Bringing together interaction design and the emerging field of biodesign, this book explores the use of living and biofabricated materials in interactive artefacts. As future products become increasingly interactive and complex, careful consideration of their environmental and ethical impacts is more important than ever. While the extraction, production and disposal of materials such as plastics and metals raises serious concerns, biological systems based on living materials offer a more promising path towards regenerative design.
The book introduces the concept of Designed Interactive Living Systems (DILS), a new design paradigm in which living materials actively participate in interactions, facilitating a transition from human-centered to multispecies and more-than-human perspectives. It begins with an overview of the life cycle impacts of interactive products, covering critical phases such as raw materials, manufacturing, use, waste and the environmental, health and social impacts of materials. A wide range of illustrated case studies present solutions to these challenges, showcasing organic electronics, living technologies and living interactive products alongside analyses of existing prototypes and investigations. Finally, the book offers a series of design maps to guide future DILS developments, covering topics such as designing with microorganisms, human–non-human interaction and the role of biolabs as hybrid spaces for experimentation.
Through the presentation of original research and diverse case studies, the book inspires students and designers alike to expand their knowledge and practice. It emphasizes the urgent need to transition from traditional design to biodesign and demonstrates how designers can, and must, take on this role to help shape regenerative, symbiotic futures.
Valentina Rognoli is associate professor at the Design Department of Politecnico di Milano, Italy, and founder of the Materials Design for Transition research group.
Elena Albergati is currently a PhD candidate in Design at the Politecnico di Milano, Italy, involved in research initiatives exploring the role of DILS.
Barbara Pollini is an Italian designer, researcher and educator who is currently assistant professor of Biodesign Integration at Aalto University, Finland.
Carla Langella is an architect and associate professor of Industrial Design at the Department of Architecture (DiARC), University of Naples "Federico II", Italy.
