Microbes are the most abundant and substantial group of organisms on the planet. And thanks to Professor Elvin Karana, they are now also a full part of the IDE research realm. On Wednesday 5 June Professor Elvin Karana gave her Inaugural Speech at the TU Delft Aula and kicked off the Centre of Design Research for Regenerative Material Ecologies (DREAM). “We continue to explore how we can embed living system thinking in material-driven design for planetary wellbeing.”
During her inaugural speech, Elvin Karana took us on a journey through her work, paying special attention to the great achievements of her PhD candidates.
Microbe-embedded living materials can advance cleaner production practices and foster care and sensibilities for other-than-human entities in our daily lives (…). If carefully designed and integrated into products, living materials can pave the way for regenerative futures.
During her inaugural lecture, Professor Karana also shared some additional news. She announced the new Centre of Design Research for Regenerative Material Ecologies (DREAM) at the TU Delft | Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering. “With a group of brilliant researchers, we continue to explore how we can embed living system thinking in material-driven design for planetary wellbeing”, she said. “This centre has a focus on living systems thinking. This way of thinking can help us reflect about the way we design a wide variety of materials, biobased materials, textiles, 3D printed materials and more."
It’s a priviledge to collaborate with experts across domains, united by an ambition to explore bold new ways material technologies can be a part of our living world. What inspires me most is how our shared material-driven approach binds us. Through this approach, we are not just imagining the future, but actively taking steps towards it.
As a microbiologist, being part of the DREAM team feels like stepping into a creative ecosystem where design and biology intersect to create materials and experiences that are both functional and regenerative. While I delve into the unseen intricacies of microbial processes, my collaboration with designer researchers will enable us to push the boundaries of how this knowledge can be used to develop living systems that work in harmony with nature.
DREAM feels like a natural manifestation of the diverse collaborative relationships that we have built over the years. There is a mutual curiosity and respect of the systems we exist within and alongside that creates a dynamic and hopeful space for new ways of making, seeing and being in the world. I’m excited to bring my expertise in textile material systems and sustainability to DREAM - to work with current and future colleagues and collaborators to materialize a better future for all.
I believe the word ‘harmony’ truly captures the essence of DREAM’s vision. On one hand, we are committed to pioneering radical, conscious approaches to material technologies that foster a holistic, harmonious relationship with the ecological system we inhabit. On the other hand, it is reflected in our center’s ethos, rooted in collaboration, responsibility, and mutual respect. As a design researcher and educator interested in the role of materiality in restoring and nurturing both human and planetary well-being, I believe DREAM offers the ideal space to collaborate and create meaningful impact.
DREAM is mostly about showing what design can do for radical sustainable production and use of materials and products. “Radical as in regenerative. We don’t only want to create cleaner materials, we also want to try to change people’s mindset and embed designer thinking in the production process of regenerative products.”
DREAM is an initiative of co-founders Elvin Karana, Zjenja Doubrovski, Holly McQuillan, Joana Martins, and Stefano Parisi.
The Centre of Design Research for Regenerative Material Ecologies (DREAM) website
