Reimagining Materiality: Multisensory Experience through Regenerative Material Design

Abstract

We must reconsider our relationship with materials. For too long, we have been extracting material from the earth and disposing of them in ways that damage our planet. However, there is a growing movement to find more sustainable and regenerative ways of making and using materials. This thesis explores materiality through an investigation of the sensory qualities of regenerative materials made from local waste and plant materials. Through extensive experimentation, a wide range of samples have been generated. These suggest future possibilities for deeper material connection, adaptable objects and environments. The research also addresses the challenges and opportunities of using regenerative materials in design.

The thesis develops novel design strategies for creating more sustainable, sensory, and embodied design experiences through materials. It draws on insights from philosophy, anthropology, and design studies to investigate how a multisensory approach to materiality can generate more sustainable and meaningful designs. Such regenerative materials are produced, used, and disposed of in ways that support and restore life. They are made from renewable resources and can be used, composted or recycled at the end of their life. While the samples and artefacts produced are speculative rather than functional, they contribute to a shift towards responsible materials with a focus on bio-loops, lifecycles and a deeper connection with the life world through our senses.

This thesis proposes that a multisensory approach to design through regenerative materials is critical to the creation of a more sustainable future. By engaging with material aesthetics, we can gain a deeper understanding of how we affect and are affected by the world. We can develop material strategies that support and restore life.