9th International Alvar Aalto Design Seminar – BIOSYMBIOSIS on global bio-based design and innovations, 24.–25.5.2022

The two-day, hybrid format BIOSYMBIOSIS design seminar brings to the discussion top Finnish and international names in bio-based design, many of them presenting their work for the very first time in Finland. The event is free of charge and open to all, though pre-registration is needed. The language of the seminar is English. The event location for the live audience is the Main Building at the University of Jyväskylä. The virtual audience can follow the event globally. Some of the programme will be streamed to the Clerkenwell Design Week in London, UK.

Tuesday 24th May 2022 is dedicated to the theme “Pathfinders for the Sustainable Future: Nature-Based Design Thinking, Research and Problem-Solving”. Esteemed biodesign expert, curator and author William Myers (Museum of 21st Century Design, M21D, including Biodesign [MoMA, 2018]), will start the discussion. An expert in regenerative design and biomimicry and founder of Exploration Architecture, architect Michael Pawlyn (the Eden Project, Sahara Forest Project, Biomimetic Office Building) will introduce the principles of biomimicry in the built environment. Other current names in design, the Italians Andrea Trimarchi and Simone Farresin from Studio Formafantasma, will open the discussion on geodesign and research. Architect Henna Helander, President of Finnish Association of Architects, SAFA and CEO of the Paimio Sanatorium Foundation, interior designer Anna Tiula from Helsinki Interiors, and Kari-Otso Nevaluoma, editor-in-chief of Avotakka magazine will discuss biophilic design as arising from the connections with nature.

From biodesign research to regerative design

 

The morning session of the second day, 25th May, starts with the theme “Smart Components of Tomorrow: Bio-based materials and Innovations”, focusing on material-based solutions in biodesign. Designer Sofia Pia Belenky from the Space Caviar design office in Milan and Daniel Grushkin, director of the Biodesign Challenge competition (USA) will open the discussion on current phenomena. Professor Pirjo Kääriäinen will present recent ChemArts material research at Aalto University. Designers Irene Purasachit (Aalto University) and Manuel Arias Barrantes (VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland) will reveal some of their inspiring biomaterial experiments. The City of Jyväskylä’s Circwaste-EU Project manager Jenni Lemettinen and service design agency 2Loops talk about utilising service design for the circular economy.