Designing with Flavobacteria: Tools and Artefacts for Exploring and Engaging with Living Colour

Abstract

This demo presents a collection of physical tools and artefacts developed through an in-depth, organism-specific biodesign inquiry into Flavobacteria, microorganisms known for producing dynamic, iridescent colourations. It traces a trajectory from laboratory characterisation to interaction-centred prototypes and ultimately to Flaviri, a living artefact designed to support everyday human–microbe engagement. At its centre are three Flaviri artefacts and large inoculated Petri dishes that enable direct yet sterile swiping and tilting interactions, allowing attendees to experience first-hand encounters with Flavobacteria. The demo also showcases intermediate tools and artefacts—from early Petri dish explorations to custom habitats and prototypes for performing direct interaction—that demonstrate how interaction techniques were gradually refined for long-term, everyday contexts. Finally, two research tools are presented, highlighting how systematic documentation of temporal and iridescent expressions and explorations of long-term growth informed these design explorations. Taken together, these materials demonstrate how iridescent Flavobacteria can be integrated into living artefacts that extend biodesign practice into everyday contexts and open space for human-microbe engagement, while also offering inspiration for similar in-depth biodesign inquiries.