Story
Harnessing cyanobacteria’s intrinsic ability to biomineralize for the design of novel biofabrication strategies.
Cyanobacteria are photosynthetic organisms that can be found in almost all habitats. My project is inspired by research from the University of Colorado at Boulder, which demonstrated that strong bricks could be created through cyanobacteria biomineralization.
The organism played a fundamental part in my design approach and contributed to the final aesthetics, which are dictated by the way this organism binds its substrate. No two are alike. The temples and front of the frame are made of biomineralized material, while cyanobacteria pigment phycocyanin was used as a print. My process could be optimized to offset its emissions and the product is designed to be remanufactured at the end of its life.
In order to support my research I have been co-supervised by Dr. Paolo Bombelli, Postdoctoral Researcher from the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Cambridge (UK). Special thanks: Dr. Megan Barnett, Prof. Saul Purton, Freddie Elborne (MONC).
