If you could leave a message for yourself 30 years from now, what would you say? To You in 30 Years is a speculative short film by Min Nguyen and Ada Maria Niessner, presented as part of the Inspiration section of the Chengdu Biennale 2026. The film follows a young woman who records a digital diary for her future self, imagining a life shaped not by constant performance, but by healing, balance, and contentment. It asks us to reconsider the relationship between mind and body, suggesting that the body`s subtle signals are an essential source of awareness—one that is often overshadowed by productivity, external expectations, and digital distraction. Created using Midjourney, Nano-Banana, and Veo 3, the project deliberately juxtaposes AI-generated imagery with an intimate and deeply human narrative. Rather than opposing technology, it explores how creative tools can be used to imagine futures that are more reflective, mindful, and connected. Created by Min Nguyen and Ada Maria Niessner, Exhibition Design by Martin Rendel Integrated Design, Hochschule Anhalt Dessau Presented at the Chengdu Biennale 2026 Watch the full video through our website (link in bio), image Credits: Tianfu Art Museum, Chengdu #ChengduBiennale2026 #BackToLife #SpeculativeDesign #FutureDesign #IntegratedDesign #HochschuleAnhalt #MediaArt #AIArt #MindBodyConnection #DigitalWellbeing #DesignResearch...
What if we could see life itself as light? Through the Myriad of Lights is a speculative short film by Ecem Yilmaz and Adriane Spence, presented at the Chengdu Biennale 2026. The work reimagines coexistence through a simple but profound shift in perception: every living being carries its own light. Inspired by the Chinese poem An Ode on a Lamp by Eastern Jin monk Zhi Tandi, the film understands light not merely as illumination, but as a way of revealing the invisible relationships that connect all forms of life. Humans, animals, plants, and microorganisms become luminous points within a shared constellation—distinct in their individuality, yet fundamentally interconnected. Rather than proposing a future built on technological advancement alone, Through the Myriad of Lights imagines peace as an expanded condition that includes both human and non-human life. By making interdependence visible, the film invites us to reconsider perception itself as a foundation for empathy, coexistence, and a more harmonious future. Created by Ecem Yilmaz and Adriane Spence Integrated Design, Hochschule Anhalt Dessau Presented at the Chengdu Biennale 2026 Watch the full video through our website (link in bio), image Credits: Tianfu Art Museum, Chengdu #ChengduBiennale2026 #BackToLife #SpeculativeDesign #FutureDesign #IntegratedDesign #HochschuleAnhalt #MediaArt #DesignResearch #Interconnectedness #Coexistence #Ecology #NatureAndTechnology...
How can we imagine futures in which nature and technology coexist in balance? Presented at the Chengdu Biennale 2026 under the curatorial theme `Back to Life Back to Reality`, seven Master students from the Integrated Design program at Hochschule Anhalt Dessau developed speculative short films exploring how we might want to live in 2055. The films were exhibited in the immersive Inspiration space – an 855 m² landscape of living plants, mist, and shifting light, with exhibition design by Martin Rendel.
One of the featured works, urg[end], by @aaronsiermann, @jan.stckfl & @niklasjossa imagines a counter-utopia to today`s digitally accelerated society. Instead of constant stimulation, it proposes a future where boredom is reclaimed as a valuable state—creating space for imagination, creativity, reflection, and genuine human connection.
A reminder that sometimes the most radical vision of the future is simply slowing down. Integrated Design, Hochschule Anhalt Dessau Watch the full video through our website (link in bio), image Credits: Tianfu Art Museum, Chengdu #ChengduBiennale2026 #BackToLife #SpeculativeDesign #FutureDesign #IntegratedDesign #HochschuleAnhalt #DesignResearch #MediaArt #NatureAndTechnology #SustainableFutures...
