Manifesto
We live in the Anthropocene, an era in which human activities are leaving an unmistakable and irreversible mark on our planet, leading to ecological imbalance and a growing isolation from our natural environment. To leave room for more-than-human agency and emerging ecologies, embracing an open ended, more-than-human perspective becomes pivotal. Our proposed manifesto, rooted in academic and practical frameworks, is guided by three foundational pathways: Ecological Thought, Regenerative Technologies, and Bio-based Aesthetics. Our guiding document serves as an essential roadmap for aligning practices and principles.
1. RE-THINKING Bio-Inclusively
To care for our environment, we must adopt an ethos deeply embedded in ecological perspectives. Grounded in speculative ecological philosophy, we not only envision but also critically analyze potential futures that prioritize biodiversity and environmental sensitivity. This process of reflection and foresight informs our actions and decisions, guiding our design research today.
2. MAKING Bio-Inclusiveness
Regenerative Technologies
We create open-ended design, drawing inspiration from natural systems' autonomous processes. Thanks to their organic structure and composition, our Reefs blend in with local ecosystems, our Reefs decay and regenerate autonomously. To enhance their bio-receptivity, we examine which materials, shapes, and conditions best support the flourishing wildlife in urban settings. Part of our exploration includes researching natural materials for 3D printing, such as mycelium, river silt, seashells, and clay.
Bio-inspired Aesthetics
Design shapes how we think about the world that we're in. Bio-inspired Aesthetics draw inspiration from natural behaviours and patterns. Our design research employs computational design and 3D printing to develop prototypes of the Reefs, key components in shaping bio-inclusive cities. Through computational tools, we achieve intricate designs, while 3D printing allows us to materialize these concepts, facilitating iterative testing and refinement.
3. TESTING BIO-Inclusivity
Our field-labs constitute empirical research environments where our Reefs are observed and studied in situ to inform an ongoing cycle of action and reflection. Through pilot projects, we test our designs in different locations to learn about how the Reefs behave in different contexts and how they may support local wildlife and sensitive the public about the embodiment of wilderness in urban settings. In this process, the reefs are teachers that can help us learn how to see and better appreciate the non-human.
Each field lab leads to reflection and knowledge generation, such as adjustments to the Reefs’ bio receptivity or environmental resilience, which we consider for our future prints, thus contributing to the iterative evolution of our designs.