| Abstract |
Our material world and consumer habits have a significant negative impact in the environment. Across its life cycle the average product results in carbon emissions of 6.3 times its own weight (1). Designers are developing biomaterials from waste or generating renewable growable materials rather than extracting and mining. Materials developed from mycelium, bacteria, algae, and cactus help to reduce the environmental impact of single use and to rethink our relationship with convenience and consumption. These materials offer some of the insulating, lightweight, waterproof, and transparent properties of plastic, but are non-toxic and compostable. Moreover, these materials often use bio fabrication techniques, instead of traditional manufacture processes, by harnessing biological organisms to design and grow products and clothing. Truly Regenerative Design considers interconnected dynamics that are people and planet centred with a focus on circular economy and regeneration. Material Futures used biomaterials and bio fabrication to introduce Regenerative Design principles to second year Product Design students, towards a co evolutionary process between humans and natural systems, understanding of local context and a living system thinking approach. Students were asked to design a product made entirely of mycelium that considered user needs whilst helping to decarbonise the material world. Design methods such as cone of futures, future back casting and the thing of the future were used so students had to consider future micro and macro impact of their proposals. The project was supported by a Regenerative Design Studio Lab through a workshop, in which students had the opportunity to learn mycelium's bio fabrication processes and properties. The paper includes examples of experiments with mycelium in class, the methods used for concept development and student feedback, that illustrates the importance of introducing Regenerative Design principles to increase ecoliteracy and consequently reduce the environmental impact of product design. |