Living Materials
Last updated
Last updated
A course showcasing all the possibilities that exist in the world of materials. You just have to know where to look...
In essence all materials are "natural", they just vary in degrees of processing. Most materials that we know and use come from nature, such as wood, fabrics, concrete, etc. these are minimally processed in comparison to other materials like plastic. Now the challenge lies in which materials to use for what purpose; some are good at holding moisture or keeping you warm, but sometimes what you need is exactly the opposite. Anyway, I guess what I'm trying to say is that materials can come from very different sources, and there is NO element of earth that can't be used for another purpose. And that's where design comes in.
During the class we learned the possibilities of creating materials from what's around us, taking into consideration every possible variation... You never know what you may end up with, only if you try. From gelatin, to algae, to human hair, you can take inspiration from anywhere and tackle a problem or situation that's closest to you. We experimented with doing several recipes for materials and we were given the opportunity to play around with the ratios and additives to the material. As a group we ended up with several different tests that resulted in different outcomes.
As the class assignment, we produced our own biomaterials! We did one conventional material using bioderived ingredients as their main component and also one "living" material. 🌱
