Bio Design - Nature + Science + Creativity

by William Myers. Foreword by Paola Antonelli

Bio Design: Nature + Science + Creativity examines thrilling new ways in which biology is being applied outside the lab, showcasing some seventy projects that cover a range of fields—from architecture and industrial design to fashion and medicine. This revised and expanded edition celebrates the most innovative and often radical approaches to biological design in recent years, and includes 12 new projects, among them Hy-Fi by David Benjamin, a biodegradable tower; Guard from Above by Sjoerd Hoogendoorn, a company that trains birds of prey to intercept hostile drones; Zoa by Modern Meadow, the first biofabricated leather material brand; and Circumventive Organs by Agi Haines, which uses animal cells to print new types of organs. It also features a new how-to section with tips for collaboration between designers and scientists, FAQs and further resources, as well as a fully revised introduction. 

William Myers is a curator, writer, and teacher based in Amsterdam. His book Biodesign (2012, new edition 2018) identifies the emerging practice of integrating biological processes into design and architecture. It is published by the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York and Thames & Hudson worldwide. His second book Bio Art: Altered Realities (2015) profiles art that uses biology in new ways or responds to advances in the life sciences which disrupt our notions of identity, nature, and the definition of life.

His recent exhibitions include Biodesign: From Inspiration to Integration at RISD, Humans Need Not Apply at Science Gallery Dublin, and Human + Artificial Creativity in Istanbul and Łódź. Together, these exhibitions have attracted more than 175,000 people since 2016. The work examining the impacts of artificial intelligence on how we work, socialize, and express ourselves creatively is detailed in accompanying catalogue essays. They argue for updating our social infrastructure of education, taxation, and labor unions.

Paola Antonelli is an Italian architect, curator, author, editor, and educator. Antonelli is the Senior Curator of Architecture and Design at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, where she also serves as the founding Director of Research and Development.

The Museum of Modern Art, New York; Expanded edition, 2018, softcover, 8.2 x 10 inches, 304 pages.