The Mycel Bikebox initiative embodies a groundbreaking perspective towards sustainable material creation. It carries the potential to transform the manner in which we fabricate materials for constructing bike boxes, and possibly other products. This project significantly aids the progression towards an environmentally friendly, sustainable material economy. It does this by highlighting the multifaceted applications of mycelium technology, and exploring its potential usage in the delivery industry. Foto: @paulinaschroe #biobasedmaterials #livingmatter #mycelium #futurematerial #digitalfarming #digifab #generative #digitalfabrication #generatedmatter #biolab...
The Mycel Bikebox project centers on the exploration and cultivation of diverse mycelium strains for the creation of bio-derived materials, employing organic industrial waste. Mycelium, the unseen fungal network, links organic substances via filamentous cells, growing as it consumes them. By deliberately nurturing mycelia with unique characteristics, we aim at generating novel, organic substances with variable material properties, dictated by the fungus type, nutrient base, and growth circumstances. The primary objective of this research project is to engineer a specific mycelium composite for the construction of cargo boxes for bicycles used in delivery services together with our partners Bächer Bergmann GmbH @digital.productions and HiveBox Urban Cargo Systems. Preliminary explorations focus on understanding the material’s composition and requirements in respect to the target application and thus selecting suitable mycelium strains with exceptional properties in stability and lightness.
The initial findings from this research are highly encouraging. Mycelium-based materials possess the potential to supplant conventional building materials, insulation, plastics, foam, and other similar substances. Intriguingly, we can direct the growth of these materials into specific shapes, while maintaining their lightness, strength, and durability. Foto: @louismoeckel #biobasedmaterials #livingmatter #mycelium #futurematerial #digitalfarming #digifab #generative #digitalfabrication #generatedmatter #biolab...
"Mycelium as a Design and Material System" Master thesis by Louis Wahlich —⠀ Prof. Dr. Manuel Kretzer, Louis Möckel, WiSe 25/26, Master Integrated Design
We are pleased to announce the publication and release of the folio Biopolyester: Beyond Sustainability into Regeneration, by Vanessa Song. This folio is published by Riverside Architectural Press and is available as an open access PDF download at this link: https://livingarchitecturesystems.com/publication/biopolyester/
This publication comes out of Vanessa’s research as part of the Materiability Research Group, being supervised by Prof. Dr. Manuel Kretzer and Virginia Binsch. It is focused on redefining the fashion industry’s supply chain, transitioning from a take-make-dispose linear model to a reuse-re-make-revive circular model, effectively taking into consideration product’s end-of-life. By fusing design, material science, and circular principles, the research explores the potential of kombucha bacterial cellulose as a replacement of polyester in support of a circular fashion economy. The study questions the importance of traditionally used ingredients, such as table sugar, tea, SCOBY, and apple cider vinegar, in the making of kombucha material (commonly referred to as ‘kombucha leather’). Instead, experiments assess the potential of wheat starch-derived glucose and a resource-conserving recipe, producing a visually pleasing and robust material. The grown material is then transformed into threads and woven into a garment, highlighting its potential for textile applications. The research underscores the pressing necessity to move beyond sustainability towards adopting a regenerative approach.
With a shared interest in regenerative biomaterials, Vanessa Song joined the Materiability Research Group as a researcher in residency in March 2024. Building on the fully bio-based kombucha threads she developed during her master’s thesis, her following research delves into the integration of kombucha threads to create a hybrid textile fabric. This involves assessing the collective influence of weaving techniques and material combinations on textural behaviour.
The Mycelium Bike Box is a prototype cargo-bike box for urban logistics that explores mycelium-based, biodegradable infrastructure. By combining large-scale 3D printing with mycelial growth, it interweaves digital fabrication and organic processes into a single object.
Designed for decay, the box invites us to rethink how artefacts participate in ecological cycles, taking fungi as model decomposers and co-builders of matter. It asks: What responsibility arises when designed objects stop being static products and become transient, living agents within our shared environment?
