From Bioluminescence to Biofabrication - Biocrafting the Future
BIOfutures in Conversation with Chris Bellamy | Sunday 1 March 2.30pm UK
We’re delighted to spotlight the second of three thought-provoking sessions taking place on Sunday 1 March, beginning at 1 pm UK time / 2 pm CET here on Substack. Hosted live and online as part of World Futures Day, this trio of conversations continues our exploration of how biology, design and innovation intersect to shape the future of materials, systems and society.
Having opened with Samantha Mureau, the second guest in our afternoon trilogy will be Chris Bellamy, founder of Biocrafted. With a background in engineering and a career that spans automotive innovation to experimental biodesign, Chris has steadily shifted his focus towards materials that do not merely minimise harm, but actively participate in life processes. His practice explores the proposition that materials can grow, adapt, emit light, respond to touch, and yet more.
Projects such as Lucid Life, which investigates bioluminescent micro-organisms as responsive, living light sources, exemplify this approach. Rather than treating biology as a resource to be extracted, Chris collaborates with it. The result is work that feels at once scientific and poetic, opening up new aesthetic and functional possibilities. Similarly, Symbiotic Seats challenges the notion of furniture as static object, inviting users into a relationship with willow structures that evolve and respond over time.
In conversation with Dr. Melissa Sterry, Chris will explore the expanding potential of living materials across fields including fashion, furniture, and interiors. What does it mean to design garments that grow? Interiors that breathe? Interfaces that sense and adapt through biological processes? How might living systems transform not only what we make, but how we value, maintain and inhabit the built and digital worlds?
The full session with Chris Bellamy, alongside the conversations with Samantha Mureau and - the third in this trilogy, Kasia Molga, will be available to subscribers of the BIOfuturism Substack page. We warmly invite you to join us for this thought-provoking series and to take part in a dialogue that asks, quite literally, how we might grow the future differently?
We hope you’ll join us for this compelling session, where ideas about ecology, technology and culture come alive in sometimes unexpected ways.
Lucid Life | Marama Ora credits: | Project Lead: Christopher Bellamy
“Lucid Life (Marama Ora in Tahitian) is a practice-based research project, which brings together scientific and traditional knowledge, to explore interspecies and intercultural collaboration.
Living materials’ ability to grow, adapt, and heal has been used symbiotically by humans for thousands of years, however, they are now replaced by the more reliable and repeatable inert materials which dominate our day to day lives.
After a bioprospecting trip to French Polynesia in search of novel micro-organisms, Chris was inspired by the indigenous community’s connection to nature, as well as their positive perception of the scientific community, and wanted to see how design could bring these two worlds together.
Using bioluminescent algae, like those in symbioisis with corals, Chris developed a contemporary living material with the support of the Francis Crick Institute for biomedical discovery.
This ethereal material emits light in response to touch. The micro-organisms are encapsulated in a way which allows them to live, sequester carbon, and emit light for more than six months; needing only sunlight in return.
In collaboration with three different Polynesian artisans, who have a deep understanding of the symbiotic relationships in the reefs around their islands, a series of artifacts were co-created using the bioluminescent living material.
A drum, a swimsuit, and a necklace were created; combining local materials and practices, with the bioluminescent material.
Each of these objects was found to create awe-inspiring and transcendent experiences, which Chris hopes can inspire those who experience the project to live more symbiotically with other cultures and species.
With living materials, similar to Polynesian traditional knowledge which exists only in living memory, there is a risk that it may die. However it is this fragility that allows it to adapt, react, and interact – and is what makes this temporal state of livingness so beautiful.” - Biocrafted.
SWIMSUIT
“The bioluminescent swimsuit designed in collaboration with Tekoui ‘Jérémie’ Tamari
The bioluminescent swimsuit is designed to be worn when swimming, diving, or fishing at night.
It can provide protection, but also creates a surreal awe inspiring experience which makes the user feel deeply connected to nature.
The bioluminescent swimsuit is made from a material which encapsulates bioluminescent algae and illuminates in response to movement and touch.
The design is an exploration of symbiosis, with the wearer and algae developing a mutual connection. Being connected to the bioluminescence can create transcendant feelings, and deepen the users connection to nature.
This suit was created with support from Isabella Smith.” - Biocrafted.
