Article: Explorando la Ecología Material (Esther Pizarro)

We are pleased to present the article by Esther Pizarro, PI of EcoBD Lab, entitled "Explorando la Ecología Material: materiales biobasados, taxonomías y procesado", published in Cuadernos del Centro de Estudios de Diseño y Comunicación (256), of the Universidad de Palermo.

Material ecology analyses the flows and cycles of materials in ecosystems and, in a creative context, promotes the development of bio-based materials through digital manufacturing techniques, in an interdisciplinary convergence between biology, science, materials engineering and computing. This approach drives the use of biomaterials, also known as DIY Materials, developed from biological tissue and biofabrication technologies, encompassing both Growing Design and Craft Design processes.

Research in this field opens up new possibilities for sustainable innovation in art, design and technology. As a case study, the article presents BioLabMatrix, an artistic installation conceived as a materials library of bio-based samples, focused on experimentation with spirulina. This work represents a crossover between contemporary art, sustainability and materials science, offering new perspectives for ecological design.