Climate crisis asks for regenerative design. With the meetup series How to Biodesign, BlueCity Lab provides a platform for and by bioneers (pioneers in biodesign). Together with Emma van der Leest (founder of BlueCity Lab, we explore the opportunities from a systemic approach to raw material flows, making smart use of the latest knowledge and expertise about circular design, but also from biotechnology and biochemistry.
Yeasts are part of the fungi kingdom. The first yeast originated hundreds of millions of years ago, and as of today we know at least 1,500 species. How can we adapt the metabolism of yeasts to make them perform better? Alongside hosts Emma van der Leest and Mark Slegers, experts Peter Sseguya (Team GENAB), Hilla van der Kaa (Those Vegan Cowboys) join the conversation.
Natural fibers will replace many synthetic materials and bioneers throughout the Netherlands are looking for methods to separate lignin and cellulose. By using enzymes, many polluting catalytic processes can be replaced. How can cell technology be used to make new materials? Enzymes are very expensive, although they are produced by nature itself: the mycelium of mushrooms contains many active enzymes. Can we use enzymes as one of the building blocks of the future biodesigner: in this meet-up we talk about how we can use these beauties and how to avoid high costs researching them. Listen back to the conversation Natasha Hulst (Biomimicry Institute) and Nick van Biezen had with experts Fabiola Polli (BioFashionTech) and Dasha Tsapenko (Atelier Dasha Tsapenko) THANKS TO The How to Biodesign meetups are made possible with the support of the creative industries fund NL/Stimuleringsfonds Creatieve Industrie.
Biomaterials like mycelium and kombucha leather are often not water-resistant and therefore need a coating. Biopolymers like beeswax or natural rubbers provide solutions, yet fungi can also provide an interesting coating for biomaterials. How can designers apply these innovations, and how do you choose or develop a coating? This episode's speakers Host: Yophi Ignacia Co-host: Anna Wetzel (15fingers.online) Experts: Itika Gupta (Studio Carbon) Arie Hooimeijer (PaperInnovator)
Traditional cosmetics can be harmful for nature and your skin. Natural cosmetics are an alternative that uses ingredients available in nature. But it can even go further than that, by enlisting the help of microbes to create sustainable alternatives to polluting ingredients. How do we design a production & usage system for these natural bio cosmetics? Let's find out with host Yophi Ignacia, co-host Yeliz Mert, and experts: Karin Berkoudt (Kusala) & Shara Ticku (C16 Biosciences).
Lab equipment is often expensive and there's already a lot of machines out there that, with a little modification, can perform the function needed to support your experiment. How and where can you find tips & tricks to make those modifications - and most importantly - how do you do this safely? Let's find out with hosts Emma van der Leest and Andes Vreeken and experts Daniel Grushkin (Biodesigned & Genspace) and Kuang-Yi Ku (TW BioArt)
☀️During this meetup we will talked about what it means to have a regenerative mindset towards design and what that entails. And we will looked at Permaculture as the base of a family of regenerative design methods like Biomimicry together with: Natasha Hulst, Ellie Banwell and Daniel Christian Wahl.
☀️When focussing on solar energy, we can list the possibilities from nature. How do bioneers use these possibilities in their designs and how to tackle challenges like durability and storage when using living materials to harvest solar energy? Listen back to the stories of: Huub de Groot: Professor of Biophysical organic chemistry & PhD. Miguel Mayorga: CEO of @greenfluidics, a Mexican startup, developing revolutionary solar biopanels that use microalgae and nanofluids.
Biomaterials like mycelium and kombucha leather are oftentimes not water resistant and therefore need a coating. Biopolymers like beeswax or natural rubbers provide solutions, yet also fungi can give an interesting coating for biomaterials. How can designers apply these innovations, and how do you choose or develop a coating? Listen back to the stories of: Stephanie Rensink (Microbiologist and researcher at Xylotrade BV) & Ward Groutars (Designer and researcher from TU Delft, the Caradt institute and Hoekmine b.v.)
By using enzymes, many polluting catalytic processes can be replaced. How can cell technology be used to make new materials? Can we use enzymes as one of the building blocks of the future? In this meetup we talked about how we can use these beauties and how to avoid high costs researching them. Listen back to the stories of: Amanda Cattermole: head of the Cattermole Consulting & Maria Cuellar-Soares: Science and Technology Officer at Planet B.io.
The city as a living organism is a metaphor that is far from the truth in our cities. Biodiversity is a grant topic, yet how can we bring nature back when there is so little soil left for nature to thrive? What do bioneers encounter when contributing to the living metabolism of our cities? We will investigate creative and structural ways to stimulate nature in the concrete jungles that are our cities in this How To Biodesign meetup. Listen back to the stories of: Dr Nadina Galle: An ecological engineer by training, And Ir. Pierre Oskam: Pierre is a landscape architect, researcher and teacher.
Fungi are the future, yet there are different cultivation methods. It matters where you get your fungus from, what kind of bioreactor you use, and if you work with a wild culture or a known safe version. How do you know whether it is dangerous or not? What knowledge and equipment are required to carry out first tests? Let's talk about fermenting fungi with: Iris Houthoff from Mylium B.V., And Maurizio Montalti from Mogu and Officina Corpuscoli.
How can we grow wood to build our wooden skyscrapers that have grown in a nature-enhancing way without damaging communities or ecosystems? Lets find out with: Architect Mo Smit, one of the initiators of Bouwtuin: a place where #flax, #hemp #wood and other construction materials are grown for local use & Mark Compeer - developer at Nice developers B.V. and one of the two initiators of Rotterdam based wooden skyscraper Sawa, which is planned to rise this year.