COLLIER
“This mother of pearl collier was created in collaboration with Tokainiua Jean-Daniel Devatine, and the Centre de Métiers d’Art de la Polynésie française.
The form is inspired by patterns in nature, and represents the balance between light and dark, the known and the unknown, and innovation and tradition in Tahitian culture.
Between pieces of mother of pearl, the bioluminescent material illuminates when moved, responding to the breath or movement of the person wearing the collier, which creates feelings of deep connection to nature.
Mother of pearl is an abundant waste marine material, which is a byproduct from pearl farming.
The intricate pieces were we cut individually from hand selected oyster shells by Tokainiua Jean-Daniel Devatine.
The colliers illumination is driven by movement, as is the reflection from the mother of pearl, and reminds the wearer of the dynamic moving nature of livingness.” - Biocrafted.
THE MATERIAL
“The material has a lifespan of more than 6 months, and only needs sunlight and a humid atmosphere to reduce water loss.
The material is resistant to chemicals and hostile environments.” - Biocrafted.
Collaborators : Tekoui ‘Jérémie’ Tamari; Tokainiua Jean-Daniel Devatine; Hinatea & Moé Colombani; Naumi ‘Mamie’ Tapi
Supporting Institutions : The Francis Crick Institute Making Lab - Making In Bio 2024; The Gump Station, University of California; Tahitian History Society; Centre de Métiers d’Art de la Polynésie française; The Coral Gardeners, Mo’orea; The Atitia Center, Mo’orea; The Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 – Industrial Design Studentship
Advisors : Albane Imbert, Neil Davies, Jane Anderson, Olivier Poté, Hannah Stewart, James Dunn.
Contributors:
Drew Gray, Chris Meyer, Christina Dix, Federico Nebuloni, Bryce Goodman, Tobie Kerridge, Rasa Weber, Francois Briant, Sanne Vissier, Andrew Ridley, David Matthews, Louise Skajem, Imogen Napper, Siv Stolden, Des Pawson, Benoit Parnadeau, Sol Corfield, James Moorea, Francois Beyers, Oliver Hicks, Romain Breyton, Finian Moore, Jessica Tran, Loanah Wong, Cedric Lo, Tamatoa Bambridge, Audrey Lachaud, Xavier Moppart, Jordan Galager, Mayalen Zubia, Suzie Mills, Kai Kopecky, Perrine Salvi, Phoebe Weston, Melissa Hobson, Matt Davey, Garance D’alverney, Tom Ellis, Leo Rios, Sophie Vaud, Gary Caldwell, Phoebe Lewis, Viri Taimana, Ece Tan, Charlie Sekers, Lachlan Tomlin, Massimo Cappella, Kazuya Tsuji, Isabella Smith, Hinano Murphy, Jean Wencillius, Mililani Ganivet, Chenghai Li, Nico Schramma.
Tutors:
Nancy Diniz - Course Leader MA Biodesign / Alice Taylor - Lecturer Biology and Living Systems / Jon Flint - Lecturer in Design and Fabrication / Thora Arnardottir – Associate Lecturer in Biodesign / Alejandro Luna - Biodiversity Scientist, Associate Lecturer in Sustainability and Innovation / Lorraine Archer – Environmental Scientist, Associate Lecturer / Carole Collet – Professor in Design for Sustainable Futures / Paula Corsini – Specialist Grow Lab Technician / Shem Johnson – Specialist Grow Lab Technician / Barbara Paes – Specialist Grow Lab Technician / Lucrezia Alessandroni – Visiting Practitioner Biodesign | MA Biodesign CSM UAL 2023/24
SYMPOIESIS | LIVING LOOK press release 2025
"A collaboration between Iris Van Herpen and Chris Bellamy
Sympoiesis, the new collection by Iris van Herpen presented at Paris Haute Couture Week on July 7, 2025, featured a co-creation with biodesigner Chris Bellamy. In this pioneering collaboration, the duo unveiled a first-of-its-kind living look - a couture garment inhabited by 125 million bioluminescent algae that emit light in response to movement and touch.
Grown in seawater baths over several months before being encapsulated in a specialised nutrient gel, the bioluminescent Pyrocystis Lunula algae - named for their moon-like shape - were moulded into a protective membrane. They were then attentively cared for under conditions that mimicked their natural marine habitat, with humidity, temperature, and circadian rhythms all tuned to their precise needs.