This project was funded by ‘Zentrales Innovationsprogramm Mittelstand’ as a collaboration between @hsanhalt and @digital.productions Material research by @anna_gronemeyer_ Video by @louismoeckel and @sofia_stateczny...
This semester, students explored the dynamic interplay between bodily sensing and responsive materials. Perception becomes an active loop: biosignals meet adaptive surfaces that react in real time—shaping emotion, behavior, and spatial experience. Supervision: Prof. Dr. Manuel Kretzer Mentoring / Assistance: Virginia Binsch, Kristian Gohlke Partners and External Advisors: Mike Herbig (AUDI), Luise Martin (adidas), Thomas Wiesel (adidas)
Students: Veronica Jimenez Gabriel Klassen Caroline Neukirch Maria Recuerdo Fuentes Valentina Rudolph Fabian Toralf Schmidt
Materiability Research Group within the framework of "Autonomous Materials: Interface to a Technical System, Multi-Sensory Interaction and for the Generation of Emotion, Safety, and Trust", funded by the European Union and the State of Saxony-Anhalt (EFRE)
Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, Design Department Dessau
Cooperations and Partners: AUDI AG Ingolstadt adidas AG Gtec BrainBit
"Mona" by Klassen & Rudolph —⠀ GP "Synaptic Surfaces" Exploring how perception shapes our interaction with the world — and how materials can sense, adapt, and respond in real time. From EEG signals to shape-changing prototypes, this class investigated the interface between body, emotion, and environment through smart materials and experimental fabrication. @materiability @manuel.kretzer @kristian_gohlke @virginia_binsch @designhochschuleanhalt @hsanhalt #smartmaterials #responsivedesign #materialintelligence #futureofdesign #biomaterials #3dprinting #adaptivearchitecture #interactiondesign #materialresearch #computationaldesign #softrobotics #wearabletech #designinnovation #materiabilitylab...
"A Wearable Hug" by Maria Recuerdo & Veronica Jimenez —⠀ GP "Synaptic Surfaces" Exploring how perception shapes our interaction with the world — and how materials can sense, adapt, and respond in real time. From EEG signals to shape-changing prototypes, this class investigated the interface between body, emotion, and environment through smart materials and experimental fabrication. @materiability @manuel.kretzer @kristian_gohlke @virginia_binsch @designhochschuleanhalt @hsanhalt #smartmaterials #responsivedesign #materialintelligence #futureofdesign #biomaterials #3dprinting #adaptivearchitecture #interactiondesign #materialresearch #computationaldesign #softrobotics #wearabletech #designinnovation #materiabilitylab...
"Cinetic Panel" by Schmidt & Neukirch —⠀ GP "Synaptic Surfaces" Exploring how perception shapes our interaction with the world — and how materials can sense, adapt, and respond in real time. From EEG signals to shape-changing prototypes, this class investigated the interface between body, emotion, and environment through smart materials and experimental fabrication. @materiability @manuel.kretzer @kristian_gohlke @virginia_binsch @designhochschuleanhalt @hsanhalt #smartmaterials #responsivedesign #materialintelligence #futureofdesign #biomaterials #3dprinting #adaptivearchitecture #interactiondesign #materialresearch #computationaldesign #softrobotics #wearabletech #designinnovation #materiabilitylab...
