Towards a Biomaterial Transformation: Tensions and contradictions in co-creation with fungi, bacteria and algae in regenerative design

Abstract

This article examines how practices of co-creation with living organisms can contribute to the construction of more regenerative presents and futures. The guiding question of the text is: what methodological, material and logistical conditions enable (or hinder) a biomaterial-based design aligned with ecological cycles, and what contradictions emerge when these practices are translated into contemporary professional and institutional contexts? 

The contribution is articulated as a critical reflection based on a narrative review of international references and on the analysis of prototypes and case studies developed by this research team, situated within an expanded understanding of design. To this end, the article traces a trajectory from generative algorithms inspired by natural geometries to design processes that incorporate living materials and adaptive architectures, assuming the impossibility of absolute control and the need to acknowledge the co-agentiality of fungi, bacteria and algae. 

The analysed cases reveal recurring tensions between the ideal of material circularity and real production conditions: the unavoidable use of plastics (moulds and packaging), reliance on international transportation, and constraints imposed by cultural circuits such as biennials and exhibitions. As contributions, the article proposes: (1) material traceability as a critical and pedagogical tool for evaluating decisions and commitments, (2) a design approach that prioritises careful relationships between materials, bodies, and environments and (3) transferable analytical criteria for integrating living material processes into phases of prototyping, documentation and public mediation. Finally, the article highlights the articulation between experimental research, academia and applied practice as a key condition for sustaining these approaches in real-world contexts.