Soft living artefacts: design-driven exploration of engineered living materials

In recent years, design scholars have introduced Living Artefacts as a novel class of objects that are alive, responsive, and relational. A promising yet underexplored area lies at the intersection of design, Human Computer Interaction and synthetic biology. In this context, Engineered Living Materials (ELMs), developed by bioengineers, show life-like traits such as self-regeneration, autonomy and environmental responsiveness. These materials could inspire the design of soft robots and artefacts that support wellbeing. This chapter presents findings from a Studio conducted at the TEI25 Conference in Bordeaux, where participants explored an ELM, an augmented silicone embedded with proteins, through hands-on, design-led experimentation. The session examined the potential of ELMs beyond bioengineering and prompted critical reflection on opportunities, challenges and ethical considerations at the convergence of bodies, design and living matter.