Microalgae, Wood powder

Nice to seed you

This project aims to outline a circular process in which waste generated by one process serves as nourishment for another. It seeks to clarify the potential of ‘growing materials’, namely microalgae, in promoting ecological regeneration by actively contributing to the nourishment of plant life.

Waste, akin to materials, constitutes an intrinsic element of human development, serving as one of the evolutionary legacies transmitted to the next generations. It provides multifaceted insights into an individual’s lifestyle and habits. In this context, planned obsolescence has gradually integrated into our purchasing habits. It is a system that perpetuates our existences, insidiously infiltrating to the point of escaping our awareness, making its eradication equally challenging.
Therefore, this project contends that research on materials and our interaction with them is fundamental for a more responsible and conscious production approach. To delve into this extensive topic, and to propose a design model focusing on the recovery of industrial waste, it was chosen to work with microalgae biomass, resulting from the wastewater purification process of the Metabolon (Lindlar, Germany) waste disposal centre. From the biomass derived from the death of these microorganisms, it is possible to generate a biomaterial to stimulate plant growth by creating products that can be planted and act as agricultural bio-stimulants. The project strives to elucidate the potential of growing materials in fostering ecological regeneration. In a broader context, it aspires to serve as a model for interdisciplinary practices, amalgamating diverse knowledge and skills from various disciplines to yield innovative outcomes.

Making process

The ingredients used are as follows:
water 210 ml
gelatine 15 gr
glycerine 25 ml
wood powder 10 gr
Chlorella vulgaris powder 4 gr

All the ingredients are mixed in a pot, which is heated until the mixture reaches a compact and homogeneous consistency. It will be left on the cooker for a couple of minutes over medium heat until the mixture reaches a thick consistency. It will then be poured into moulds and left to dry at room temperature for a couple of days.

The recipe also has a 'vegan' variant that replaces the gelatin with Xanthan gum combined with citric acid. The process remains the same, but the ingredients are mixed with a blender, then poured into a mould and left to solidify in a dryer at 70 degrees until the mixture has solidified.

In this variant, the ingredients and proportions are as follows:
water 125 ml
xanthan gum 15gr
citric acid 7.5 g
wood powder 14 g
glycerine 15 ml
Chlorella vulgaris powder 0.5 gr

Text submitted by the maker and edited by the Future Materials Bank. For information about reproducing (a part of) this text, please contact the maker.