The chamber nurturing this living look becomes a microcosm of the ocean’s delicate balance. Caring for the garment requires a symbiotic relationship and redefines traditional creation processes entirely, as the garment is cultivated rather than constructed.
During the performance, the living look emerged while a biosphere light portal designed by Nick Verstand bloomed around it. As beams of light responded to the model’s movements, technology and nature became one.
Sympoiesis is the title piece of the collection. It embodies the principles of this concept popularised by Donna Haraway, as a collectively produced garment between human, non-human, and technology - which evolves over time through the interdependent relationships of those involved.
In February 2025, Iris van Herpen approached Bellamy to propose this collaboration. Over the ensuing four months, Bellamy developed a bespoke 35-step biofabrication technique to encapsulate the bioluminescent microalgae in a way that allows them to live in a terrestrial, human environment. This first-of-its-kind living material is expected to keep the algae alive for several months, if not years, and its growth will continue to be monitored.
Stella Maxwell wore the living look on the runway, and was dressed in darkness or under red light so as not to disrupt the algae’s circadian rhythm. In the weeks leading up to the event, the microorganisms’ internal clocks were tuned to ensure they would glow brightly at 12 noon - a time when they would not typically illuminate in nature.
This living look represents an evolution of Bellamy’s research into “livingness” and its potential as both a materiality and a design philosophy. Through his biodesign studio ‘Bio Crafted’, Bellamy undertakes interspecies and intercultural collaborations with indigenous communities, designers, and scientists - most recently on a remote island archipelago in French Polynesia for his research project Lucid Life | Marama Ora.
Bellamy notes that humans have worked symbiotically with living organisms for thousands of years - from the living root bridges of Asia to the humble British hedgerow. Such living structures adapt, react, repair, and respond to their surroundings, defying the degradation that conventional man-made materials experience. Bellamy believes that the ephemeral, fragile nature of life is precisely what makes it so resilient, and he hopes to bring this philosophy into our material world.
As part of this collaboration, Bellamy undertook an artists residency at the University of Amsterdam’s Institute of Physics, where the living material was grown and the technique refined with the support of biophysics researchers Nico Schramma and Mazi Jalaal.
About Bio Crafted:
Bellamy’s work bridges science, the arts, and traditional knowledge, transforming our relationship with materials and the natural world. He left a 15-year engineering career to work with living systems in an artistic, interdisciplinary way. During that time he developed electric vehicles and recyclable shoes; however, he realized that incremental improvements to plastics and metals would never suffice to meet the United Nations’ climate target of halving emissions by 2030. He also observed that many sustainability projects failed due to the emotional, irrational, and inherently human aspects of design.
He is a graduate of the University of Cambridg, and become chartered as an engineer, before transitioning to study biodesign at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts, London. Now, as a biodesigner, he is devoted to exploring living materials with artistic practice - a combination he believes holds the potential to address some of our planet’s crises.
About Iris Van Herpen:
https://www.irisvanherpen.com/
| @irisvanherpen
Renowned for her visionary approach to fashion, Dutch designer Iris van Herpen continues to push the boundaries of couture through the fusion of technology, science, and craftsmanship. Since founding her label in 2007, van Herpen has become a global force in fashion innovation, pioneering the use of 3D printing, biomimicry, and experimental materials to craft sculptural, otherworldly garments. Her work transcends traditional fashion, exploring themes of transformation, nature, and the human body.
About Pyrocystis Lunula:
Pyrocystis lunula is a species of marine dinoflagellate, a type of single-celled, photosynthetic plankton known for its ability to produce flashes of light when disturbed. It is often found in tropical and subtropical oceans, drifting near the surface in the photic zone where sunlight penetrates. They are non-motile, but form vertical migratory patterns in the icean following light cycles.
The algae’s bioluminescence is a natural defense mechanism. When these single-celled organisms experience mechanical disturbance they emit a flash of blue light. This response, often called the “burglar alarm” mechanism, serves as an alarm signal and can attract secondary predators that prey on the algae’s attackers. “Cold light”, of roughly 475nm is emitted via the luciferin-luciferase reaction. They are typically 80–200 micrometres in length, making them just visible to the human eye, or a simple microscope.”