Making Futures Journal

Creating Materials for the Symbiocene

Taryn Mead — 2025-12-22

From the introduction:

“For the largest part of our species existence, humans have negotiated relationships with our sensuous surroundings, exchanging possibilities with every flapping form, with each textured surface and shivering entity that we happened to focus on ...Today we participate almost exclusively with other humans and our own human-made technologies ... (Yet) we still need that which is other than ourselves and our own creations. We need to know the textures, the rhythms, the tastes of the bodily world and to distinguish between such tastes and those of our own invention.”
-David Abram, “The Spell of the Sensuous” (2017)

Towards Ecological Citizenship in social housing through Making Nature Principles and an Ecology-of-Things

Nick Gant — 2025-12-22

From the introduction:

This research was undertaken through an inter-disciplinary and cross-sectorial collaboration for practical insight and understanding between arts and science researchers, local government and industry stakeholders and land managers. This paper documents part of a process of funded research that seeks to apply Making Nature Principles (Gant, 2020) to the creation of regenerative objects and products for social housing in Sussex, UK. The products are developed to provide sustainable alternatives in a local authority-housing sector facing policy demands for net-zero targets, Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) and Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) whilst also needing to ensure cost effective and practical value to diverse range of citizens and stakeholders. We approach the research with the hypothesis that Sussex (a highly wooded county) could / should be able to contribute to sustainable, local timber resources for social housing with potential cascading benefits for society, economy and the environment.

Imaginary Order

Gayle Matthias — 2025-12-22

This paper discusses the collaborative practice-led research project initiated by Gayle Matthias and Rachel Darbourne in 2023 and the resulting joint creative identity that emerged. Both are unconventional craft practitioners, kiln formed glass and jewellery practice are respective specialisms. The reappropriation and assemblage of waste objects and materials was a common shared methodology and situated their creative practice on the boundaries between craft and fine art and for the purposes of the paper they refer to themselves as ‘the artists’.

Decoding Crafts

Anthony Quinn — 2025-12-22

How can one tackle the study of know-how? Skill and tacit knowledge are determined by a range of factors such as the use, scarcity and cost of materials, the human interaction with tools and objects, the salience of techniques and knowledge to place, and the sense of provenance and tradition that defines intangible cultural heritage.

How do we decode these complexities for sustainable future proof disciplines? Designing and building historically accurate materials, replicating forming techniques and use of tools, along with archival exploration of the world and context in which these historical experiments were developed, allow us to unlock these steps, and may help us to reconstitute tacit dimensions of present and past practices, from which hybrid practices, combining tacit knowledge of centuries of material expertise with innovations such as additive manufacturing, are essential. The acquisition of Material Intelligence (Adamson, G, 2018) is essential to grounding intangible cultural knowledge towards a future of digitally enhanced crafts, were crafts person and machine work together.

Traditionally, research in craft production focused on the materials and techniques required to form objects, the associated gestures and their transmission were considered anthropology. Gesture Knowledge (Siburn, H, O. 1995), demands the incorporation of another layer of knowledge to encourage machine learning between crafts person and co-bots, resulting in the preservation and transmission of expertise.
Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have become the de facto custodians for traditions of skilled artisanship, whilst the Heritage Craft industries face a potential decline of skills in the face of economic and technological developments. Consequently, the educational institution which has become the home of the more traditional craft practices and a laboratory for the experimental and innovative combination of these traditional technologies with the tools and methods of industry 5.0. This crafts ecosystem is fragile. Educational departments across Europe are run by a small group of experts, with a tiny and dedicated workforce keeping hundreds of years of local savoir-faire alive. There is a need to make access to specialist forms of material knowledge open and fit for the purpose of transmission, to record and elucidate embodied and tacit knowledge, usually gained through experience and repetition, with the intention to valorise and sustain craft knowledge and practice into the future.
This paper explores these factors whilst focusing on ceramics, it proposes scalable, transferable methodologies across other material led disciplines, building on the extensive mapping of craft techniques developed within the Erasmus+ Decoding Ceramics research. Decoding Ceramics articulates the imperative to save expert knowledge and valorise traditions of skilled artisanship across the world for a sustainable future discipline. Decoding Ceramics is a new network and open educational resource that maps ceramic knowledge across makers studios, workshops, manufacturers, research centres and universities. It assesses the salience of practice to place, builds a visual and oral record of specialist processes and techniques, leveraging digital technologies to decode tacit knowledge and effectively share this knowledge across the teaching and learning network to ensure ceramic practices are relevant and accessible to future learners, teachers, craftspeople, and enthusiasts.

