arts.ac.uk/colleges/chelsea-college-of-arts/stories/seed-fabric-compostable-textiles-ma-textile-design-graduate-apurva-srihari.

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Uzumaki’s World.” n.d. Beth Williams. https://beth-williams.co.uk/pages/uzumakis-world.

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R&D Living Textile and Ceramic Vessels and Rituals. 2024.” 2025. Alice-Marie Archer Studio. June 7, 2025. https://alicemariearcher.wordpress.com/2025/06/07/rd-living-textile-and-ceramic-vessels-and-rituals-2024/.

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“Lara Campos | Material Designer.” 2024. Lara-Campos.com. 2024. https://lara-campos.com/#be-grounded.

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Singapore is known as a “Garden City,” a title that the city-state has embodied through an extensive network of urban trees, lush city parks, and more recently green facades and roofs. While it has earned a reputation as a world-wide leader in biophilic design, these green spaces have focused primarily on human benefits that rely on control of the natural environment often replacing the historical ecology that has been shrouded by layers of development. This is especially true of Singapore’s shoreline, where the country has used land reclamation to expand its area by 25 percent. While the construction of new land was seen as a vital part of national building, it erased nearly all the original shoreline along with the mangrove forests, natural beaches, and indigenous villages. To complicate matters, Singapore is particularly vulnerable to sea-level rise and compound flooding as roughly a third of the land resides below 5-meters.

“Postcards from the Future” invites the public to explore the past, present, and potential future transformations of the country’s shoreline through Augmented Reality (AR) installations at 24 designated locations that build place-based knowledge, serve as a platform for collaboration across disciplines, and an interactive tool for public engagement. The AR installations visualize sea-level rise scenarios and potential resilience strategies that include nature-based solutions, biomimetic engineering, and traditional ecological knowledge. Building off the country’s Green Plan 2030 pillars “City in Nature” and “Resilient Future,” the project seeks to reframe the challenges of sea-level rise as an opportunity to merge tidal ecosystems with adaptive architecture. By embracing the rising sea and natural processes of regeneration, static shorelines may be replaced by a continually changing shore area, where urban waterfronts are designed in collaboration with coastal habitats. The project was hosted by the Earth Observatory of Singapore. It brought together a transnational and interdisciplinary partnership between scientists, architects, engineers, and artists to provide a platform to exchange knowledge and enable discourse that speculates on how Singapore can develop a long-term planning framework that foregrounds biodiversity and natural systems with climate change resilience to envision a living city designed for all life.

1. Timothy Barnard, Nature’s Colony: Empire, Nation and Environment in the Singapore Botanic Gardens (Singapore: National University of Singapore Press, 2019) 257.
2. The Economist, “Such Quantities of Sand.” February 26, 2015. Accessed October 1^st, 2025. https://www.economist.com/asia/2015/02/26/such-quantities-of-sand
3. Kenneth Er, “Transforming Singapore into a City in Nature,” Urban Solutions, no. 19 (June 2021): 68–77.
4. “Green Plan 2030,” Our Vision, Singapore Government Agency, accessed October 1^st, 2025. https://www.greenplan.gov.sg/vision/
5. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge, UK and New York: Cambridge University Press, 2022. Accessed October 1^st, 2025. https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg2/
6. Miles Alexander Powell, “Singapore’s Lost Coast: Land Reclamation, National Development and the Erasure of Human and Ecological Communities, 1822–Present,” Environment and History 27, no. 4 (2021): 641; Brenda Yeoh, Contesting Space in Colonial Singapore: Power Relations and the Urban Built Environment (Singapore: NUS Press, 2003).
7. Singapore National Parks, “City in Nature: key strategies,” last updated February 11^th, 2025, accessed October 1^st, 2025. https://www.nparks.gov.sg/who-we-are/city-in-nature-key-strategies

βI⊙⁻⁹ ∞ LUDIC⁹ explores symbiosis, care, and metamorphosis as principles for reimagining architecture and design through artistic research. It investigates how living matter—microbial cultures, biofilms, and cellulose skins—can become more than materials: companions in processes of play, transformation, and ecological responsiveness.

Methods combine microbial fermentation, material prototyping, and ludic experimentation. Bacterial cellulose and halophilic biofilms are cultivated into masks, membranes, super symbiotic food, and bio-tables that act as discourse-activating objects. In themselves, these ludic artefacts are not epistemic things, but through their participation in play—as method—they enter what has been called the “magic circle” of artistic research. Here, objects evolve into epistemic objects: they generate insight by moving from material growth to discourse, reflection, and peer exchange, producing knowledge through their unfolding metamorphosis.

Results show that these bio-ludic artefacts do not behave as fixed products but as evolving players in multispecies entanglements. Bio-tables foster spaces of care, where microbial growth becomes a sensory presence. Masks and membranes blur nourishment, protection, and performance, while halophilic films embed salt and water cycles into material practice. The outcomes reveal architecture as a living ecology, metabolised through time, smell, and decay, where design is cultivated rather than fabricated.

The findings suggest that play is not only a metaphor but a method for generating artistic-epistemic objects. By staging microbial life and human bodies in acts of care, uncertainty, and co-creation, βI⊙⁻⁹ ∞ LUDIC⁹ produces knowledge that resists extractive and anthropocentric models of design. Architecture is reframed as a ludic and symbiotic practice: an interface of care, a site of metamorphosis, and an ecology of becoming.

• François Jacob, The Logic of Life: A History of Heredity (Pantheon Books, 1973).

• Johan Huizinga, Homo Ludens: Vom Ursprung der Kultur im Spiel (Rowohlt Taschenbuchverlag, 2019).

• Donna J. Haraway, When Species Meet (University of Minnesota Press, 2008).

• Emanuele Coccia, Philosophy of the Home: Domestic Space and Happiness (Penguin Books, 2024).

• Margarete Jahrmann, “Das ludische Manifest: Die Kunst des Spiels und ihre gesellschaftliche Wirkung,” in Not at Your Service: Manifestos for Design, ed. Björn Franke (DDE Publikation, 2021).

This project is questioning an alternative vision of digital security through an installation that employs the slime mold Physarum polycephalum as both inspiration and active participant. Unlike conventional encryption systems such as RSA or AES, which remain invisible processes managed by corporations, this work makes security tangible, fragile, and alive. Physarum is a single-celled organism without a brain, yet research has shown that it can solve mazes, optimize networks, and adapt dynamically to changing environments. Its unpredictable but patterned growth becomes a source of biological entropy, a living analogue to random number generation.

In the installation, the vitality of the organism determines the strength of encryption. If it is fed, moist and healthy the security factor of your data increases. When it weakens through neglect, protection declines. Users must therefore engage in ongoing acts of care: feeding, monitoring, and cultivating the organism. Encryption here is no longer an abstract algorithm hidden in a server farm, but a practice of daily carework. This dependency introduces new conceptual frames such as “cryptographic empathy” , the ability to read and respond to the organism’s needs, and the willingness to align with biological rather than computational time.

By playfully coupling data protection with the rhythms of living matter, the installation reveals encryption as a relationship rather than a service. It raises an unsettling but productive question: what happens when the security of our most personal information depends not on corporate infrastructures or mathematical proofs, but on our own capacity to care for a vulnerable life form? In this speculative model, privacy is no longer outsourced. It becomes embodied, relational, and fragile.

- Adamatzky, Andrew. 2010. Physarum Machines: Computers from Slime Mould. Singapore: World Scientific.

- Nakagaki, Toshiyuki, Hiroyasu Yamada, and Ágota Tóth. 2000. “Maze-Solving by an Amoeboid Organism.” Nature 407 (6803): 470. https://doi.org/10.1038/35035159.

- Noddings, Nel. 1984. Caring: A Feminine Approach to Ethics and Moral Education. Berkeley: University of California Press.

- Reid, Christopher R., Tanya Latty, Audrey Dussutour, and Madeleine Beekman. 2012. “Slime Mold Uses an Externalized Spatial ‘Memory’ to Navigate Complex Environments.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 109 (43): 17490–17494. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1215037109.

- Rivest, Ronald L., Adi Shamir, and Leonard Adleman. 1978. “A Method for Obtaining Digital Signatures and Public-Key Cryptosystems.” Communications of the ACM 21 (2): 120–126. https://doi.org/10.1145/359340.359342.

- Shor, Peter W. 1994. “Algorithms for Quantum Computation: Discrete Logarithms and Factoring.” In Proceedings of the 35th Annual Symposium on Foundations of Computer Science, 124–34. Los Alamitos, CA: IEEE Computer Society Press. https://doi.org/10.1109/SFCS.1994.365700.

- U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). 2001. Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). FIPS Publication 197. Gaithersburg, MD: NIST. https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/fips/nist.fips.197.pdf.

The study hypothesises that algorithms produced through collaboration between bodies enable context to become reproducible in architecture. In other words, if there is a body, there is a relationship; if there is a relationship, there is a context. The connection produced through the relationship between bodies offers living relationships that are constantly produced, rather than being given beforehand.

The study aims to examine the productivity of context by investigating the intricate interactions of concept, representation, and production, specifically focusing on the mechanisms of resistance and adaptation that natural organisms develop against the physical environment.

In the study, plants growing on the pavement were chosen as an example of micro-context, since they thrive under challenging conditions with limited possibilities and develop strategies such as rooting into narrow gaps to access nutrients. This micro-context was analysed through research by design, employing three complementary methodologies: algorithmic variation -modelling behavioural codes parametrically with Grasshopper, operational diagramming -conceptual visualisation of these behaviours, developed through the Midjourney AI tool, and operational materialisation - testing 3D printing strategies in Bambu Studio to translate digital parameters into analogue materialisations.

Starting from the idea that for a formation to be considered living, it must not only possess a physical presence but also establish a dynamic relationship with its environment, develop active behaviors under its own unique conditions, and adapt to environmental differences, nine behavioral codes have been identified: accumulation, embracing, carving, attachment, orientation, spreading, densification, adaptation, and transformation. To derive these behavioural codes, research by design methods were applied to the selected micro-context. When the behavioural reading of the digital representations was conducted, it was observed that not only the targeted behavioural codes emerged, but also various intermediate states. These in-between states indicate that the system does not proceed in a single linear direction (input-output), but rather evolves with an open-ended, pluralistic approach. Therefore, the micro-context can be understood not as a single form, but as a tectonic vitality encompassing multiple formations within itself.

Barad, K. (2007). Meeting the Universe Halfway: Quantum Physics and the Entanglement of Matter and Meaning. London: DUKE UNIVERSITY PRESS.

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Cache, B. (1995). Earth moves : The Furnishing of Territories. Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Carpo, M. (2017). The Second Digital Turn: Design Beyond Intelligence. The MIT Press.

Catts, O., & Zurr, I. (2008, November). Growing Semi-Living Structures: Concepts and Practices for the Use of Tissue Technologies for Non Medical Purposes. Architectural Design, 78(6), s. 30-35.

Cooper, R. (2006, 01). Making Present: Autopoiesis as Human Production. Organisation, 13(1), s. 59-81.

Cruz, M. (2008). Cyborgian Interfaces. Architectural Design, 78(6), 56-59.

DeLanda, M. (2006). A New Philosophy of Society: Assemblage Theory and Social Complexity. Continuum.

Deleuze, G. (2006). Kıvrım Leibniz ve Barok. (H. Yücefer, Çev.) İstanbul: Bağlam.

Deleuze, G. (2021). Fark ve Tekrar. (B. Yalım, & E. Koyuncu, Çev.) İstanbul: Norgunk.

Ingold, T. (2007). Lines: A Brief History. London and New York: Routledge.

Oxman, N. (2015). Templating Design for Biology and Biology for Design. Architectural Design, 85(5), s. 100-107.

