Inspired by natural forms, processes and systems, Yves Michel, a professor of practice in industrial and interaction design in the School of Design in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, pushes the boundaries of what is possible in the world of design
Michel incorporates biotechnology into his work to design sustainable, innovative products. By employing natural processes, he is able to exceed the limitations set by artificial technology.
Yves Michel
“Nature is 3.8 billion years of free research and development,” Michel says. “We look at our iPhones, and we think it’s the end all be all. The reality is that when you compare our technology to the ‘technology of biology,’ we have a ways to go.”
In the fall, Michel traveled to Barcelona, Spain, to present his paper, “Symbiosis Project: Creating A Design Process To Grow Products,” at SIGraDi 2024. The Symbiosis Project, the research lab branch of Michel’s design practice, Studio Yami Creative, explores potential methods to create products through speculative design as a research method.
Speculative design allows a designer to work outside the bounds of what is currently possible. Speculative designs, for example, may incorporate materials that don’t exist today but could potentially be produced.
Inspired by a conversation about freediving, Michel is currently working on PULMO, a concept mask. Conceived as an extension of the human body, the mask would cycle air from the diver’s initial surface breath, allowing for an extended dive.
The Symbiosis Project breaks down the design process into five phases. PULMO is in the first phase, where Michel creates a concept aimed at solving a problem. At the end of phase one, PULMO would be theoretically feasible.
The next phase explores the steps needed to make PULMO a reality. Collaborating with experts in fields like biology, chemistry and computer science, the lab would work on creating a concept and various models, which it could then show to potential collaborators and investors.
A speculative design can also be presented to the public in an effort to spark conversation and give designers a glimpse into public perceptions.
Michel has been introducing students to the limitless possibilities of speculative creation in Biodesign Workshop. The class brings together students majoring in design and architecture, among others. It offers students from the life sciences an opportunity to engage in biodesign research. Students in this class work in teams to design a product. They have the opportunity to represent the University in the Biodesign Challenge in New York City.
In addition to teaching Biodesign Workshop this semester, Michel hopes to get PULMO to the next phase. In the world of speculative design, each step is a victory.
“The goal here is to explore the potential of biodesign to create new ways of making sustainably, from biomaterials to novel product concepts, and create a symbiosis between the built environment and the natural environment,” Michel says. “As designers, our strength is being creative and pushing the limits. Collaborating and accessing the knowledge of life science and computer science experts, especially in the age of AI, opens up new possibilities to solve salient design problems.”
