Biodesign

Biodesign Challenge

Last semester, we had the amazing opportunity to work with @CorinneTakara who introduced us to working with biomaterials and the Biodesign Challenge. The lampshade to the left is my first experiment with Mycelium (the vegetative part of a fungus, consisting of a network of fine white filaments) This material is a fully biodegradable in approximately 3 months when put into soil! After growing the lampshade, I made the base with offcuts of FSC certified wood to make this sustainable lamp.

I am excited to be leading our school's first year of participating in the Biodesign Challenge. We are one of only a handful of High-schools participating in this innovative design competition.

"Biodesign Challenge is a student competition that is shaping the first generation of biodesigners. We partner high school and university students with scientists, artists, and designers to envision, create, and critique transformational applications in biotech." https://biodesignchallenge.org/

I am really excited about the possibilities of using sustainable materials in place of plastics. In addition to Mycelium, we will be growing and making with Kombucha Leather ( the dried form of the thickened layer that forms over fermenting liquid kombucha) and Bioplastics (plastic materials produced from renewable biomass sources, such as vegetable fats and oils, corn starch, straw, woodchips, sawdust, recycled food waste, etc.)

I will be updating some of the students' experimentations on Twitter @DoItByDesign

Of course you won't see all of the Biodesign Challenge work, we will have some top-secret, classified work which won't be reveled until the competition! ;-)

Google Sites

Report abuse