Oxman, N., Laucks, J., Kayser, M., Duro-Royo, J., & Ganzele Uribe, C. (2014). Silk Pavilion: A Case Study in Fibre-Based Digital Fabrication. FABRICATE: NEGOTIATING DESIGN & MAKING, (s. 248-255). Verla.

Simondon, G. (1992). The Genesis of the Individual. J. Crary, & S. Kwinter (Dü) içinde, Incorporations (s. 297-319). New York: Zone Books.

This research investigates how microbial life and natural

materials can be used together to support the ecological

regeneration of arid environments. Focusing on the Tabernas

Desert in southeastern Spain, the study combines laboratory-

grown microorganisms with biodegradable materials to stabilise

soil, retain moisture, and begin the early stages of ecological

recovery.

The project centres on the cultivation of cyanobacteria, including

Nostoc commune, alongside nitrogen-fixing bacteria and soil-

stabilising actinomycetes. These organisms were introduced to

sandy soil substrates and monitored for their ability to form

biological soil crusts; thin, living layers that can prevent erosion

and promote plant growth. In parallel, hydrogel-based materials

and bio-based binders were tested for their ability to retain

water, support microbial life, and gradually return to the soil.

To integrate these systems at a structural level, adaptive wall

modules were designed and fabricated using low-energy

extrusion methods. These walls are composed of layered,

biodegradable materials that allow for microbial colonisation

while passively moderating temperature and humidity. A set of

small-scale demonstrators was built and tested under controlled

environmental conditions to evaluate their performance. While

these modules have not yet been deployed in outdoor field

settings, their development marks a step toward regenerative

structures that work with, rather than against, local ecosystems.

Adger, W.N., Crépin, A.S., Folke, C., Ospina, D., Chapin, F.S., Segerson, K., Seto, K.C., Anderies, J.M., Barrett, S., Bennett, E.M., Daily, G., Elmqvist, T., Fischer, J., Kautsky, N., Levin, S.A., Shogren, J.F., van den Bergh, J., Walker, B. and Wilen, J., 2020. Urbanization, migration, and adaptation to climate change. One Earth, 3(4), pp.396–399. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2020.09.016

Alotaibi, K.D. and Schoenau, J.J., 2019. Addition of biochar to a sandy desert soil: Effect on crop growth, water retention and selected properties. Agronomy, 9(6), p.327. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy9060327

Alsharif, W., Saad, M.M. and Hirt, H., 2020. Desert microbes for boosting sustainable agriculture in extreme environments. Frontiers in Microbiology, 11, p.1666. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2020.01666

Gullón, P., Gullón, B., Astray, G., Carpena, M., Fraga-Corral, M., Prieto, M.A. and Simal-Gandara, J., 2020. Valorization of by-products from olive oil industry and added-value applications for innovative functional foods. Food Research International, 137, p.109683. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2020.109683

Haque, F., Fan, C. and Lee, Y.Y., 2023. From waste to value: Addressing the relevance of waste recovery to agricultural sector in line with circular economy. Journal of Cleaner Production, 415, p.137873. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.137873

IAAC, 2022. TOVA is the first architectural construction in Spain located in the facilities of IAAC Valldaura Labs, Barcelona, built with a Crane WASP, the architectural 3D printer. Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia. Available at: https://iaac.net/project/3dpa-prototype-2022/

Joshi, T., Deepa, P.R., Joshi, M. and Sharma, P.K., 2023. Matters of the desert: A perspective on achieving food and nutrition security through plants of the (semi) arid regions. Journal of Agriculture and Food Research, 14, p.100725. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafr.2023.100725

Khwaldia, K., Attour, N., Matthes, J., Beck, L. and Schmid, M., 2022. Olive byproducts and their bioactive compounds as a valuable source for food packaging applications. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 21(2), pp.1218–1253. https://doi.org/10.1111/1541-4337.12882

Lawal, T.O., Abdulsalam, M., Mohammed, A. and Sundararajan, S., 2023. Economic and environmental implications of sustainable agricultural practices in arid regions: A cross-disciplinary analysis of plant science, management, and economics. International Journal of Membrane Science and Technology, 10(3), pp.3100–3114. https://doi.org/10.15379/ijmst.v10i3.3027

Li, Q., Ye, A., Wada, Y., Zhang, Y. and Zhou, J., 2024. Climate change leads to an expansion of global drought-sensitive area. Journal of Hydrology, 632, p.130874. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.130874

Lv, X., Wu, Y., Gong, M., Deng, J., Gu, Y., Liu, Y., Li, J., Du, G., Ledesma-Amaro, R., Liu, L. and Chen, J., 2021. Synthetic biology for future food: Research progress and future directions. Future Foods, 3, p.100025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fufo.2021.100025

Miralles, I., Domingo, F., García-Campos, E., Trasar-Cepeda, C., Leirós, M.C. and Gil-Sotres, F., 2012. Biological and microbial activity in biological soil crusts from the Tabernas desert, a sub-arid zone in SE Spain. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 55, pp.113–121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2012.06.017

NCCR Digital Fabrication and ETH Zurich, 2019. DFAB House / ETH Zurich + NCCR Digital Fabrication. ArchDaily. Available at: https://www.archdaily.com/942221/dfab-house-eth-zurich-plus-nccr-digital-fabrication

Otero, P., Garcia-Oliveira, P., Carpena, M., Barral-Martinez, M., Chamorro, F., Echave, J., Garcia-Perez, P., Cao, H., Xiao, J., Simal-Gandara, J. and Prieto, M.A., 2021. Applications of by-products from the olive oil processing: Revalorization strategies based on target molecules and green extraction technologies. Trends in Food Science and Technology, 116, pp.1084–1104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2021.09.007

Pankratova, E.M., Trefilova, L.V., Zyablykh, R.Y. and Ustyuzhanin, I.A., 2008. Cyanobacterium Nostoc paludosum Kütz as a basis for creation of agriculturally useful microbial associations by the example of bacteria of the genus Rhizobium. Microbiology, 77(2), pp.228–234. https://doi.org/10.1134/S0026261708020173

Powell, J.T., Chatziefthimiou, A.D., Banack, S.A., Cox, P.A. and Metcalf, J.S., 2015. Desert crust microorganisms, their environment, and human health. Journal of Arid Environments, 112(PB), pp.127–133. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaridenv.2013.11.004

Rezaei, S., Mohammadi, A., Shadloo, S., Ranaie, M. and Wan, H.Y., 2023. Climate change induces habitat shifts and overlaps among carnivores in an arid and semi-arid ecosystem. Ecological Informatics, 77, p.102247. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoinf.2023.102247

Rodríguez, V., Bartholomäus, A., Witzgall, K., Riveras-Muñoz, N., Oses, R., Liebner, S., Kallmeyer, J., Rach, O., Mueller, C.W., Seguel, O., Scholten, T. and Wagner, D., 2024. Microbial impact on initial soil formation in arid and semiarid environments under simulated climate change. Frontiers in Microbiology, 15, p.131999. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2024.1319997

Seemann, A., 2022. University of Virginia researchers 3D print soil-seed walls that sprout into plant life. Dezeen. Available at: https://www.dezeen.com/2022/09/05/university-of-virginia-3d-printed-soil-seed-walls/

Shi, S., Wang, Z., Shen, L. and Xiao, H., 2022. Synthetic biology: A new frontier in food production. Trends in Biotechnology, 40(7), pp.781–803. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2022.01.002

V., C., 2019. WASP and IAAC create 3D printed wall with embedded staircase. 3D Natives. Available at: https://www.3dnatives.com/en/wasp-and-iaac-create-3d-printed-wall-with-embedded-staircase/

WASP, 2021. The challenge of TECLA, the eco-sustainable 3D printed habitat, took form. Available at: https://www.3dwasp.com/en/3d-printed-house-tecla/

Planýrka, located in Brno, Czech Republic, is a mosaic of vague terrains—neglected, undefined urban spaces shaped by interrupted development and ecosystem succession. Despite their marginal status, these terrains offer critical ecological value and represent a living laboratory for rethinking urban strategies allowing for both human and more-than-human perspectives.

Planýrka serves as the foundational case study for 360+ LAB, a newly established platform initiated by a multidisciplinary group of doctoral students from Brno University of Technology. The lab is at the beginning of a long-term, open-ended exploration of alternative (non)planning approaches that move beyond human-centered development models. Its activities unfold across three interconnected layers:

1. Research: Planýrka provides an in situ environment for monitoring postcultural urban landscapes and nonhuman agencies. One of the key strategies is artistic research, exploring how video art can shape perceptions and narratives around neglected urban sites. This approach bridges science, art, and activism in capturing the complexity and value of such terrains.

2. Education: As a teaching site, Planýrka allows students to test planning concepts rooted in animal-aided design, care-based urbanism, and bottom-up interventions. Through direct interaction with the site, students learn to engage with ecological uncertainty and design for coexistence. 360+ LAB organizes public walks in an attempt to popularize the topic and initiate discussions.

3. Planning Policies: Planýrka is emerging as a platform for negotiating between top-down municipal planning and bottom-up community practices. It opens space for collaborative methods that advocate for vague terrains as legitimate urban typologies—flexible, biodiverse, and socially inclusive.

By focusing on a site often overlooked in planning agendas, 360+ LAB introduces Planýrka as a dynamic example of how urban voids can become meaningful tools for circular, more-than-human strategies. The lab aims to advocate for a new urban ethic—one that embraces ambiguity, listens to multispecies voices, and works toward inclusive and regenerative city-making.

- Krater. (2023). Krater – Laboratory for designing a habitat of the future. https://krater.si/en

- Fieuw, W., Foth, M., & Caldwell, G. A. (2022). Towards a more-than-human approach to smart and sustainable urban development: Designing for multispecies justice. Sustainability, 14(2), 948. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14020948

This research explores plant root systems as adaptive living systems capable of self-organizing within built environments in response to changing environmental conditions. Root behaviors—such as orientation, spreading, anchoring, retraction, and reconnection—are understood as dynamic processes continuously shaped by external stimuli. Rather than perceiving roots as agents of fixed or predefined geometries, the study conceptualizes them as context-sensitive, spatial, and temporal agents actively participating in the formation of emergent material organizations.

The investigation focuses on how root systems interact with different surface types using seeds from the same plant species. These surfaces include a highly permeable, clay-based substrate and a dense, homogeneous flat plane. Under controlled environmental conditions—stable humidity, diffused lighting, and gravitational influence—the root systems were cultivated in a two-dimensional growth setup. The study tracked the root–surface interaction as an organizational process distributed over time.

The physical traces left by the roots serve not merely as records of growth, but as data structures representing topological transitions, discontinuities, and reconnections. These are interpreted through binary oppositions such as continuity vs. rupture and density vs. sparsity. Variables such as porosity, moisture retention, and material density have been found to influence the overall behavior and orientation of root systems.

This interaction generates a computationally tractable dataset that can be translated into parametric surface strategies, allowing for the design of architectural surfaces that are not static but responsive and co-evolving with their environments. The study thereby proposes an alternative framework for surface design—one that leverages biological data and growth logic to inform digital modeling.

Rather than viewing design as a fixed outcome, this approach reframes it as a living process rooted in adaptability and continuous interaction. By harnessing the generative logic of living systems, architectural production can evolve from static form-making to dynamic material negotiation—enabling surfaces that are reorganizable, temporally informed, and environmentally aware. *

• Hensel, M., Menges, A., & Weinstock, M. (2013). Morphogenesis and emergence (2004–2006). In A. Carpo (Ed.), The digital turn in architecture 1992–2012 (pp. 158–181). Wiley.

