#394 – Neri Oxman: Biology, Art, and Science of Design & Engineering with Nature
Sep 1, 2023
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Neri Oxman, a visionary designer, engineer, and artist, delves into the fascinating intersection of biology, art, and technology. She discusses harmonizing nature and engineering through innovative designs that integrate biological principles, like synthetic apiaries for bee conservation and biodegradable art using E. coli. The conversation also touches on ethical considerations in genetic modification, the emotional depth of love and vulnerability, and the impact of loneliness on creativity, inviting listeners to rethink their relationship with nature and innovation.
Designing products that work with nature, not against it, by leveraging computational design, digital fabrication, and synthetic biology.
Using templating to guide the growth and collaboration of organisms in designs, creating complex and functional structures.
Exploring the potential of bacteria in various design applications, including pigmented masks, transparent wood, and food.
Envisioning a future where design integrates with nature in a harmonious and symbiotic way, creating sustainable and regenerative solutions.
Deep dives
Augmenting Nature with Technology
The podcast episode explores the idea of using technology to augment nature rather than separate from it. The goal is to design and build products that work with nature, not against it. This approach involves understanding and leveraging the inherent wisdom and capabilities of organisms and ecosystems. By using computational design, digital fabrication, and synthetic biology, the podcast discusses the potential of growing biodegradable, biocompatible, and biorenewable products that integrate seamlessly with the environment. The focus is on reducing dimensional mismatch and creating products made as if grown.
Templating Organisms for Design
The episode discusses how the process of templating is used to guide the growth and collaboration of organisms in designs. Examples include using silk worms to construct pavilions and bees to create synthetic apiaries. By providing controlled environments and conditions, the organisms can collaborate and interact to create complex and functional structures. This approach involves both physical and environmental templating, as well as the exploration of genetic regulation. The aim is to design products where organisms flourish and contribute to the creation process, rather than modifying organisms through genetic manipulation.
Exploring the Potential of Bacteria
The podcast highlights the potential of bacteria in various design applications. Bacteria offer unique capabilities and are being studied for directed evolution and hybrid living materials. The episode touches on projects involving bacteria to create pigmented masks, transparent wood, and food. The goal is to unlock the potential of bacteria in producing innovative and sustainable materials. The combination of genetic regulation and environmental control in high-throughput capsules opens up new possibilities for designing and experimenting with genetic and environmental modulation.
The Future of Design and Nature
The episode envisions a future where design integrates with nature in a harmonious and symbiotic way. It explores the possibilities of designing products and environments that communicate and collaborate with organisms, utilizing molecular languages and environmental control. The focus is on understanding the languages and behaviors of organisms, such as plants, and using technology to create a new paradigm of design. By embracing the beauty and wisdom of nature, the potential for creating sustainable, regenerative, and innovative solutions emerges.
Imparting upon the capitalist movement
Mary Oxman emphasizes the need to integrate technology with nature within the capitalist movement. She highlights the challenge of producing products that benefit both the natural world and humans in the Western world, which is heavily influenced by capitalism.
Functionalizing fragrances
Oxman discusses the future of fragrances and flavors by proposing the concept of functionalized fragrance. She questions whether fragrances can be designed to interact with other organisms, such as plants, and explores the potential for creating a fragrance that connects with a garden or nature.
Rethinking agricultural and molecular goods
Mary Oxman reflects on the potential environmental impact of current agricultural and molecular practices. She questions the sustainability and waste associated with producing bio-derived fragrances and highlights the importance of considering the ecological system and design when creating products.
Embracing discomfort and gratitude
Oxman emphasizes the importance of embracing discomfort and gratitude for personal and professional growth. She advises young people to seek discomfort, surround themselves with intelligent individuals, and approach life as a calling rather than merely a career. Oxman sees the combination of discomfort, love, gratitude, and attention as essential for a meaningful and fulfilling life.
Neri Oxman is a designer, engineer, scientist, and artist working on computational design, synthetic biology and digital fabrication, previously at MIT, and now at OXMAN. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors:
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OUTLINE:
Here’s the timestamps for the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time.
(00:00) – Introduction
(09:06) – Biomass vs anthropomass
(23:27) – Computational templates
(43:42) – Biological hero organisms
(54:42) – Engineering with bacteria
(1:02:59) – Plant communication
(1:16:22) – Albert Einstein letter
(1:19:44) – Beauty
(1:24:40) – Faith
(1:34:26) – Flaws
(1:54:15) – Extinction
(2:05:22) – Alien life
(2:09:12) – Music
(2:10:39) – Movies
(2:15:11) – Advice for young people
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