Crafting wellbeing

Kirsten Scott — 2025-12-22

From the introduction:

Craft thinking allows the material dialogues that take place during the act of making to become methods of possibility-finding. It requires active reflexivity throughout that dialogue, with the willingness to let go of pre-conceived ideas, tools, or techniques in response to listening to what the materials want to say and to the negotiated and novel affordances that emerge (Groth and Nimkulrat 2025, Brinck 2025, Barati and Karana 2019). When repetitive practical tasks are performed – for example, stitching, weaving, knitting - the mind of the maker is able to travel laterally: to tentatively explore conversations with other knowledges and disciplines, glimpse further possibilities and dreams, and to fold these back in through a generative process that disregards traditional disciplinary boundaries (Brinck 2025).
This paper discusses the dynamics of this ‘folding in’ of diverse knowledges and peoples in a craft-led research project, through the work of the Barkcloth Research Network. It explains how a pragmatic, craft-led investigation into the potential of a radically indigenous, endangered textile for sustainable fashion has evolved into a multi-disciplinary research project with a team that currently comprises designers, farmers, artists, craftsmen, environmentalists, textile technologists and scientists in the UK, US and Uganda. The research demonstrates the potential of craft to assist in resolving complex, wicked problems and advances the role of craft-thinking in brokering new relationships and possibilities between people, disciplines and the more than human.

AlgaeCobogó

Natasha Chayaamor-Heil — 2025-12-22

From the introduction:

Through the interdisciplinary collaboration between an architect, a designer-artist, and an algologist, the authors blended art, design, science, and creativity within this framework to propose a new type of façade – a living multicolored wall AlgaeCobogó. This façade proposal was co-created with five different species of microalgae, each having distinct spectra, ranging from chlorophylls (green) to carotenoids (red, orange, yellow), to phycobiliproteins (blue, red). These species were combined with Brazilian traditional cobogós, which have aesthetically various geometrical patterns. The authors analysed microalgae strains, their descriptions, and specific growth conditions to better understand the required parameters, establishing and refining the selection of algae species for façade design. The microalgae strains and culture methods studied were sourced from the culture collection of the French National Museum of Natural History of Paris2 (Hamlaoui et al., 2022). Finally, by mixing microalgae pigments with the traditional latticework of cobogós it is possible to achieve both aesthetic and functional excellence, advancing living-architecture materiality that promotes a unique colour perception and sensory experiences of ‘vitalism’.

Sustainability in Craft Ceramics

Giorgio Salani — 2025-12-08

From the introduction:

This paper is informed by a systematic review of literature published in English on the topic of sustainability in craft ceramics since 2000 (Salani, 2024b), practice review and ethnographic research conducted at the Leach Pottery’s production studio, in Cornwall, over the last 10 years. The analysis is centred on the UK context, but its findings apply to post-industrial societies more broadly. I offer reflections on key challenges in achieving sustainability in craft ceramics manufacturing. Inspired by practice theory, I analyse three recent case studies of best practices, suggesting recommendations for future research and initiatives to develop and evaluate eco-friendly solutions.

Shifting Horizons

Jessamy Kelly — 2025-12-22

Within the field of glass art, it evident that there exists a shared collective interest in exploring the interplay between landscape and human experience, within sustainable glass practice. Many makers are driven by a deep connection to place and a belief that the place where something is made can influence the production of a crafted object. These objects often carry embedded knowledge, reflecting the environment from which they emerge and are inherently linked to the natural world. This paper aims to reveal a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness between humans, nature, and the things we create. Reviewing crafted objects not just as isolated artifacts but as objects intimately linked to the contexts from which they emerge. Amidst the currents of change that define our current context, it is imperative that as makers we carefully examine and renew our own creative craft practices. In our post-industrial era, the world has undergone profound changes marked by instability and uncertainty. The conceptual framework of the Anthropocene states that human activity has fundamentally influenced and irrevocably changed our climate and environment. Industrial practices such as glass making can be viewed as a form of extraction (and exploitation) of natural resources and materials. This issues a serious call out to for makers to demonstrate the urgent need for new sustainable and alternative methodological approaches to glass making.