• Camere, S., & Karana, E. (2018). Fabricating materials from living organisms: An emerging design practice. Journal of Cleaner Production, 186, 570–584. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.03.081

• Bedau MA, McCaskill JS, Packard NH and Rasmussen S (2010) Living technology: Exploiting life’s principles in technology. Artificial Life 16, 1, 89–97. https://doi.org/10.1162/artl.2009.16.1.16103.

• Bennett, J. (2004). The force of things: Steps toward an ecology of matter. Political Theory, 32(3), 347–372. https://doi.org/10.1177/0090591703260853

In-Process Conversion of Chitosan to Chitin in 3D Bioprinted Structures

Direct 3D printing of chitin is hindered by its poor solubility and processability, making it unsuitable for extrusion-based techniques; however, chitosan—a soluble deacetylated derivative—can be printed effectively, and by initiating reacetylation during the printing process, we approach the fabrication of chitin-based structures in a near-direct manner.. Chitin offers mechanical properties and distinct biodegradation characteristics. Chitin offers superior mechanical properties and distinct biodegradation characteristics, making it highly attractive for biomedical and sustainable material applications. The ability to convert between these polysaccharides opens new possibilities for tailoring scaffold properties for specific tissue engineering applications.

The experimental component focuses on applying established reacetylation chemistry to laboratory-produced 3D bioprinted chitosan structures. Constructs will be treated with acetic anhydride in methanol solutions during the printing process, with systematic optimisation of reaction conditions including concentration, temperature, and treatment duration. Conversion success and structural integrity will be characterised using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) to analyse morphological changes and surface chemistry modifications.

Key objectives include optimising conversion protocols, evaluating preservation of microscale features during treatment, comparing mechanical properties before and after conversion, and proposing theoretical frameworks for integrated conversion-printing systems. Expected outcomes include validated protocols for chitosan-to-chitin conversion in 3D printed constructs, comprehensive material characterisation, and theoretical guidelines for future in-situ conversion development.

This interdisciplinary work bridges 3D bioprinting technology with polysaccharide chemistry, potentially enabling programmable scaffold properties for wound healing, tissue regeneration, and controlled drug delivery applications.

Toncheva-Moncheva, N.; Aqil, A.; Galleni, M.; Jérôme, C. Conversion of Electrospun Chitosan into Chitin: A Robust Strategy to Tune the Properties of 2D Biomimetic Nanofiber Scaffolds. Polysaccharides 2021, 2, 271-286. https://doi.org/10.3390/polysaccharides202001

@Article{D1GC01799C, author ="Taghizadeh, Mohsen and Taghizadeh, Ali and Yazdi, Mohsen Khodadadi and Zarrintaj, Payam and Stadler, Florian J. and Ramsey, Joshua D. and Habibzadeh, Sajjad and Hosseini Rad, Somayeh and Naderi, Ghasem and Saeb, Mohammad Reza and Mozafari, Masoud and Schubert, Ulrich S.", title ="Chitosan-based inks for 3D printing and bioprinting", journal ="Green Chem.", year ="2022", volume ="24", issue ="1", pages ="62-101", publisher ="The Royal Society of Chemistry", doi ="10.1039/D1GC01799C", url ="http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/D1GC01799C", abstract ="The advent of 3D-printing/additive manufacturing in biomedical engineering field has introduced great potential for the preparation of 3D structures that can mimic native tissues. This technology has accelerated the progress in numerous areas of regenerative medicine{,} especially led to a big wave of biomimetic functional scaffold developments for tissue engineering demands. In recent years{,} the introduction of smart bio-inks has created growing efforts to facilitate the preparation of complex and homogeneous living-cell-containing 3D constructs. In the past decade{,} a considerable body of literature has been created on identifying an ideal bioinspired-ink with excellent printability{,} cell viability{,} bioactivity{,} and mechanical properties. This state-of-the-art review article briefly outlines 3D-printing/bioprinting techniques applied for chitosan-based bio-inks{,} their resources{,} crosslinking methods{,} characteristics{,} reasons for their superiority over other bio-inks{,} and challenges of commercialization; this is followed by a comprehensive description of the full potential and the key indicators of success in terms of 3D bio-printing of such bio-inks as platforms for tissue regeneration{,} advanced biosensors{,} drug delivery{,} and wastewater treatment. Next{,} the restrictions and challenges of chitosan bio-inks are highlighted. In this work{,} we also discussed about developing a coherent research strategy based on combination of microfluidics-based lab-on-a-chip (organ-on-a-chip) platforms with 3D-bioprinting which enables designing of self-healing scaffolds. And finally{,} the potential of smart inks based on chitosan for 4D bioprinting of more detailed and practical engineered tissues and artificial organs is reviewed."}

This study investigates the impact of surface topography, light exposure, and water retention on the colonization of surfaces in the urban environment by moss, particularly on concrete. With emphasis on Brachythecium rutabulum, The resilient and living presence of moss in urban environments holds potential as a component of bio-integrated design. For this reason, the article explores the optimal environmental conditions for this moss species both in pore and crack formations.

The mosses show two dominant life stages: protonema and gametophyte (Glime, 2007). The gametophyte stage produces spores that are dispersed by animals and wind. Once the spores reach the moisture-retaining pores, they enter the protonema stage and start the growth cycle. Surface textures formed by wind and water weathering form capillary porosity, which are the necessary spaces for spores and moisture retention (Hall & Hoff, 2002).

In addition, the research also examined how solar exposure, as well as surface form, affected the well-being of moss. Parametric models of different pavement cracks deep and shaded, versus flat and exposed were created and subjected to real sunlight. It was discovered that moss in deeper, set-back cracks exhibited higher levels of moisture retention and more compact pigmentation, whereas those in exposed conditions suffered chlorophyll loss and desiccation from overexposure to solar radiation.

In order to replicate such conditions, digital models were prepared through re-animation and collage methods, mimicking pore formations and their behaviors in concrete surfaces. This new morphology was 3D-printed and moss was placed on the pores and cracks.Hybridisation and growth were observed in the greenhouse environment. Moss samples exposed to the models developed well from protonema to gametophyte, validating the conduciveness of designed surfaces to moss development.

These observations are consistent with the existing body of our research on bio-receptive materials (Mustafa et al., 2023), demonstrating that moss ecosystems can be supported in architecture and urban design through passive shading, capillary porosity, and surface microtopography as being of paramount importance in promoting moss ecosystems on architectural surfaces. The study reveals that surface design can mediate urban biological colonization and contribute to the development of bio-integration strategies in architecture.

Veeger, M., M. Ottelé, and A. Prieto. 2021. "Making Bioreceptive Concrete: Formulation and Testing of Bioreceptive Concrete Mixtures." Construction and Building Materials. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352710221004022

Mustafa, K. F., A. Prieto, and M. Ottelé. 2021. "The Role of Geometry on a Self-Sustaining Bio-Receptive Concrete Panel for Facade Application." Sustainability 13: 7453. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/352999446

Glime, J. M. 2007. Chapter 2 – Life Cycles and Morphology. Ebook sponsored by Michigan Technological University and the International Association of Bryologists. http://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/bryophyte-ecology/

Hall, C., and W. D. Hoff. 2002. Water Transport in Brick, Stone and Concrete.

Ivy plants exhibit a distinctive growth pattern that merges biological adaptation with structural interaction. Beginning their life cycle in soil, they climb vertically when encountering suitable surfaces such as walls or trees, forming an evolving and dynamic relationship with architectural elements. This study introduces a computational model that investigates ivy’s growth behavior and water absorption dynamics, aiming to understand their implications on material performance.

Utilizing Python scripting in Rhino, the research develops digital simulations that replicate ivy’s exploratory movement and interaction with porous building components. Curves and volumetric forms visualize the organic expansion of the plant, while the model shifts its focus from representation toward performance-oriented analysis of material transformation over time.

As the ivy establishes contact with porous substrates like mortar, moisture is gradually extracted, disrupting the internal equilibrium of the material. This leads to a drying process, the emergence of micro-fractures, and a reduction in structural cohesion. Such transformations indicate how material surfaces begin to respond in a tissue-like manner—modulated by continuous biological input and environmental exposure.

Simultaneously, the redistribution of water within the structure generates spatial hydrological gradients. These gradients influence the direction and density of biological colonization, with the architectural surface becoming an active participant in regulating flows of matter and energy. Rather than functioning solely as inert host, it evolves into a responsive mediator shaped by living processes.

Over time, the accumulation of micro-damage triggers adaptive responses inspired by regenerative biology. The model speculates how material systems might develop self-regulating or healing capacities in response to stress. Through feedback-driven behaviors, architectural components begin to mirror the regenerative logic observed in living tissues—enabling local restoration and performance recovery.

These intertwined mechanisms of biological interaction, hydrological redistribution, and material adaptation offer new insights into resilient design strategies. Rather than resisting change, materials are envisioned as dynamically evolving systems, continuously shaped by their environment. Future phases of the research will integrate high-resolution datasets and physical testing to validate the computational predictions and explore practical applications of bio-integrated material systems.

Burris, J.N., Lenaghan, S.C. & Stewart, C.N. Climbing plants: attachment adaptations and bioinspired innovations. Plant Cell Rep 37, 565–574 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-017-2240-y

Cogdell, C. (2018). Toward a Living Architecture?: Complexism and Biology in Generative Design. University of Minnesota Press. https://doi.org/10.5749/j.ctv9b2tnw

Hensel M, Menges A & Weinstock M (2006) Towards self-organisational and multiple-performance capacity in architecture. Architectural Design, 76, 5-11. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ad.234

Pfeifer J (2006) Spatial dialogues: Responsive architecture and intelligent emergent space. State University of New York at Buffalo. https://www.proquest.com/docview/304939173?pq-origsite=gscholar&fromopenview=true

Sayama, H. (2015). Introduction to the modeling and analysis of complex systems. Open SUNY Textbooks.

Taylor, T. (2020). Self-organization and artificial life. Artificial Life, 26(3), 391–409. https://doi.org/10.1162/artl_a_00325

Nature offers a wealth of inspiration for architecture and engineering, with many biological materials and structures serving as models for efficient, multifunctional designs, even in their unaltered forms. Among these, the natural biopolymers chitin and keratin stand out for their potential in sustainable material innovation and biomimetic construction. Their hierarchical organization, chemical structure, biodegradability, and inherent functionalities make them compelling alternatives to synthetic materials [1].

Chitin, a polysaccharide composed of β-(1→4)-linked N-acetylglucosamine units, forms crystalline, hydrogen-bonded fibril networks that provide both flexibility and rigidity. Found in marine organisms, arthropod exoskeletons, and fungal cell walls, it is primarily sourced from the food industry, including waste such as shrimp shells and squid pens. Chitin and its derivative, chitosan, offer mechanical stability, bactericidal properties, passive radiative cooling (e.g., inspired by the Saharan silver ant [2]), pharmaceutical applications such as drug delivery, wound healing, and tissue engineering and stunning structural coloration, an effect demonstrated by the chitosan film in Figure 1 [3].

Keratin, a versatile cysteine-rich fibrous protein found in feathers, wool, and hooves, features a coiled-coil architecture and multiscale layering, comprising both crystalline and amorphous regions, which enable mechanical resilience, lightweight design, and structural integrity. It offers exceptional thermal insulation and crack redirection mechanisms, making it a valuable model for impact-resistant and earthquake-adaptive constructions. Furthermore, its bactericidal, self-cleaning surface properties, such as those found in gecko skin, hold promise for hygienic, low-maintenance architectural components [4].

