On January 23, an inspiring bio-design session took place at the studio of Zantman Architecten in Leeuwarden as the kick-off for the design trajectory of the BBoBB project. The session was led by Bert Vuylsteke from Ghent University, who has developed a method to support designers in creating more sustainable designs. This method, based on interviews with international biodesigners, translates their working methods into a structured approach for sustainable innovation.
A Method for Sustainable Design
Vuylsteke's method utilizes a set of cards that can be applied throughout the entire design process. These cards stimulate designers to think beyond traditional product development and create solutions that are not only functional for humans but also have a positive impact on the environment. This way, sustainability becomes an integral part of the design.
From Theory to Practice
During the session, it became clear how this method challenges designers to draw inspiration from nature and develop solutions within a circular economy. The cards provide concrete tools to apply bio-design in various projects, from interior design to construction applications.
The BBoBB Project and the Assignment
The BBoBB project (Building Based on Biobased) is an international collaboration within the North Sea region aimed at developing and strengthening value chains for biobased building materials. In collaboration with 16 partners from five countries, research is being conducted on how crops such as flax, hemp, miscanthus, and wetland crops can be processed into sustainable construction and interior products.
The assignment within this project consists of two phases:
- Research into biobased materials – Designers analyze the properties of different crops and combine them with biological binders to produce semi-finished products.
- Development of a final product – Based on these semi-finished products, designers develop concrete product, interior, or construction applications.
In North Netherlands, the project focuses on creating an innovative, biobased object in which different materials come together. This object should serve not only as an example for future applications but also as an inspiration for other designers and architects.
The Designers
For this trajectory, four designers have been selected, each developing a part of the collective object. They bring their expertise and experience to create innovative and manufacturable biobased designs.
- Tjeerd Veenhoven (Studio Tjeerd Veenhoven)
An experienced material designer who works with natural resources and experiments with crops, binders, and pigments. His focus within the project is on crops from the peat meadow area. - Simone Larabi (Simone Larabi Design)
An interior and product designer specializing in biobased materials. Her designs combine aesthetics with storytelling and always result in a manufacturable product. Within this project, she is working with flax. - Bart Zantman (Zantman Architecten)
An architect integrating biobased materials into his designs. With this project, he aims to take further steps in applying hemp in construction. - Feike de Jong (Feike de Jong Design)
A furniture and product designer passionate about natural materials. He has previously experimented with miscanthus and is now researching how this crop can be applied in a scalable product.
Future Vision
With this project, BBoBB takes an important step towards a circular and biobased economy. Through collaboration between designers, architects, and researchers, innovative methods are being developed to make biobased materials more widely applicable.
The results of this session and the ongoing design process will contribute to new business models, a healthier living environment, and sustainable solutions within the construction and product sector. In the coming months, the designers will work on their part of the collective object, sharing and further developing the acquired knowledge and methodologies.
Stay tuned for updates on the design and development process!