"Bat Cave" by Fabian Schmidt, Louis Wahlich, Emily Helbig —⠀ Elective "SYMB-IO-NTS" SS 25
Exploring how design might shift from a human-centered discipline to one that embraces symbiotic relationships with other lifeforms. @materiability @manuel.kretzer @ali.et.ti @designhochschuleanhalt @hsanhalt
"Biomorphic Shell" by Mohammad Heidari Abhari, Tanvi Kulkarni, Eslam Mohammed, Amireza Noparvar —⠀ Elective "SYMB-IO-NTS" SS 25
Exploring how design might shift from a human-centered discipline to one that embraces symbiotic relationships with other lifeforms. @materiability @manuel.kretzer @ali.et.ti @designhochschuleanhalt @hsanhalt
"Pigeons on Shrooms" by Nursan Akinci, Idil Akünal, Areeshah Qureshi, Hamzeh Za`balawi —⠀ Elective "SYMB-IO-NTS" SS 25
Exploring how design might shift from a human-centered discipline to one that embraces symbiotic relationships with other lifeforms. @materiability @manuel.kretzer @ali.et.ti @designhochschuleanhalt @hsanhalt
2025 highlighted a plurality of trajectories into future scenarios. At Materiability, we moved across many directions in parallel — through research events, fairs, conversations, experiments, and the people who shaped them. We explored new technologies, critically questioned their implications, experimented with living materials, and developed ideas for livable futures in a constantly changing world. Grateful for every collaboration, challenge, and insight along the way. Onward. @manuel.kretzer @virginia_binsch @dannn_ny @bnjmnkmpr @ali.et.ti @anna_gronemeyer_ @sofia_stateczny @louismoeckel #Materiability #MaterialResearch #DesignResearch #MaterialCulture #FutureThinking #LivableFutures #ResearchCommunity #EmergingTechnologies #SpeculativeDesign #SustainableMaterials...
As part of the NEB project, Reallabor Zekiwa Zeitz, Weavium explores ornament not as applied decoration, but as material intelligence that emerges directly from fabrication logic. Developed through large-scale Fused Granular Fabrication (FGF), the project turns the 3D-printing toolpath into a woven, spatial action. A branching, self-supporting column that functions as an organic lattice structure becomes the case study for discontinuous deposition, advanced retraction control, and support-free printing. The structure is printed using an uncontrolled 1:20 blend of grey PLA and natural PLA with 10% cellulose fibres. Rather than relying on fixed patterns, Weavium uses an image-driven weaving strategy embedded directly into G-code, enabled by a custom toolpath generator that allows full customization of the printing path. The density and amplitude of the woven toolpath respond to AI-generated seamless image data, creating localized variation, subtle irregularities, and a delayed sense of order.
Lattice structure R&D, FGF additive manufacturing: Ali Etemadi @ali.et.ti Prof. Dr. Manuel Kretzer @manuel.kretzer
Tabletop CNC milling: Christian Kirchner @just_chrizz Prof. Nicolai Neubert
"SEE THE SOUND" by Chawla, Hussain Surahio, Mutluer & Noparvar focusing on visualizing sound & music through creative coding. —⠀ Expertise 25 "Thresholds of Perception"
„PARASITIC DILEMMA“ by Raneem Salman, focusing on reimagining architecture as a living scaffold, as symbiosis between human and non-human species. —⠀ Master thesis 2024
Developed within the framework of the New European Bauhaus (NEB) initiative, this chair investigates an alternative to dynamic form-finding by employing a fabrication-oriented strategy. Here, surface modulation follows static, orthogonal extrusions aligned with the direction of principal force vectors, offering a more restrained interpretation of structural expression.
Produced in just two hours using standard grey PLA, the chair prioritizes geometric clarity and efficiency in large-scale additive manufacturing. It articulates a conceptual stance where structural legibility and process rationality take precedence—demonstrating how performance-informed design can be distilled into a minimal yet purposeful formal language.
TectoMorph is a full-scale 3D-printed chair developed as part of the larger research initiative NEB (New European Bauhaus). It emerges from an integrative design methodology that combines agent-based modeling with Finite Element Method (FEM) analysis. Surface articulations respond to principal stress trajectories, generating localized tectonic deformations that materially express structural intensities while reinforcing the form where needed. This approach echoes biomimetic principles, as agent behaviors simulate the adaptive logic of natural systems.
Fabricated from a bio-composite of PLA and cellulose fibers in a continuous single-layer process over seven hours, TectoMorph exemplifies a synergy between computational intelligence and sustainable material strategies. The result is a materially expressive and structurally performative object that reflects the ethos of digital craft within ecologically conscious design practices.
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