By reclaiming waste streams from the food and textile industries, such as shrimp shells, poultry feathers and wool, chitin and keratin exemplify how discarded biological matter can be transformed into high-performance, multifunctional material systems. Their functional properties could enable a wide range of applications: passive radiative cooling, non-toxic structural colouration as an alternative to potentially harmful dyes and coatings, stress- and energy-absorbing architectural systems, reversible adhesive and bactericidal surfaces, biodegradable packaging, as well as thermal insulation and water-repellent elements in building structures. These biologically informed materials support circular design approaches that integrate durability, adaptability, and environmental care, pointing towards a self-sustaining, ecologically integrated architecture [1].

[1] Freigassner, J., van Nieuwenhoven, R. & Gebeshuber, I. (2025). From nanostructure to function: hierarchical functional structures in chitin and keratin. Zeitschrift für Physikalische Chemie. https://doi.org/10.1515/zpch-2024-0913

[2] Zimmerl, M., van Nieuwenhoven, R. W., Whitmore, K., Vetter, W., & Gebeshuber, I. C. (2024). Biomimetic Cooling: Functionalizing Biodegradable Chitosan Films with Saharan Silver Ant Microstructures. Biomimetics, 9(10), 630. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics9100630

[3] Rinaudo, M. (2006). Chitin and chitosan: Properties and applications. Progress in Polymer Science, 31(7), 603–632. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.progpolymsci.2006.06.001

[4] McKittrick, J., Chen, PY., Bodde, S.G. et al. The Structure, Functions, and Mechanical Properties of Keratin. JOM 64, 449–468 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-012-0302-8

Contemporary architecture, with the proliferation of digital tools and the observation of natural processes, seeks to redefine itself in terms of reciprocity and co-evolution, moving beyond mere representation in its relationship with vitality. This study, developed as part of ongoing doctoral research, proposes a trans-material and trans-digital design methodology for architectural production. Experiments involving local organic waste—specifically coffee grounds—along with mycelium, lichen, and plant seeds were conducted under variable air flow, humidity, and light conditions. The processes of living matter adhering to surfaces, spreading, self-organising, decomposing, and regenerating were documented (Figure 1). These observations reveal the performative, adaptive and haptic properties of biohybrid materials, developing an intuitive practice of “material reading”. While mycelium hyphae colonised and whitened the coffee surface, lichens preferred to attach themselves to porous areas; some seeds germinated faster in moist, dark areas (Figure 2). As architecture's “smallest structural decision”, it can be noted that the material itself becomes a symbiotic ecosystem. At the mesoscopic scale, the relationship between the behaviour of the materials obtained and the production techniques can be referenced in modules and prototypes that establish inter-scale networks. In the early stages, the elasticity of the biomaterial allows for the manipulation of form. Relationships that are not yet structural but are based on environmental performance, such as facade proposals, functional panels, and urban fragments, can transform into design components where the material is no longer alone but is related to climate, vitality, and ecological context. Here, scale is not merely a physical magnitude; it is considered the “permeable carrier of living relationships” established between environments such as air, soil, and water. These “(a)scalar tectonics” between material, environment, and perception aim to establish a multi-layered interaction. These non-linear interactions relate to the uncertainty of nature; they trace the path of an unpredictable, evolving, decaying, sensitive, haptic, living, co-produced ‘‘architecture of networks of relationships’’.

Abdallah, Yomna K., Estévez, A. T., (2022), ‘‘The New Standard Is Biodigital: Durable and Elastic 3D-Printed Biodigital Clay Bricks’’.

Alima, N., (2022), Interspecies Formations. https://research-repository.rmit.edu.au/articles/thesis/Interspecies_formations/27598665?file=50794773

Alima, N., (2023), ‘‘InterspeciesForms the hybridization of architectural, biological and robotic agencies’’, Architectural Intelligence.

Ambrazevičiūtė, A., (2024), ‘‘Lichen Grammar’’.

Architectural Design, (2012), ‘‘Material Computation Higher Integration in Morphogenetic Design’’.

Chatzimina, N. (2024), ‘‘‘AI Bacon’ Architecture as an Object of Speculation and Allusion: Autonomous Form – Object Oriented Ontology – Speculative Realism Reinvent New Weird Realism Through Allusion’’, archiDOCT, 12(1).

Çobanoğlu, G., (2021), ‘‘Geçmişten Bugüne İstanbul Liken Çalışmaları Üzerine Bir Derleme’’, Bağ Bahçe Bilim Dergisi.

Estévez, A. T., Navarro, D., (2016), ‘‘Biomanufacturing the Future: Biodigital Architecture & Genetics’’, International Conference on Sustainable and Intelligent Manufacturing, RESIM 2016, 14-17 December 2016, Leiria, Portugal.

Estévez, A. T., (2005), ‘‘Genetic Architectures II - Digital Tools & Organic Forms’’. Escola Tècnica Superior d'Arquitectura, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya.

Körner, A., (2023), ‘‘Variegated Poché’’, PhD Defence, Institut für Experimentelle Architektur, AB Hocbau.

Lotfian, S., Teixeira, Fialho, Belek, M., Donovan, J., Caldwell, G., (2024), ‘‘Diatoma: A Biomimetic Fabrication-Aware Lightweight Pavilion’’, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Victoria, Australia.

Montjoy, V., (2022), ‘‘From Bio Materials to Load-Bearing Structures: Fungi, Algae and Tree Forks’’, Archdaily.

Oxman, N., (2013), ‘‘3D printing buildings and entire streets – will additive manufacturing revolutionize the building industry as well?’’, Algorithmicart.

Oxman, N., (2010)., ‘‘Material Ecology’’.

Özkan, D., Dade-Robertson, M., Morrow, R., Zang, M., (2021), ‘‘Designing a Living Material Through Bio-Digital-Fabrication - Guiding the growth of fungi through a robotic system’’, Conference: eCAADe 2021: Towards a New, Configurable Architecture.

Tibbits, S., Grassi, G., Sparrman, B., E., (2020), ‘‘Material Agency and 4D Printing’’, Springer Briefs in Applied Sciences.

Todisco, E., (2019), ‘‘Microalgae Growth Optimization in Biofaçade Photobloreactors’’.

Wilson, E.O., (1984), ‘‘Biophilia’’, Edward O. Wilson. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass.

Zolotovsky, K. & Mogas-Soldevila, L., (2024), ‘‘Designing with Printed Responsive Biomaterials: A Review’’, 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing.

Recycling in biological laboratories is seldom an option, as most experimental waste – particularly
nutrient-rich cell culture media - is considered biologically contaminated. We present a closed-loop
bio-fabrication strategy that transforms such waste into functional material using natural Novacetimonas
hansenii, a cellulose-producing bacterium extracted from kombucha cultures. The N. hansenii strain
was extracted according to Distler et al. [1], and the identity was confirmed by sequencing the 16S RNA
locus. This bacterium was cultivated on FreeStyle^TM F17 Expression medium waste to produce bacterial
cellulose (BC).
The BC is processed into a bioink for 3D printing of scaffold architectures. These scaffolds enable
mammalian cell adhesion and allow for the growth of adherent cell lines in suspension bioreactors,
thereby completing a circular material flow.
This approach demonstrates a regenerative design principle in which biological waste is reframed not
as disposable residue but as an active resource for cultivating future materials in the research ecosystem.
Each process step—from microbial fermentation to scaffold fabrication—is intentionally designed to
minimize ecological impact and promote cohabitation with microbial systems. Rather than externalizing
care and waste management, this model embeds cultivation, maintenance, and material transformation
within a single interdependent framework.
The work contributes to circular biodesign, offering a scalable, lab-based strategy for embedding
aliveness and self-production into biological laboratories by rethinking material cultivation as a fabrica-
tion and a circular, ethical, and collaborative process with living systems [2].
Figure 1: SEM micrograph of Bacterial nanocellulose network, produced by N. hansenii[3]

Figure 2: Dried bacterial cellulose sheet produced by N. hansenii

1. Tom Distler, Kateryna Huemer, Viktoria Leitner, Robert H. Bischof, Heiko Groiss, and Georg M. Guebitz. “Production of bacterial cellulose by Komagataeibacter intermedius from spent sulfite liquor”. In: Bioresource Technology Reports 24 (Dec. 2023), p. 101655. ISSN: 2589-014X. DOI: 10.1016/j.biteb.2023.101655 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biteb.2023.101655.
2. Richard W. van Nieuwenhoven, Manfred Drack, and Ille C. Gebeshuber. “Engineered Materials: Bioinspired “Good Enough” versus Maximized Performance”. In: Advanced Functional Materials 34.35 (Dec. 2023). ISSN: 1616-3028. DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202307127. URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202307127.
3. Małgorzata Ryngajłło, Marzena J˛edrzejczak-Krzepkowska, Katarzyna Kubiak, Karolina Ludwicka, and Stanisław Bielecki. “Towards control of cellulose biosynthesis by Komagataeibacter using systems-level and strain engineering strategies: current progress and perspectives”. In: Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 104.15 (June 2020), pp. 6565–6585. ISSN: 1432-0614. DOI: 10.1007/s00253-020-10671-3. URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00253-020-10671-3.

How would strategies, methodologies, and processes look if situated knowledge were radically applied—if, in the words of Donna Haraway, “It matters what matters we use to think other matters with”?

Within the framework of the teaching-research project Transdisciplinary Explorations Living Materials (TELM), initiated by engineer Prof. Dr. Carina Neff, architect Prof. Brigitte Al Bosta, biologist Dr. Patrick Jung, and artist Prof. Nora Mertes in the spring term of 2025, this paper proposes a holistic approach within an interdisciplinary project, questioning how to encounter more-than-human worlds with living building materials in the realm of architecture and design.

TELM engages with terrestrial cyanobacteria in connection with clay as a living building material. In parallel with classical material research and efforts to develop alternatives to conventional CO₂-fixing building materials, the focus of the teaching-based research lies in engaging with the project through the lens of artistic research practice.
Transdisciplinary work with living materials requires a different understanding of one's own entanglement and situatedness with and in the discipline and the world. It requires a sense of care and response-ability (Haraway) and a sensibility for the in-between (Ingold). This line of work needs to follows Karen Barad’s concept of intra-action, which suggests that agency and identity are co-constituted—an ever-changing process of building relationships and entanglements.

Based on the workshop held in April 2025, Nora Mertes and cultural scientist and curator Helene Romakin propose a series of methods of observation, critical care and embodied engagement that attempt to address the challenges of working in a transdisciplinary context and with living materials from an ethical and philosophical perspective.

Barad, Karen. Meeting the Universe Halfway: Quantum Physics and the Entanglement of Matter and Meaning. Duke University Press, 2007.

Haraway, Donna. “Situated Knowledges: The Science Question in Feminism and the Privilege of Partial Perspective.” Feminist Studies 14, no. 3 (1988): 575–99.

Haraway, Donna Jeanne. Staying with the Trouble : Making Kin in the Chthulucene / Donna J. Haraway. Durham: Duke University Press, 2016.

Ingold, Tim. Correspondences. Polity Press, 2020.

The future of architectural design is deeply rooted in sustainability, emphasizing the importance of material selection in creating robust and efficient buildings. Numerous case studies highlight how the use of renewable resources and energy-efficient materials showcases the transformative impact of sustainable practices in the industry [1]. The growing potential of mycelium as a sustainable building material creates new opportunities for architectural design and construction [2,3]. Furthermore, digital fabrication leads the way in merging the digital and material aspects of architecture. This transformation encompasses key elements such as dynamic design processes, the fusion of construction and programming within the design process, and control over manufacturing [4]. Digital fabrication not only integrates digital and material facets but also redefines the role of architects, allowing them to craft more intricate, responsive, and informed architectural expressions.

This research delves into the confluence of digital and physical processes in creating mycelium-based structural modules, concentrating on the synergy between computational design tools and material biotechnology. By leveraging parametric design tools, the study aims to improve the structural properties of mycelium-based composites and adapt them for the creation of architectural component typologies. The physical production process melds digital fabrication methods with the biological growth of mycelium [5], where the material is cultivated in molds and formed to meet custom design criteria.

