Bioreceptive Design
Overview
A matter of correspondences
The ongoing doctoral research partially documented through this website focuses on material scenarios based on regenerative processes, including living materials and life-enabling materials. Among the latter, a fundamental material feature is bioreceptivity, defined as the “aptitude of a material to be colonized by one or several groups of living organism” (Guillitte, 1995).
The concept of bioreceptive design was first addressed in architecture (Cruz & Beckett, 2016), referring to the development of bioreceptive facades to greener the urban environment with the benefit of biofilm air purification and low maintenance costs.
However, during the case studies collection of my overall PhD research, I found that different biodesign cases stand out for the possibility of being associated with the original Gullitte’s concept of bioreceptivity.
Therefore, in a recent study, we proposed a wider definition of Bioreceptive Design, occurring “every time materials or artifacts are intentionally designed to be colonized by life forms” (Pollini & Rognoli, 2021).
This virtual space shares part of a research through design path on bioreceptive design, especially focused on fostering lichens and mosses for biomonitoring.
Detail
How can bioreceptive design improve biomonitoring with lichens?
We started this project focusing on creating bioreceptive materials for lichens and mosses aimed at biomonitoring activities.
Lichen biomonitoring is a pool of techniques that use lichens as bioindicators of air quality. Lichens are very sensitive organisms to air pollution, thus when atmospheric composition changes they provide responses in terms of physiological and morphological alterations and biodiversity changes. Moreover, they are great bioaccumulators of toxic trace elements, providing a reliable information about the presence of pollutants in the atmosphere. Combining these capacities, lichens offer an overview about air quality in a given environment.
This projects, at the intersection between design and biology, aims to improve the supply and exposure of lichens in urban areas (for their use as air quality biosensors), using bioreceptive materials and artifacts. The early phases of this study carries several research questions about the best integration model between biology and design, in particular focusing on the creation of physical samples idoneous for lichen colonization, by answering to these questions:
_How bio-inspired shapes might better fit the requirement of a certain organisms? How can the microgrooves, derived by the “layer-by-layer” 3D printing texture, influence biofilm growth, increasing water flow on the material’s surface? to what extent the composition and color of the materials influence the biofilm growth?_
Thanks to this transdisciplinary collaboration, the possible outcomes of the project can be wide, positively affecting design, architecture, lichenology and participatory science. The projects started in 2021 with the first goal to develop multiple bioreceptive surface to serve as support for lichens growth, the RQ in this phase are oriented to understand which materials and texture are more pleasant for the lichens and mosses to proliferate on. The first set of samples has already been realized and expose for colonization at the Botanical Garden of Siena (Italy) for further testing.Team
Barbara Pollini, Tania Contardo, Davide Paciotti
References
Pollini B., Contardo T., Paciotti D., Rognoli V. (accepted, foreseen 2023). Bioreceptive interfaces for biophilic urban resilience. Nature positive/Design for transformation, Cumulus Antwerp 2023
Pollini, B., Contardo, T., & Paciotti, D. (2022). Designing Bioreceptivity. 34th Conference of the Italian Lichenological Society (SLI), Pavia.Collaboration with
LaborA Politecnico di Milano
How can bioreceptive design improve urban areas and depleted environments?
The study soon highlighted the possibility of developing bioreceptive interfaces for mosses and lichens also to respond to biophilic and sustainability needs in urban contexts. Lichens and mosses have contributed as pioneers in the formation and regulation of soil and atmosphere on our planet.
Bioreceptive Design can enhance a design of mutual interest, aiming at responding to the host needs and preferable environmental conditions, serving multiple species that can act as co-authors of an open-ended design, increasing urban biodiversity, and providing resilient, restorative, and regenerative environments.
Bioreceptive Design can range from material design to biomimicry, designing for not-only-human users, adopting a multispecies design approach while suggesting new relationships among biotic and abiotic agents.
Ultimately, this ongoing study highlights how this approach can provide sustainable, low-maintenance, and regenerative solutions to foster resilient urban environments.Team
Barbara Pollini, Tania Contardo, Davide Paciotti
References
Pollini, B., & Rognoli, V. (2021, October 12). Enhancing living/non-living relationships through designed materials. CEES 2021, International Conference Construction, Energy, Environment & Sustainability Responsible Biotechnologies And Biodesign For The Built Environment, Coimbra, Portugal.
Contardo, T., Giordani, P., Paoli, L., Vannini, A., & Loppi, S. (2018). May lichen biomonitoring of air pollution be used for environmental justice assessment? A case study from an area of N Italy with a municipal solid waste incinerator. Environmental Forensics, 19, 1–12.Collaboration with
LaborA Politecnico di Milano
References
Pollini B., Contardo T., Paciotti D., Rognoli V. (accepted, foreseen 2023). Bioreceptive interfaces for biophilic urban resilience. Nature positive/Design for transformation, Cumulus Antwerp 2023
Pollini, B., Contardo, T., & Paciotti, D. (2022). Designing Bioreceptivity. 34th Conference of the Italian Lichenological Society (SLI), Pavia.
Pollini, B., & Rognoli, V. (2021, October 12). Enhancing living/non-living relationships through designed materials. CEES 2021, International Conference Construction, Energy, Environment & Sustainability Responsible Biotechnologies And Biodesign For The Built Environment, Coimbra, Portugal.
Contardo, T., Giordani, P., Paoli, L., Vannini, A., & Loppi, S. (2018). May lichen biomonitoring of air pollution be used for environmental justice assessment? A case study from an area of N Italy with a municipal solid waste incinerator. Environmental Forensics, 19, 1–12.
Collaboration with
Tania Contardo, Davide Paciotti