Microbial Factories

What if we could use microbial growth to produce not only food such as bread, sauerkraut or cheese locally, but also everyday objects that have traditionally been made of plastic? Today the first platform chemicals for consumer goods are already being produced microbially. But how could such processes work on a smaller scale, flexibly and accessibly, in new contexts? How can the resulting products grow directly into shape? Which actors could network to create more sustainable alternatives?

The students addressed these questions by investigating how biological growth processes can be combined with mechanical shaping – using selected microorganisms and experimental production apparatus.The results are initial prototypes and material studies that show how bio-based production can be reimagined: decentralised, regenerative and in close collaboration with microbes.