The study presents a design-and-make case study that combines parametric modeling, digital fabrication techniques, and the biological growth of mycelium to create custom, environmentally responsive structural elements [6,7]. Specifically, the case study outlines the design and fabrication process of mycelium-based composite module prototypes for a temporary architectural installation. It emphasizes the iterative design process, to achieve the desired structural integrity. Additionally, this research addresses the challenges of blending digital precision with the inherent unpredictability of biological growth, highlighting the need for a hybrid approach to mycelium-based material fabrication that bridges digital design and biological processes. Ultimately, this research aims to promote a digital fabrication workflow and ecological solution for creating structural elements, within an open-source [8] and community-driven framework.

1. Kibert, C. J. (2016). Sustainable construction: green building design and delivery. John Wiley & Sons.

2. Ghazvinian, A., & Gursoy, B. (2022). Basics of building with mycelium-based bio-composites: a review of Built Projects and Related material research. Journal of Green Building, 17(1), 37-69.article](https://repository.gatech.edu/bitstreams/b0fc5f79-d7d0-493d-a2c4-e1ab5a3aca7c/download)

3. Attias, N., Danai, O., Abitbol, T., Tarazi, E., Ezov, N., Pereman, I., & Grobman, Y. J. (2020). Mycelium bio-composites in industrial design and architecture: Comparative review and experimental analysis. Journal of Cleaner Production, 246, 119037.

4. Gramazio, F., & Kohler, M. (2008). Digital materiality in architecture.

5. Elsacker, E., Vandelook, S., Brancart, J., Peeters, E., & De Laet, L. (2019). Mechanical, physical and chemical characterisation of mycelium-based composites with different types of lignocellulosic substrates. PLoS One, 14(7), e0213954.

6. Sharma, R., & Sumbria, R. (2022). Mycelium bricks and composites for sustainable construction industry: A state-of-the-art review. Innovative Infrastructure Solutions, 7(5), 298.

7. Bitting, S., Derme, T., Lee, J., Van Mele, T., Dillenburger, B., & Block, P. (2022). Challenges and opportunities in scaling up architectural applications of mycelium-based materials with digital fabrication. Biomimetics, 7(2), 44.

8. TOP Lab. (2024, May 20). Mind the Fungi Lab protocols. TOP - e.V. https://www.top-ev.de/about/lab/mind-the-fungi/

Recent architectural discourse has increasingly turned toward the expanded distribution of agency, particularly privileging biological and digital entities. Within this framework, the notion of aliveness—and synonyms—is frequently restricted to living systems, thereby excluding human-manufactured materials from being considered active participants in architectural processes. Yet a larger anti-anthropocentric perspective invites a broader understanding: aliveness need not be the exclusive domain of living entities but may also emerge from the contingent behaviors of human-made materials themselves. Vulcanized fiber (VF)—a chemically bonded cellulose compound derived from textile and cotton waste, and thus a biomaterial—embodies this condition. Exhibiting unpredictable responses as it transitions from wet pliability to dry rigidity, VF resists complete instrumentalization. Its expressive transformations are shaped by manual and environmental interactions, rendering it an active material rather than passive matter.

This contribution presents a design research case study that explores the collaborative co-design and co-construction of a spatial structure using vulcanized fiber. Unlike conventional construction materials, VF cannot be fully predetermined: when transitioning from wet to dry, each piece undergoes unpredictable curling, warping, and dimensional shifts. Here, aliveness is conceptualized in the persistent divergence between the geometry intended in the preliminary design and the morphology that ultimately emerges through fabrication. To engage with this variability productively, the design and construction processes employ technological tools—3D scanning, computational combinatorics, and augmented reality holographic instructions—not to enforce control, but to register and adapt to these deviations. Construction tolerances, allowances, and flexible assembly protocols become essential, making each VF element a singular participant in the collective construction.By foregrounding the incapacity to predict exact form, the project emphasizes the agency of an industrially produced biomaterial and reframes its role in architectural practice. The aliveness of VF lies precisely in its resistance to replication and its demand for negotiation in both design and assembly. This challenges the conventional dichotomy between nature and manufacture, as well as the assumption that industrial products are inert and uniform. Instead, the project demonstrates that the industrially fabricated can also introduce contingency, difference, and co-performance—forms of aliveness—into the architectural processes.

Armstrong, Rachel. 2018. Soft Living Architecture: An Alternative View of Bio-Informed Practice. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.

Bennett, Jane. 2010. Vibrant Matter: A Political Ecology of Things. Durham, NC and London: Duke University Press.

Beesley, Philip. Hylozoic Ground: Liminal Responsive Architecture: Liminal Responsive Architecture. Riverside Architectural Press, 2020.

Coole, Diana. 2010. “The Inertia of Matter and the Generativity of Flesh.” In New Materialisms: Ontology, Agency, and Politics, edited by Diana Coole and Samantha Frost. Durham, NC and London: Duke University Press.

Garcia, Mark, ed. 2024. Posthuman Architectures: Theories, Designs, Technologies and Futures. Vol. 94. 1 vols. AD Architectural Design. London: Wiley.

Pasquero, Claudia, and Marco Poletto. 2023. Biodesign in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Deep Green. London and New York: Routledge.

Scholz, Ronja; Mittendorf, Roman-Marius; Engels, Jenni; Hartmaier, Alexander, and Walther, Frank. 2016. Direction-dependent mechanical characterization of cellulose-based composite vulcanized fiber, Mater. Test. 58, 813-817.

Foams are ubiquitous across industries such as construction, aerospace, furniture, and packaging. Their appeal lies in a unique combination of properties: extremely low weight relative to volume, high thermal and acoustic insulation, and the capacity to absorb shocks and impacts. Beyond utility, foams also transformed the way bodies meet surfaces, introducing softness, cushioning, and responsiveness into everyday design.

Yet most foams in use today are petroleum-based, toxic, and chemically irreversible, making them non-recyclable waste at end of life. This research addresses that condition by developing a biodegradable and thermoreversible biofoam system based on gelatin, glycerin, and water. By combining these ingredients with foaming agents such as sodium bicarbonate, citric acid, or surfactants, a castable foam is produced whose stiffness and porosity can be tuned through recipe variation. Unlike polyurethane foams, the resulting material can be re-melted, re-cast, and reintegrated into new batches, closing the material loop. Failed components or off-cuts are returned to the system, establishing the foam as a reusable medium rather than a single-use product.

To translate this into a design prototype, the research introduces a robotic casting method where a UR5e arm tilts molds during the curing process, using gravity to guide the flow of differently graded mixtures. This enables continuous gradation between softer and firmer regions without multi-part assembly. The findings demonstrate three qualities: (i) the feasibility of thermoreversible biofoam fabrication, (ii) the successful integration of robotic casting as a method for embedding gradients, and (iii) the capacity to spatialize responsiveness within a single material system. This work builds on research into functionally graded and variable-property materials in architecture, which has emphasized the potential of spatially differentiated matter to replace discrete assemblies. Potential applications include adaptive insulation panels, responsive cushioning, and graded surface assemblies that tune softness or rigidity to performance requirements. The project culminates in a curvature-driven wall panel prototype, in which zones of softness and stiffness are distributed according to surface geometry. Current limitations concern scale, environmental durability, and long-term performance, which are identified as areas for future development.

Grigoriadis, Kostas. 2016. Mixed Matters: A Multi-Material Design Compendium. Berlin: JOVIS Verlag.

Kalia, Karun, and Amir Ameli. 2024. “Additive Manufacturing of Functionally Graded Foams: Material Extrusion Process Design, Part Design, and Mechanical Testing.” Additive Manufacturing 79: 103005. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addma.2023.103945.

Kalia, Karun, David Kazmer, and Amir Ameli. 2025. “A Co-Extrusion Additive Manufacturing Process with Mixer Nozzle to Dynamically Control Blowing Agent Content and Print Functionally Graded Foams.” ACS Appl. Eng. Mater. 2025, 3, 3, 625–635 https://doi.org/10.1021/acsaenm.4c00764.

Lazaro Vasquez, Eldy S., Netta Ofer, Shanel Wu, Mary Etta West, Mirela Alistar, and Laura Devendorf. 2022. “Exploring Biofoam as a Material for Tangible Interaction.” In Proceedings of the Designing Interactive Systems Conference (DIS ’22), 1525–39. New York: ACM. https://doi.org/10.1145/3532106.3533494.

Mogas-Soldevila, Laia, Jorge Duro-Royo, and Neri Oxman. 2015. “Form Follows Flow: A Material-Driven Computational Workflow for Digital Fabrication of Large-Scale Hierarchically Structured Objects.” In ACADIA 2015: Computational Ecologies: Design in the Anthropocene, 146–57. Cincinnati, OH: Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture (ACADIA). http://rb.gy/9dtv9.

Mueller, Caitlin T., and Kam-Ming Mark Tam. 2017. “Additive Manufacturing Along Principal Stress Lines.” 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing 4 (2): 63–81. https://doi.org/10.1089/3dp.2017.0001.

Sabin, Jenny, Eda Begum Birol, Yao Lu, Ege Sekkin, Colby Johnson, David Moy, and Yaseen Islam. 2019. “PolyBrick 2.0: Bio-Integrative Load Bearing Structures.” In ACADIA 2019: Ubiquity and Autonomy, 222–33. Austin, TX: Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture (ACADIA). https://doi.org/10.7298/7ky7-4e52.

With biomaterial fabrication on the rise across architecture and design, it is essential to conceive, develop, disseminate and teach tailored design strategies that address the inherent properties of biomaterials. While robotic 3D printing offers a promising platform to support such a shift in architectural production, biomaterials remain challenging due to their volatility and performance limitations. In response, two approaches have emerged: one seeks to overcome these constraints through technological innovation, while the other embraces the constraints by developing fabrication-informed design strategies that address the material´s behaviour. The student work in Figure 1 focuses on the latter by exploring how material characteristics can guide innovative design processes in the framework of a Design & Build elective course, instructed by the author. The course brief challenged students to rethink design objects or architectural components within the confines of a predetermined material system: construction timber combined with a 3D-printable paste from wood derivatives. The biomaterial mixture used is both biodegradable and suitable for circular reuse, making it well-suited for rapid prototyping in an educational context as well as for future applications in sustainable architecture. The circular material life cycle (Figure 2) is adaptable to locally available resources, as the biomaterial only contains plant fibers and gelatine. Since the 3D printed paste hardens slowly through natural drying, its physical behaviour shapes the design process. Students applied this knowledge by slowly drying 3D-printed, flat panels on a curved formwork to produce curved shingles in an otherwise unprintable shape (Figure 1a). Others applied their understanding of the material´s non-uniform, yet heuristically predictable shrinkage behaviour to fabricate conical components for a pressure arch (Figure 1b). These examples demonstrate that in biomaterial fabrication, material constraints are not merely limitations – they actively shape the design process. Thereby, material agency shifts from a (emergent) design intention to a technical asset. Beyond the communication of technical knowledge and practical research experience, the teaching initiative also trains future generations of architects in material- and fabrication-oriented design thinking by fostering problem-solving skills for complex material systems in preparation for the challenges of a world of ecological disruption and resource scarcity.

Bauer, Kilian. “Exploring Multi-Materiality: challenges and potential pathways for scaling up 3D printing of biomaterials.” Cambridge Open Engage (2025). https://doi.org/10.33774/coe-2025-3h9s0 This content is a preprint and has not been peer-reviewed.

Grigoriadis, Kostas, and Guan Lee. 3D Printing and Material Extrusion in Architecture: Construction and Design Manual. DOM Publishers, 2024.

