Architectural Cases

The "Biodesign MX: Living Territories" exhibition, a significant showcase curated by Taina Campos, features a diverse collection of over 74 pieces from more than 60 artists and designers, including prominent figures like Fernando Laposse and Emiliano Godoy. Hosted at Mexico City’s Museo Franz Mayer, this exhibition is structured into five distinct sections: Flora, Fauna, Microbia, Funga, and Bioinspiration. These categories collectively explore the profound ways in which living systems can be integrated into creative processes, urging visitors to rethink the conventional relationship between design and the natural environment.

At its core, this innovative exhibition advocates for a design philosophy rooted in collaboration, mutualism, and interconnectedness. It consciously moves away from anthropocentric and exploitative models that have historically contributed to environmental degradation. The display also highlights ancestral wisdom deeply embedded in Mexico’s Indigenous cultures, bridging these enduring traditions with contemporary design methodologies, scientific advancements, technological innovations, skilled craftsmanship, and collective cultural memory. Across all the exhibits, biodesign emerges as a dynamic field addressing pressing ecological, social, and cultural challenges through its engagement with diverse living systems. The exhibition's physical layout, conceived by Manuel Díaz Tufinio, transforms the museum's interior into a symbolic mountainous terrain, reflecting Mexico’s rich topography. This unconventional, non-linear arrangement mirrors the experimental and regenerative principles central to the exhibited works. Furthermore, the selection of materials for the exhibition’s construction emphasizes environmental responsibility; for instance, walls are finished with Oaxacan soil-based clay coatings from Mixterra, which naturally regulate temperature and humidity while evoking traditional Mexican building practices. Display modules are crafted from New Fibers panels, composed entirely of recycled and recyclable LDPE derived from post-industrial laminated cardboard waste, such as beverage cartons. Even the mountainous structures are built from recyclable and recycled materials like Polyroca by New Fibers, thereby seamlessly integrating the museography with the exhibition's overarching theme of ecological stewardship.

Through its thoughtful integration of biological materials, time-honored knowledge, modern technologies, and exploratory design approaches, "Biodesign MX: Living Territories" establishes biodesign as a crucial framework for redefining humanity's interaction with the ecosystems it inhabits. The exhibition positions living systems not merely as raw materials or sources of inspiration, but as active, vital participants in the design journey itself, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation for the intricate balance of nature.

Love Hultén's artistic endeavors consistently present a fascinating paradox. His latest work, a customized synthesizer housed within an exquisite mahogany console, evokes a sense of nostalgia from an alternate 1970s. This instrument, built around Black Corporation's Deckard's Dream, boasts a motorized keyboard, numerous tactile sliders, and a display reminiscent of vintage CRT screens, appearing as if unearthed from a forgotten recording studio. Despite its retro appeal, it incorporates unmistakably modern design elements, creating a captivating contrast with contemporary tech.

This particular piece expands Hultén's diverse portfolio of bespoke devices, which includes a crane-operated turntable, a synthesizer brought to life by a dancing crab, a cactus garden that generates music from biological data, a musical machine powered by marbles, a playable homage to Pink Floyd's iconic Dark Side of the Moon prism, and portable synthesizers featuring ferrofluid that responds to sound. Each creation, while seemingly quirky on its own, collectively underscores a unified artistic vision: rather than pursuing faster, sleeker, or more minimalist technology, Hultén opts for a slower, more unusual, and infinitely more engaging approach.

Hultén's design philosophy is deeply rooted in interaction. He reimagines common interfaces, drawing inspiration from diverse sources such as arcade games, antique laboratory equipment, science fiction, mechanical toys, and mid-century electronics. By doing so, he encourages a fresh perspective on engaging with technology, prompting users to rediscover a sense of wonder through tangible, physical interaction. His work is often characterized as retro-futuristic, yet Hultén maintains that nostalgia is not the ultimate goal. He seeks to fuse elements from both the past and present, creating unique and harmonious objects that transcend simple historical replication, instead envisioning parallel timelines where traditional craftsmanship, analog mechanics, and modern electronics co-evolved.

Hultén's creations underscore a powerful message about human connection with technology. In an age where digital interfaces are becoming increasingly abstract and seamless, his machines purposefully reveal their inner workings. Visible motors, audible clicks of switches, and transparent chambers showcasing pulsating ferrofluid all contribute to immediate physical feedback. This emphasis on tangible interaction, Hultén believes, fosters a deeper connection and understanding that purely digital experiences often cannot replicate.