Micro Challenge 01
A week long workshop focused on collaboration, ideation and prototyping
Last updated
A week long workshop focused on collaboration, ideation and prototyping
Last updated
Faculty : Santi Fuentemala, Pablo Zuloaga and many more
Back story
This project was born from a Master Degree class at the IAAC Barcelona called "Microchallenge". During this class we had 4 days to develop a prototype and present it on its last day. We were required to join in 2/3 people groups out of a class of 17 people by finding topics and purposes in common. Our group was composed by:
Belén Comotto (process designer) https://belcomotto.xyz
Maria Vittoria Colombo (industrial product designer) https://colombomariavittorias-organizati.gitbook.io/maria-vittoria-colombo-mdef
Maithili Sathe (architect) https://maithilis.gitbook.io/mdef-archive
We were all working until this point with materiality and crafts and ways in which to practice domestically and encourage the practice of Biofabrication of both mycelium and clay.
We approached the project in a very horizontal and collaborative way. Together, we discussed our shared purpose of encouraging spaces to dive into Biofabrication practices and be able to push further trace-ability of materials through this.
Due to our past experiences as workshop leaders on biofabrication we realized that pushing this practice to people that are not already working in DIY pics or maker spaces was not the best approach. This is why we decided to set as our community of practice the already existing network of FABLABs and MakerSpaces:
By situating ourselves in this communities we are able to target people that are already curious and active on crafting and DIY practices to ensure that our phygital project will have an impact and help fabrication labs expand their making horizons beyond machine centered prototypes.
discussing about prototype contents
Our project goes as follows:
The Biofabrication Space is a modular system made up of three versatile panels that can be arranged to fit any space. It serves as both a physical and digital hub for a community of researchers and makers exploring biomaterials—mycelium, bioplastics, clay, soil, and more—going beyond just machines.
This initiative fosters collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and problem-solving among people with similar research interests. Each panel has a distinct function: One panel features a QR code for community access along with essential books and bio-recipes for experimentation, another provides storage and organization, and the third serves as a sharing space where users can write, leave information, and even showcase ongoing work.
It’s an open space to connect, ask questions, and push the boundaries of biofabrication together.
Physical Panel System:
The panel system is designed to support biofabrication by creating a dedicated physical space that can adapt to any environment thanks to its modularity. Each panel serves a specific function:
One panel features a QR code that grants access to the community and provides essential books and bio-recipes for experimentation.
(we used materials from the Fabricademy open source library: https://class.textile-academy.org/tutorials/#materials-grown-mycelium)
Here are the specific pdfs we downloaded as a starter kit:
https://class.textile-academy.org/tutorials/mycelium_fabricademy_tutorial.pdf
https://class.textile-academy.org/tutorials/WetLabSafety-Concepts.pdf
https://class.textile-academy.org/tutorials/Microbial%20CelluloseR.pdf
Another panel offers storage and organization for materials and tools.
The third panel acts as a collaborative space where users can write, share information, and showcase ongoing projects.
Digital Online Platform:
A QR code links to a dedicated WhatsApp community—an open space for connecting, asking questions, and collectively expanding the possibilities of biofabrication.
https://chat.whatsapp.com/BGZ7yzULnCYIlcUoP5vmZU
current state of the online community
Tools and Machines used:
CNC Machine - CNC Milling machine – ShopBot ATC
Used for cutting out the panels, making holes and engraving.
Laser Cutter - Rayjet 500
used for engraving text and cutting out plywood box.
Dust Workshop - Random Orbit, Sander Bosch GEX 150 AC and sand paper
Used to sand down the panels.
Digital tools used:
Rhinoceros 3D - 7 version
Used for designing panels
RhinoCAM
Used to specify actions for the CNC Machine.
Used to create an online Community linked to the wooden panels through a QR code.
download site for the material box: https://boxes.hackerspace-bamberg.de/ABox
Materials used
9mm pine wood
Used for the 3 panels
5mm plywood
used for the materials box.
2mm acrylic.
used for the cover of the materials box and whiteboard panel.
cork
used for the organizing panel station.
1. We designed the panel and box files using Rhinoceros
2. We prototyped the panel files made in Rhino using the CNC
3. We engraved the panels with the Laser cutter
4. We laser cutter the material box from the plywood and acrylic
5. Cutting the cork and whiteboard panels
6. Assembly of the panels by sticking the whiteboard, material box and cork
7. For the online platform, we created a WhatsApp community organized by areas. Our specific group is Biofabrications IAAC Barcelona. We also have a general group and we are currently sharing the community and pushing for different collectives and spaces to create their own city or project groups inside to grow the space.
8. Sharing of QR code for building community
9. Placing the panels in our FabLab
We imagined that this set of panels would be shared through the FABLAB community as a way to open a space to enable biofabrication techniques in a machine centered space. Through this post in Hackster.io we are opening up a manual for sharing the making process of these panels, the access of the online community and our contacts to push forward an on-growing community that imagines a bio fabricated future.
The week was a good way to put some things into perspective, aout my own process and project. even though, Vitti, Belen and I had some overlaps in terms of our interest, we approached the project in different ways which led to interesting discussions, especially during the ideation phase. Though the original idea was to traceability of materials, the micro challenge pushed us to simplify the narrative while focusing on the community of makers in Fablabs. As I try to navigate the new space of bio fabrication, I realise that the process of making the prototype helped me initiate conversations with people working with similar interests. The final result was maybe not the intent, but the process was much more fruitful for me, not just in terms of my research but also in terms of digital fabrication.