Kolarevic, Branko and, Kevin R. Klinger. Manufacturing Material Effects: Rethinking Design and Making in Architecture. Routledge, 2008.

Kretzer, Manuel and Sina Mostafavi. “Robotic Fabrication with Bioplastic Materials: Digital design and robotic production of biodegradable objects.” In Proceedings of the 38th eCAADe Conference Vol. 1, 603-12. Berlin: eCAADe, 2020. https://doi.org/10.52842/conf.ecaade.2020.1.603

Mohite, Ashish, Mariia Kochneva, and Toni Kotnik. “Speed of Deposition. Vehicle for structural and aesthetic expression in CAM.” In Proceedings of the 37th eCAADe Conference Vol. 1, 729-38. Porto: eCAADe, 2019. https://doi.org/10.52842/conf.ecaade.2019.1.729

Rasch, Miriam, Harma Staal, and Jojanneke Gijsen. Hands on Research for Artists, Designers & Educators. Set Margins’, 2024.

Rosenthal, Michael, Clara Henneberger, Anna Gutkes, and Claus-Thomas Bues. “Liquid Deposition Modeling: a promising approach for 3D printing of wood.” European Journal of Wood and Wood Products 76, no. 2 (2018): 797–99. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00107-017-1274-8

Rossi, Gabriella, Ruxandra-Stefania Chiujdea, and Laura Hochegger et al. “Integrated design strategies for multi-scalar biopolymer robotic 3d printing.” In Proceedings of the 42nd ACADIA Conference, 346-55. Philadelphia: ACADIA, 2022.

Stuart-Smith, Robert, Patrick Danahy, and Natalia La Revelo Rotta. “Topological and Material Formation. A Generative Design Framework for Additive Manufacturing Integration Material-Physics Simulation and Structural Analysis.” In In Proceedings of the 40th ACADIA Conference, 290-99. Online + Global: ACADIA, 2021.

United Nations Environment Programme (UNep). 2022 global status report for buildings and construction: Towards a zero-emission, efficient and resilient buildings and construction sector. UNep, 2022. https://www.unep.org/resources/publication/2022-global-status-report-buildings-and-construction

Developed within the framework of an ongoing PhD in architecture, this design research project examines how environmentally conscious design decisions that account for ideological, behavioural, material, and spatial implications can shape architecture across multiple scales. From urban morphology and building typologies to surface articulation and micro-material detail, the research positions architecture as a medium of cultural agency and ecological responsibility rather than a neutral problem-solving tool.

The project combines design theory, historical analysis, and empirical material experimentation, using contemporary digital fabrication as both a conceptual lens and an operational platform. At its centre is a series of 3D-printed sand samples to test how formal variation and geometric resolution affect environmental performance. Each component's outer facing surface is set at a specific level of detail, with LOD00 having a flat, continuous surface, LOD01 introducing moderate articulation, and LOD02 featuring higher-resolution complexity. Working across these three resolutions reveals how shifts in geometry and texture shape the material’s behaviour, thereby cultivating distinct surface delineations under weathering tests.

To broaden the scope of results, components are produced by two manufacturers using different sand-printing technologies and binder systems. Additionally, these samples are treated with various coatings, such as water-repellent and UV-resistant coatings, to examine how surface treatments interact with geometry and environmental exposure. This enables an elemental comparison of how different material and design choices impact the durability of the samples, their potential for reuse, and their resistance to local meteorological conditions.

The study treats resolution not merely as a formal or aesthetic choice but as a performative and conceptual variable that informs material lifespan, spatial expression, and environmental responsiveness. Rather than dismissing ornament and surface complexity as decorative, the research positions them as critical drivers of circularity and design intention.

The theoretical framework draws on Vilém Flusser’s critique of design as programmatic control, Philippe Morel’s digital rationalism and modular automation, and Albert Farwell Bemis’s vision of prefabricated construction. Through the synthesis of theoretical inquiry and material practice, this project proposes a model of architecture that is materially specific, ecologically informed, and critically engaged with the complexities of contemporary design.

Bemis, Albert Farwell. 1936. The Evolving House. Vol. III, Rational Design. Cambridge, MA: Technology Press (MIT).

Flusser, Vilém. Vom Stand der Dinge: Eine kleine Philosophie des Design. Edited by Fabian Wurm. Göttingen: Steidl, 2022. ISBN 978-3-96999-069-8

Morel, Philippe, and Henriette Bier, eds. 2023. Disruptive Technologies: The Convergence of New Paradigms in Architecture. Cham: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-14160-7

Bioreceptive Design reframes building façades as dynamic, living surfaces shaped by multispecies cohabitation, where material ageing and biological growth become integral to architectural expression (Cruz, 2021; Cruz & Beckett, 2016). Mosses, particularly suited to such environments due to their poikilohydric nature, contribute to urban ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration, nitrogen cycling, and stormwater retention (Anderson et al., 2010; Elbert et al., 2012). Despite this, the precise environmental parameters that support moss development on vertical urban surfaces remain insufficiently mapped.

This research introduces a prototype monitoring instrument that integrates environmental sensor data and near-infrared imaging to study moss behaviour over time. Bridging bryology, ecological science, and digital fabrication, the system tracks physiological responses of Syntrichia ruralis in relation to changes in light intensity and colour, temperature, and humidity—factors known to influence photosynthetic performance (Coe & Sparks, 2014; Griffin-Nolan et al., 2018; Zotz et al., 2000; Zotz & Rottenberger, 2001).

The closed-loop chamber measures real-time CO₂ uptake and O₂ production as proxies for net photosynthesis, while NDVI and NPCI (Normalised Difference Vegetation Index and Normalised Pigment Chlorophyll Ratio Index) are extracted from sequential imaging to assess active photosynthetic regions non-destructively (Graham et al., 2006; Young & Reed, 2017). These datasets are processed via a novel Python-based program on a Raspberry Pi to visualise moss responses through time-series data and correlate physiological shifts with environmental changes.

Initial findings demonstrate measurable effects of fluctuating temperature and light conditions on moss carbon dynamics. The system enables the mapping of optimal parameters that enhance photosynthetic efficiency, providing a model for curated propagation on bioreceptive substrates. Beyond empirical results, this project proposes a tool for embedding ecological intelligence into architecture, enabling a responsive design process in which living systems co-author material choices.

By coupling digital sensing with visual proxies of plant behaviour and data sonification (Zelada & Çamcı, 2024), this prototype supports a biocentric methodology where design responds to and integrates biological organisms. It lays the groundwork for adaptive architectural strategies rooted in environmental responsiveness, biological performance, and non-human agency.

Anderson, M., Lambrinos, J., & Schroll, E. (2010). The potential value of mosses for stormwater management in urban environments. Urban Ecosystems, 13(3), 319–332. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-010-0121-z

Coe, K. K., & Sparks, J. P. (2014). Physiological Ecology of Dryland Biocrust Mosses. In D. T. Hanson & S. K. Rice (Eds.), Photosynthesis in Bryophytes and Early Land Plants (pp. 291–308). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6988-5

Cruz, M. (2021). Design for Ageing Buildings. In L. Duanfang (Ed.), The Routledge Companion to Contemporary Architectural History (pp. 384–400). Routledge.

Cruz, M., & Beckett, R. (2016). Bioreceptive design: A novel approach to biodigital materiality. Architectural Research Quarterly, 20(1), 51–64. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1359135516000130

Elbert, W., Weber, B., Burrows, S., Steinkamp, J., Büdel, B., Andreae, M. O., & Pöschl, U. (2012). Contribution of cryptogamic covers to the global cycles of carbon and nitrogen. Nature Geoscience, 5(7), 459–462. https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo1486

Graham, E. A., Hamilton, M. P., Mishler, B. D., Rundel, P. W., & Hansen, M. H. (2006). Use of a networked digital camera to estimate net CO2 uptake of a desiccation-tolerant moss. International Journal of Plant Sciences, 167(4), 751–758. https://doi.org/10.1086/503786

Griffin-Nolan, R. J., Zelehowsky, A., Hamilton, J. G., & Melcher, P. J. (2018). Green light drives photosynthesis in mosses. Journal of Bryology, 40(4), 342–349. https://doi.org/10.1080/03736687.2018.1516434

Young, K. E., & Reed, S. C. (2017). Spectrally monitoring the response of the biocrust moss Syntrichia caninervis to altered precipitation regimes. Scientific Reports, 7(July 2016), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep41793

Zelada, E., & Çamcı, A. (2024). Conveying climate data through immersive sonification and interactive plant art in Unnatural Nature. Personal and Ubiquitous Computing. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00779-024-01807-7

Zotz, G., & Rottenberger, S. (2001). Seasonal changes in diel CO2 exchange of three central european moss species: A one-year field study. Plant Biology, 3(6), 661–669. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2001-19363

Zotz, G., Schweikert, A., Jetz, W., & Westerman, H. (2000). Water relations and carbon gain are closely related to cushion size in the moss Grimmia pulvinata. New Phytologist, 148(1), 59–67. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1469-8137.2000.00745.x

Weathering is traditionally seen as a process of decay, yet it holds the potential to activate ecological functions and enhance architectural expression (Mostafavi & Leatherbarrow, 1993). This project repositions weathering as a productive ecological force that can transform buildings with aesthetic depth, material richness, and the capacity to host life. As structures age, weathering processes (chemical, physical, and biological) gradually unlock nutrients from mineral substrates and generate micro-environments capable of supporting plant and microbial colonization. This research asks how architectural design can intentionally harness weathering as a driver for ecological succession and biodiversity in urban contexts.

Central to this inquiry are three agents: phosphorus dynamics in lithic substrates, biologically enhanced rock weathering, and the use of ornamentation to generate conditions for bioreceptivity. The objective is to reconceptualize buildings as active geological-ecological systems that evolve through time and contribute to the metabolic and ecological health of cities. Through a multi-pronged approach involving lab experiments, fabrication, computation, and environmental simulation, the study explores how buildings can be designed to kickstart self-sustaining ecological processes by integrating systems as active agents that interact with natural cycles through the investigations of synthetic lichen, spontaneous vegetation, biomaterial, and capillary rise.

Organisms that inhabit lithic environments exhibit adaptations to nutrient scarcity and extreme conditions, playing a critical role in mineral cycling (Yusuf, 2020). Phosphorus, an essential and finite nutrient for plant growth, is locked within mineral substrates such as limestone—commonly used in construction—but becomes bioavailable through microbial metabolism (Porder & Ramachandram, 2013). This, in combination with the utilization of classical architectural motifs, is reconfigured to create new biogenic forms that prioritize diverse microclimates and colonization of microbes and plants. Decorative elements with complex geometries then generate niches that modulate environmental conditions and are strategized to direct nutrient distribution.

By rethinking urban surfaces and leveraging innovative substrates and microbial interactions, this research proposes a new paradigm for biologically integrated architecture by rethinking urban surfaces and leveraging innovative substrates and microbial interactions, strategizing systematic design through nutrient flows. By embedding life into our constructed landscapes, architecture can foster deeper connections between built structures and their ecosystems, redefining aesthetics and functionality through ecological resilience.

Alberti, M. (2005). The Effects of Urban Patterns on Ecosystem Function. International Regional Science Review, 28(2), 168–192. https://doi.org/10.1177/0160017605275160

Kallison, E.R. (2021) "A Review of the Contributions by Lichen to Building Soil," IdeaFest: Interdisciplinary Journal of Creative Works and Research from Cal Poly Humboldt: Vol. 5, Article 1.

