Abstract
Since its inception two decades ago, biodesign has consistently been conceptually hazy. It´s an emerging interdisciplinary field lying somewhere between biology and material sciences on one hand, and art and design practice on the other. Despite efforts by academia and industry to define and contextualise biodesign, the lack of shared vocabulary between its two sides and clear standards for who qualifies as a biodesigner continues to hinder its development. This study combines a literature review to examine how biodesign has been defined over time, alongside a survey that analyzes who identifies as a biodesigner. The aim is to explore the range and depth of scientific and creative knowledge needed for effective collaboration, reflecting on the diverse pathways through which expertise in biodesign is developed, in order to support the articulation of a disciplinary framework, termed biodesign literacy: a framework combining biological knowledge and design ways of knowing.
Keywords
Biodesign, Literacy, Biodesigner
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2026.1411
Citation
Orcajada, A., Ordoñez, I., and Rognoli, V. (2026) In search of the definitions for biodesign: Practice, identity and biodesign literacy, in Simeone, L., Gray, C. M., Verhoeven, A., de Götzen, A., Bakırlıoğlu, Y., Zohar, H., Stead, M., and Buwert, P. (eds.), DRS2026: Edinburgh, 8–12 June, Edinburgh, United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2026.1411
Creative Commons License
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Included in
In search of the definitions for biodesign: Practice, identity and biodesign literacy
Since its inception two decades ago, biodesign has consistently been conceptually hazy. It´s an emerging interdisciplinary field lying somewhere between biology and material sciences on one hand, and art and design practice on the other. Despite efforts by academia and industry to define and contextualise biodesign, the lack of shared vocabulary between its two sides and clear standards for who qualifies as a biodesigner continues to hinder its development. This study combines a literature review to examine how biodesign has been defined over time, alongside a survey that analyzes who identifies as a biodesigner. The aim is to explore the range and depth of scientific and creative knowledge needed for effective collaboration, reflecting on the diverse pathways through which expertise in biodesign is developed, in order to support the articulation of a disciplinary framework, termed biodesign literacy: a framework combining biological knowledge and design ways of knowing.