This project focused on material computing and how we can learn to listen to nature to understand the constraint of our environment. We looked at the mechanisms of local energy, food and bio-material production in a dense urban environment, focusing on how these bottom-up processes of production could contribute to the urban morphogenesis of contemporary cities.

We focused on the bioluminescent bacteria (Vibrio Fischeri) that has this amazing quality to glow. Our interest lied in the way the bacteria communicates in order to produce this light. When the cell density of the bacteria is low, it does not produce any light but by means of communication, known as quorum sensing, they are able to signal a single cell to sense the number of bacteria around and make a coordinated response to glow. All bacteria's have a chemical language that they use to communicate with each other. They all have a species specific language that indicates who is in their colony and who is not.

 

The whole existence of life on earth evolved from bacteria, and we house them by the trillions on or inside of our bodies. These bacterias are incredibly important to our survival and, often, they have the power to decide our fate. Their group-behavior suggest an intelligence far beyond what most of us can imagine and it is this intelligence we wanted to explore, learn from and develop a project based on our findings.

 

We believe that the future is moving towards a more advanced technological intelligence in which our devices and sustainable urban infrastructure will become more adapted to the human body of the user.  No longer will there be a static object and us, biology and technology are merging. From the beginning of human history, people have used technology to enhance the human experience and extend the abilities of our bodies. The overarching aim of technology is to improve human lives, in the past, in regards to nature and technology, humans have manipulated and ‘conquered’ their environment for their own benefit. Now our aim is to engage in a more symbiotic relationship with nature, by understanding the natural patterns and processes better.