Khakhar, A. (2023). A roadmap for the creation of synthetic lichen. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 654, 87–93. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.BBRC.2023.02.079

Larson, Doug W; Matthes, Uta; Kelly, Peter E; Lundholm, Jeremy; Gerrath, John A.  Ekistics; Athens Vol. 71, Iss. 424-426, (Jan-Jun 2004): 75-82

Latt, Z. K., Yu, S., Kyaw, E. P., Lynn, T. M., May, Nwe, T., & Mon, W. W. (2018). Isolation, Evaluation and Characterization of Free Living Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria from Agricultural Soils in Myanmar for Biofertilizer Formulation.

Lisci, M. & Pacini, E. (1993) "Plants Growing on the Walls of Italian Towns: An Ecological and Floristic Study." Phytocoenologia, vol. 23, no. 4.

Mayrand, F., Clergeau, P., Vergnes, A., & Madre, F. (2018). Vertical Greening Systems as Habitat for Biodiversity. Nature Based Strategies for Urban and Building Sustainability, 227–237. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-812150-4.00021-5

Mostafavi, M., & Leatherbarrow, D. (1993). On Weathering: The Life of Buildings in Time. The MIT Press. https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262631440/on-weathering/

Porder, S., & Ramachandran, S. (2013). The phosphorus concentration of common rocks-a potential driver of ecosystem P status. Plant and Soil, 367(1–2), 41–55. https://doi.org/10.1007/S11104-012-1490-2

Yusuf, M. (2020). Lichen-derived products : extraction and applications (M. Yusuf, Ed.) [Book]. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Cities have long been designed as exclusive habitats for humans, often diminishing space for other life forms. However, recent work in urban ecology shows that cities can support surprisingly high biodiversity. Urbanization creates physical and chemical barriers that fragment ecosystems, and one such overlooked barrier, but also a site of opportunity, is the architectural surface. While nature-based solutions often address green and blue infrastructure, buildings themselves are rarely explored as active contributors to biodiversity. This thesis addresses that gap by reimagining building facades as bioreceptive membranes—living interfaces embedded with ecological potential.

Drawing on the concept of “architectural bark”, the study investigates how poikilohydric organisms like mosses and lichens can colonize building surfaces. The research followed four phases: defining the Client (organism), selecting the Host (substrate), shaping the Design (morphology), and choosing the Tool (fabrication method). Emphasis was placed on locally sourced, bio-based materials from waste streams to support circularity. Scaffold geometries were designed to enhance colonization through surface complexity, shading, and water retention. Additive manufacturing was selected over casting and molding for its ability to create micro-grooves that increase porosity and support biofilm attachment.

A prototype cladding panel was fabricated using cork and charcoal using the multi-material additive manufacturing technique developed at IaaC. Cork provided structure and insulation, while charcoal introduced bioreceptive zones in a functionally graded composite. Serving as a proof of concept for bioreceptive retrofits, the panel demonstrates the viability of creating ecologically responsive surfaces. Though small in scale, it is envisioned for application in retrofit buildings, aligning with zero-carbon renovation strategies in cities like Barcelona.

This early-stage research confirms the material and fabrication feasibility of bioreceptive surfaces, while highlighting the need for long-term assessment of ecological colonization, climatic resilience and architectural integration. The prototype demonstrates how bio-based, additively manufactured components can support ecological connectivity and enhance urban biodiversity. Positioned at the intersection of biology, technology, and architecture, the study reframes the building envelope as a symbiotic membrane—an infrastructure of care and cohabitation. As a scalable pilot, the prototype outlines both the potential and next steps for embedding aliveness into urban construction.

Katti Madhusudan. "Coral Reefs of the land". Current Conservation, Vol 11.4. 2022. https://www. currentconservation.org/coral-reefs-of-the-land

Cruz, M., & Beckett, R. "Bioreceptive design: a novel approach to biodigital materiality." Architectural Research Quarterly, 20(1): 51–64. 2016. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1359135516000130

Lim, A. C. S., & Lharchi, A. "Parameters for bio-receptivity in 3D printing". In Sustainable Development Goals Series (pp. 701–715). 2023. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-36320-7_44

Mayor-Luque R., Beguin N., Riaz R., Diaz J. & Pandey S. "Multi-material Gradient Additive Manufacturing: A data-driven performative design approach to multi-materiality through robotic fabrication". 2024. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/388028385_Multi-material_Gradient_Additive_Manufacturing_A_data-driven_performative_design_approach_to_multi-materiality_through_robotic_fabrication

This research project investigates methods for designing building envelopes activated by greywater to integrate the built environment into the functions of the ecosystem. The building envelope is approached as both an interface and a regenerative infrastructure for multispecies commoning by addressing the connected issues of urban water management, climate resilience, air and water pollution, as well as the loss of urban biodiversity caused by resource pollution and habitat fragmentation. The project explores design methods of harvesting, circulating, storing, and bioremediating greywater to increase bioreceptivity, aiming to create circular thermodynamic and biochemical chain reactions that benefit multiple levels of biodiversity and humans alike. From hand-building vertical clay-based landscapes, to utilizing digital hydrodynamic form-finding tools, the project combines analogue and digital design and fabrication, along with embodied, empirical, and scientific forms of knowledge, to enrich the architectural design process. Using biotechnological tools of production and monitoring, the aim is to promote the growth of specific biofilms and bryophyte species capable of efficient oxygen production, carbon dioxide fixation, and water bioremediation. The living biomass can in turn mitigate the effects of urban heat and create an approximate micro-climate of comfort for multiple species. This vibrant bio-protective layer functions in synergy with an overlapping system embedded in the envelope, providing commons such as habitat, nutrition, and survival resources to local keystone species of fauna and flora. The project draws on morphological and organizational principles of mutualistic relationships in nature, especially the relationship between poriferans and their endosymbionts, while also addressing the potential for predation and conflict among species, bridging architecture and urban ecology. Informed by landscape architecture, the envelope is intended as an experimental vertical field where multimodal and more-than-human care practices can unfold. This approach shifts architectural design from a predictive process seeking control and stability to a dynamic process of learning from biological agency and designing systems capable of biological adaptation and interaction in a physical world that is rapidly changing.

San Francisco Estuary Institute. Making Nature’s City: A Science-Based Framework for Building Urban Biodiversity. SFEI Publication #947, 2019.

Zaera, Alejandro, and Jeffrey S. Anderson. The Ecologies of the Building Envelope: A Material History and Theory of Architectural Surfaces. Actar D, 2021.

Poikolainen Rosén, Anton, Antti Salovaara, Andrea Botero, and Marie Louise Juul Søndergaard, eds. More-than-Human Design in Practice. Routledge, 2025.

Beckett, Richard. Probiotic Cities. Bio Design. Routledge, 2024.

Sharma, Sanjay K., ed. Bioremediation: A Sustainable Approach to Preserving Earth’s Water. CRC Press/Taylor & Francis Group, 2020.

Stohl, Leonie, Tanja Manninger, Julia Von Werder, Frank Dehn, Anna Gorbushina, and Birgit Meng. “Bioreceptivity of Concrete: A Review.” Journal of Building Engineering 76 (October 2023): 107201. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2023.107201.

Stauridēs, Stauros. Towards the City of Thresholds. Common Notions, 2019.

Puig de la Bellacasa, María. Matters of Care: Speculative Ethics in More than Human Worlds. Posthumanities 41. University of Minnesota Press, 2017.

Armstrong, Rachel. Liquid Life: On Non-Linear Materiality. With Project Muse. Punctum books, 2019.

According to the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, 55% of the Dutch land surface is at risk of flooding – 26% of the country is below sea level, and 29% is potentially susceptible to river flooding.[1] If since 1900 sea level rise of the North Sea near the Dutch coast has been 19 cm, which is comparable with the global average,^[2] over the last decades, sea level rise near the Dutch coast has increased to 3 mm per year, an increase by 50% compared with the average rate of sea level rise over the 20th century.

In acknowledging the challenges caused by climate change, different educational initiatives have recently taken place across the country to investigate urban and architectural solutions. Among those, is “Resilience by Design”, a pedagogic model implemented at TU Delft, Faculty of Architecture, within the Public Building Group.

This proposal will illustrate the principles, the tools and the architectural examples of “Resilience-by-Design”. In Resilience-by-Design, climate change is studied and investigated at the scale of architecture – that is, the design of the buildings: how buildings can prepare for climate change, how their structure can adapt to uncertain scenarios, what spatial and material characteristics they need to acquire in order to resist shocks. Students learn concrete principles: adaptability, reuse, modular expansion, disassembly, flexibility. Each of those principles implies different techniques and design decisions – clear spans, generous floor-to-floor heights, flat floors, interior non-load-bearing partitions, raised corridor / circulation, water storage, wet-proofing materials, exposed connections, use of mechanical fasteners. In applying those and other decisions, students acknowledge the importance of designing for and with climate change, and familiarize with innovative design strategies which favor reuse rather new constructions, sustainability rather than land consumption.

[1] Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, https://www.pbl.nl/en/correction-wording-flood-risks

^[2] Platform Communication on Climate Change, 2006. The state of the climate 2006 (text in Dutch), 23 pp.

On Resilience-by-Design as pedagogic model

- Jan Van den Akker, Koeno Gravemeijer, Susan McKenney, Nienke Nieveen. Educational Design Research (London: Routledge, 2006).

- Kees Dorst, Notes On Design, How Creative Practice Works (London: Laurence King Publishing, 2018).

- Ranulph Glanville, ‘Researching Design and Designing Research,’ in Design Issues, Summer, 1999, Vol. 15, No. 2, Design Research (Summer, 1999), pp. 80-91. Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/1511844

- Alan Lipman, Strategies for Architectural Research: A Comment, in Architectural Research and Teaching, November 1970, Vol. 1, No. 2 (November 1970), pp. 56-57. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.com/stable/24654980

- Jan Silberberger (ed.), Against and For Method. Revisiting Architectural Design as Research (Zurich, GTA Verlag, 2021).

- Henk Slager, (ed). The Postresearch Condition (Utrecht: Metropolis M Books, 2021).

- Igea Troiani and Suzanne Ewing, Visual Research Methods in Architecture (Bristol: Intellect, 2021).

On Resilient Architecture

- A+T 39-40, RECLAIM Remediate Reuse Recycle. (Spanish and English Edition), 2012.

- AIA (American Institute of Architects), Buildings that last: Design for Adaptability, Deconstruction, and Reuse: https://content.aia.org/sites/default/files/2020-03/ADR-Guide-final_0.pdf

- BNA (The Royal Institute of Dutch Architects), We Are Going Circular. BNA Manifesto (Amsterdam: BNA, 2017).

- Jonas Bäckström, The Adaptable Dwelling. How does the Open Building and flexible design perform in residential architecture? Thesis Report. Umeå School of Architecture, 2022-04-13.

- IKE (Institut Konstruktives Entwerfen), Re-Use in Construction: A Compendium of Circular Architecture (Zurich: Park Books, 2022).

- Kasper Guldager Jensen, John Sommer (eds.), Building A Circular Future (Copenhagen: GXN, 2016).

- Steven Lammersen, How Can We Design for a Remountable and Flexible Open Building? Faculty of Architecture & the Built Environment, Delft University of Technology.

- Yeoryia Manolopoulou, “Open Score Architecture,” in Expanding Fields of Architectural Discourse and Practice: Curated Works from the P.E.A.R. Journal, edited by Matthew Butcher and Megan O’Shea (Los Angeles: UCL Press, 2020), 214–41.

- OASE 85. Productive Uncertainty: Indeterminacy in Spatial Design, Planning and Management, 2012.

- Robert Schmidt and Simon Austin, Adaptable Architecture. Theory and Practice (London: Routledge, 2016).

