Bioluminescence - The Design of Living Light

12/11 Guest Announcement: Nicola Burggraf

Nicola Burggraf will be at the forum on December 11 showing her intriguing design thesis “Bioluminescence - The Design of living Light”, recently completed under Professor Achim Menges’s supervision. Next lines from Nicola Burggraf’s abstract:

Bioluminescence is the ability of living organisms to produce and emit their own light. The thesis deals with the question if and how this phenomena could be adapted for design research. In particular, it focuses on bioluminescent dinoflagellates (microscopic single celled organisms) that emit light when stimulated.

The findings of an intensive basic research were transferred into the concept of an installation that demonstrates the potential of living light for design applications. Here, the cells can be considered biological sensors giving visual feedback in form of cold light when being stimulated by the slightest movements.
The installation is a field of delicate stems that carry glassy microcosms filled with dinoflagellates. Any person walking through the installation will trigger movements that stimulate the cells to emit light, hence, leaving ephemeral traces of light depending on how you behave within the field.

The manipulation of the light effect is done by designing specific habitats for the cells which frame and therefore indirectly manipulate the light. Working with living organisms requires a sensitive design approach, always bearing in mind that the organisms require certain parameters that are vital for their well being. Within these limits, design can unfold.