Biodesign for a culture of life: Of microbes, ethics, and design

Scientific advances at the turn of new millennium brought radical insights into just how microbial our world is and extent to which microbes influence lives: from notions body (human microbiome); their distribution in living spaces (microbiome built environment); playing an integral role ecosystems services cities (urban microbiome) are fundamental biogeochemical cycles—our irreducibly microbial. This paper asks what it means dwell design such times proposes ethics for biodesign: employs tools biotechnological age generate new, ecologically beneficial forms design, where “workhorses.” Exemplified Living Architecture, ALICE IM-CITY projects—these biodesign case studies explore working with can help us contribute significantly (re)enlivening by establishing a culture life—based on mutual thriving.