The story of salmon migration in the river Murg in the Northern Black Forest reveals shifting conceptions of aliveness across 200 years of industrial transformation in the Murg Valley, beginning in the 19th century. Rather than portraying the landscape as a passive backdrop, this project investigates it as a living archive of infrastructures, ecological systems, and media technologies. Following the transition from a craft-based to an industrialized fluvial economy, a series of technological thresholds are examined as temporal entry points to explore how infrastructures fundamentally altered biological, ecological, and socio-cultural networks. Cultural perspectives, from Wilhelm Hauff’s tale Das kalte Herz to a contemporary initiative promoting a salmon-themed hiking trail, illustrate how socio-ecological imaginaries of the valley intertwine with its technical and ecological realities.

Central to the investigation is a critique of the persistent romanticization of rural environments through their perceptual division into active, living subjects and passive, objectified matter. Drawing from media studies, philosophy of technology, and ecological humanities, infrastructures are explored as living rejections of such dichotomies.

As the river was restructured for paper production and hydroelectric dams, infrastructures disrupted ecological flows, integrating it into a technical environment and blocking the salmon’s native spawning grounds. Today, however, the relation between technological and biological patterns of life has been reimagined, and the implementation of fish staircases has enabled the salmon’s successful reintroduction to the region. Thus, arriving at a more holistic conception of aliveness is key to moving beyond exclusionary or extractive conceptions of “nature”. The salmon’s return depended not only on ecological restoration but also on cultural and conceptual shifts: infrastructures must be understood as milieu-specific agents, integral to natural environments and capable of enabling and foreclosing existence for a broad range of beings.

Ultimately, the Murg Valley serves as a case study for broader questions of care, remediation, and ecological imagination in the Anthropocene. Integrating scientific and artistic methods, the project contributes to architectural research on how to reconceive the relations between landscapes, nature, and technology. It demonstrates how acknowledging aliveness can cultivate more inclusive strategies of restoration, cohabitation, and the design of livable futures.

Bateson, Gregory. Steps to an Ecology of Mind: Collected Essays in Anthropology, Psychiatry, Evolution, and Epistemology. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000.

Fleischhacker, Thomas. “Wie ein Fluss die industrielle Entwicklung erlebt.” In Industrialisierung im Nordschwarzwald, edited by Ralf Hennl and Klaus Krimm, 177–86. Oberrheinische Studien 34. Ostfildern: Jan Thorbecke Verlag, 2016.

Frichot, Hélène. Creative Ecologies: Theorizing the Practice of Architecture. London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2018.

Kurlansky, Mark. Salmon: A Fish, the Earth, and the History of a Common Fate. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2020.

Neimanis, Astrida. Bodies of Water: Posthuman Feminist Phenomenology. London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2017.

Scheifele, Martin, Christian Katz, and Ernst Wolf. Die Murgschifferschaft: Geschichte des Flosshandels, des Waldes und der Holzindustrie im Murgtal. Gernsbach: Casimir Katz Verlag, 1988.

Schweinfurth, Wolfgang. “Geographie anthropogener Einflüsse: Das Murgsystem im Nordschwarzwald.” In Mannheimer Geographische Arbeiten, edited by Irmtraud Dörrer, Peter Frankenberg, Walter Gabe, Gernot Höhl, and Christian Jentsch, vol. 26. Mannheim: Universität Mannheim, Geographisches Institut, 1990.

Simondon, Gilbert. On the Mode of Existence of Technical Objects. Translated by Cecile Malaspina and John Rogove. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2017.

Stiegler, Bernard. Technics and Time, 2: Disorientation. Vol. 2. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 1998.

Tsing, Anna Lowenhaupt. The Mushroom at the End of the World: On the Possibility of Life in Capitalist Ruins.Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2015.

“Architecture is the daughter of agriculture.”
This phrase reveals an ancient truth: agriculture allowed humans to settle, to build, to shape culture. Through food, we developed a deep relationship with our environment: a direct, bodily understanding of place, season, and material. Food grounds us. Shouldn’t architecture do the same?
Farmers, bakers, and fermenters develop deep knowledge through touch, smell, and time. Their work is shaped by context, not imposed upon it. This is the kind of relational, adaptive intelligence architecture needs.

Fermentation, in particular, embodies this shift. It’s an ancient method of transformation, not through domination, but through collaboration with microorganisms, time, temperature, and material. It cannot be rushed. It resists control. Yet its outcomes are rich, complex, and enduring. What if building were more like fermenting?

We need to rethink the architectural process: the roles, the actions, the hierarchies. Move away from rigid control and toward participation, from acceleration to attunement. Fermentation teaches us to work with what exists, to allow things to evolve, to embrace uncertainty and change. Its slowness is not inefficiency, it’s a kind of care that leads to longevity, quality, and depth.

Like a baker who knows by hand when the dough is ready, architects need tacit knowledge, an intuitive, material understanding built through experience. This is not a return to the past, but a way forward: grounded, responsible, connected.

A fermentative culture of practice redefines architecture as an open, non-linear process. Practices such as studio dreiSt e.g. demonstrate how waste cycles and collective reassembly can carry experimental approaches into first applications. Material, time, and context unfold as feedback loops during the design and construction phase, nourishing the work with knowledge as it emerges. This also means to adapt the design in response to material actual behave, rather than forcing them into predetermined forms. Each process is both continuation and renewal, embedding building within ecological and social metabolisms that regenerate themselves. In this sense, fermentation offers architecture a framework that complements, rather than replaces, conventional approaches: the aim is less to deliver fixed objects than to establish conditions that remain open, adaptive, and relational.

Bennett, Jane. 2010. Vibrant Matter: A Political Ecology of Things. Durham, NC: Duke University Press.

Ingold, Tim. 2013. Making: Anthropology, Archaeology, Art and Architecture. London: Routledge.

Zilber, David, and René Redzepi. 2018. The Noma Guide to Fermentation. New York: Artisan.

Puig de la Bellacasa, María. 2017. Matters of Care: Speculative Ethics in More Than Human Worlds. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.

Morton, Timothy. 2010. The Ecological Thought. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Latour, Bruno. 2018. Down to Earth: Politics in the New Climatic Regime. Cambridge: Polity Press.

Traditional approaches to longevity in the built environment emphasise durability, permanence, resistance to decay, and minimal maintenance. Maintenance is treated as a technical afterthought, removed from the work of planners, and increasingly, also the inhabitants. I challenge that paradigm by advancing multispecies-maintenance as a framework for regenerative longevity. Rather than preserving structures as static fortresses, this means understanding them as living assemblages sustained through continuous transformation of repair, decomposition, and adaptation by humans and non-humans alike.

Drawing on maintenance studies, material cultures, and Morton’s notion of the hyperobject, I argue that maintenance operates as a temporally vast, distributed process that exceeds human control and understanding. Thus, collective maintenance of our built environment by all living organisms must become a fundamental, situated consideration in all stages. Fungi, mosses, microbes, and other organisms already perform maintenance, regulating humidity, repairing soils, and decomposing matter. These are not metaphors but ecological realities that sustain our environment. Multispecies-maintenance offers a paradigm shift by viewing maintenance as active collaboration between humans and non-humans. Instead of positioning architecture as separate from ecological processes, it integrates living organisms as active stakeholders, fostering symbiotic structures that engage with living networks. This perspective challenges existing norms where layers remain rigidly separated and controlled, in contrast to the entanglements found in natural systems. Thus, multispecies-maintenance becomes how buildings participate in life, rather than shield against it. It opens the potential to redistribute labour across species, countering the commodification and rigid separations that define current practices and ownership.

Unfortunately, fetishisation of novelty, “purity”, and capital neglects the behavioural shifts necessary for implementation and currently offers no examples. Thus, my argumentations sit in a space of critical theory and negative capability. What it offers is a methodology, a new palimpsest vernacular, collaborative, inter-species architecture, rebuilding the relationship between the environment and its inhabitants by reconstituting the genius loci eroded by capitalist commodification.

The necessary shift is examined in two phases: The Now, a messy transitional space for unlearning and interim materiality; and The Future, where maintenance, decay, and biological intelligence are embedded at conception into architectural systems and computational/material logic.

Andréen, David, and Ana Goidea. “Principles of Biological Design as a Model for Biodesign and Biofabrication in Architecture.” Architecture, Structures and Construction 2 (May 11, 2022): 481–91. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44150-022-00049-6.

Brand, Stewart. How Buildings Learn. Penguin, 1995.

Heidegger, Martin. Gesamtausgabe. Vittorio Klostermann, 2000.

Héléne Frichot. Dirty Theory. Troubling Architecture. Braunach: Deutscher Spurbuchverlag, 2019.

MATERIAL CULTURES. MATERIAL REFORM. MACK, 2022.

Mattern, Shannon. “Maintenance and Care.” Places Journal, no. 2018 (November 20, 2018). https://doi.org/10.22269/181120.

Morton, Timothy. Hyperobjects: Philosophy and Ecology after the End of the World. Minneapolis: University Of Minnesota Press, 2013.

Norberg-Schulz, Christian. Genius Loci. Rizzoli, 1980.

Russell, Andrew, and Lee Vinsel. “Hail the Maintainers.” Aeon. Aeon, April 7, 2016. https://aeon.co/essays/innovation-is-overvalued-maintenance-often-matters-more.

Sample, Hilary. Maintenance Architecture. The MIT Press EBooks. The MIT Press, 2016. https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/9316.001.0001.

Across Amazonia, ancient sites have been discovered whose dark soils demonstrate exceptional fertility. Locally known as terra preta, these sites originate as far back as 2500 BC and exist in stark contrast to common weathered latosols of the tropics. Riddled with bones, ceramic shards, and lithic fragments, these soils are no result of natural phenomena, but rather the formative by-product of ecologically-integrated societies. Attuned to the cycles of decomposition, indigenous societies had developed complex forms of semi-domesticated agroforestry that reworked vegetal and animal refuse back into the earth. Their soil was not merely a forum for extraction, but rather a terrestrial legacy that was actively cultivated. At the heart of this relationship is the employment of pyrolysis, a form of anaerobic ‘fire’ that thermally decomposes organic matter into stable forms of carbon that persist in the soil for millenia . Edifical Dark Earth is the architectural translation of terra preta. Imbued within ceramics, biogenic carbon builds upon a rich legacy of earthen structures to create a novel hybrid of ancient materials. These carbonaceous structures utilise carbon’s microscopic properties to absorb atmospheric pollution, filter contaminated water, and increase soil fertility. Carbon becomes an architectural material, whose intricate porosities reflect an intra-scalar approach to space making. Not only does this represent a durable, scalable method of carbon sequestration, it also harnesses the intrinsic properties of biological matter into ecologically active buildings. Perhaps most significantly, these materials can be inoculated and therefore, microbially active. Their interconnected porosities enable water retention and efficient nutrient adsorption, allowing bacteria, mycorhizzal funghi, and other microorganisms to flourish deep within them. Architecture becomes substrate, where microbial inoculations can even be tailored towards medical or agricultural receptions (i.e. using nitrogen-fixing diazotrophs to reinforce soil fertility in agrarian contexts). Inert materials suddenly become mediums of fecundity, upheaving traditional conceptions of the city as a place of non-nature. These architectures are not only made of biological matter, they cultivate living ecologies within architectural terroirs that resituate humans into multispecies urbanities.

References:

Bezerra, Joana. The Brazilian Amazon: Politics, Science and International Relations In the History of the Forest. Springer, 2015.

Glaser, B, and William I Woods. Amazonian Dark Earths: Explorations In Space and Time. Springer, 2004.

Keefe, Laurence. Earth Building: Methods and Materials, Repair and Conservation. Taylor & Francis, 2005.

Lehmann, Johannes et al., Amazonian Dark Earths: Origin Properties Management. Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2003.

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Image References:

Microscopy in collaboration with Julian Rodriguez Jirau