Rooted in Place

Lara Torres — 2025-12-22

From the introduction:
This paper addresses the need for alternative educational models that embed sustainability into the core of the learning process. It explores how place-based approaches and material-led pedagogies, which draw on local knowledge and resources, can be powerful tools for fostering sustainability in design education. By integrating Indigenous and Local Ecological Knowledge (ILEK) into the curriculum, educators can create immersive, context-specific learning experiences that not only reduce the environmental impact of long-distance material transport but also foster a deep appreciation for local ecosystems and cultural heritage (Mellegård & Wiebren, 2020).This research aims to illustrate how these approaches can contribute to more equitable, resilient, and sustainable educational practices that transcend geographical boundaries.

Exploring the Allure of Mud-Dye

Yan Feng — 2025-12-22

This paper investigates sustainable practices embedded in traditional mud-dyeing through a case study of JianPing Xiang, a master artisan from Hunan Province, China. The study examines how this ancient craft—relying on locally sourced materials like mud and plant leaves—can adapt to address contemporary environmental challenges while preserving cultural heritage. Framed by the research question, “How can traditional mud-dyeing practices contribute to sustainable development within the textile industry?” this study presents key insights into the environmental and socio-economic benefits of mud-dyeing, derived from hands-on participation and an in-depth interview with Xiang. The research identifies several core sustainability principles within Xiang’s methods, such as closed-loop systems, efficient resource management, and waste minimization, which align with global sustainability frameworks like the circular economy and bio-based production. By embodying these principles, mud-dyeing serves as an accessible, low-impact alternative to industrial dyeing, reducing dependence on synthetic chemicals and lowering carbon emissions. The real-world applications of these practices extend beyond environmental advantages; mud-dyeing fosters socio-economic empowerment within artisan communities, particularly benefiting local women by creating sustainable livelihoods and reinforcing community resilience. Xiang envisions expanding this practice to global markets, aiming to meet modern demands without compromising traditional methods. Her approach underscores the adaptability of traditional crafts in advancing sustainable textile design. Aligned with the conference theme, “Optimizing Craft Techniques for Sustainable Alternatives to Extractive Practices,” this study highlights mud-dyeing as a viable model for merging traditional wisdom with contemporary sustainability, advocating for its broader potential to foster a more mindful, culturally embedded, and environmentally responsible textile industry.

Nurturing Ecological Stewardship in Industrial Design Education

Dan Neubauer — 2025-12-22

From the introduction:

The future of responsible and ecological design demands a new generation of industrial designers equipped with the skills to holistically address complex human needs through sustainable innovation. By integrating hands-on experimentation with bio-based materials into design curricula, educators can cultivate the vital competencies students need to create impactful, user-centered solutions that resonate with evolving expectations around environmental responsibility and STEM skills (Avramescu 123).

Exploring the Nano World

Raymond W. Sparrow — 2025-12-22

From the introduction:

This paper outlines the capacity of the scientific domain of engineering biology to produce biologically based devices and to become a new manufacturing base. This will be illustrated by discussing the design of a bio-nanostepping motor and a discussion as to how this device can be produced, evaluated and mass-produced. This paper also presents the ideas and concepts on which this is based.

Can Ancient Practices be entitled Biodesign?

Carla Paoliello — 2025-12-22

Biodesign characterizes a strategic approach where designers collaborate with living organisms. Despite its classification as an emerging discipline, it bears noting that Indigenous communities have adeptly employed and refined methods similar to Biodesign for centuries. This article endeavours to discern the appropriateness of designating these time-honoured practices as "Biodesign" or to propose a more fitting nomenclature. To this end, worldwide ancestral knowledge and traditional practices were examined to find illustrative examples of those who faced such impasses in categorization. The analyses were complemented by investigating recent instances in the same context within the realms of recent Urbanism and Archeology. While ancestral practices exhibit congruence with contemporary methodologies, distinctions must also be drawn. Consequently, we advocate for using words such as ancestral, vernacular, indigenous, and traditional to accompany the term "Biodesign," or even just Biocraft, delineating ancient practices from their present-day counterparts.

Beyond Objects

Stephanie Owens — 2025-12-22

Keynote introduction to the 8th Making Futures conference: Beyond Objects, Materiality at the Edge of Making.