wearable structure of bacteria references antique animal bone corsets
photo © whoisjuju
all images courtesy of sammy jobbins wells

 

 

 

digital manufacturing and rapid prototyping has greatly changed the way we think about not only production, but also the way we approach the entire creative process and the initial development of physical forms. ‘skin’ by sammy jobbins wells seeks to explore a way of integrating 3D modeling with biotechnology and experiments with the precision of computer generated forms versus the unpredictable nature of biological processes.


the bacterial colonies produce an irregular yet tensile material
photo © whoisjuju

 

 

 

the project culminates in a wearable object influenced by animal bone corsets of the 17th and 18th centuries with a parametric form using grasshopper, a visual coding environment developed for rhino architectural software. the algorithm used to create the structure is a modified, three-dimensional version of delaunay triangulation. in terms of the material, it is grown from acetobacter xylinum, a strain of bacteria that produces a microbial cellulose textile as it consumes glucose. this has led to a completely sustainable method that requires no external energy input in order for the bacteria colonies to sustain themselves. the process itself is more commonly known for the production of the ‘kombucha’ drink as it has been pioneered by notable designers including suzanne lee, stefan schwabe, and jannis huelsen.

sammy jobbins wells skin corset living organism digital prototyping
the material has a similar aesthetic and haptic qualities to human skin
photo © whoisjuju

sammy jobbins wells skin corset living organism digital prototyping
the formation of a new layer of bacterial cellulose 

sammy jobbins wells skin corset living organism digital prototyping
newly harvested material

sammy jobbins wells skin corset living organism digital prototyping
the cellulose is able to contract and develop over pre-existing physical forms

sammy jobbins wells skin corset living organism digital prototyping
algorithmically generated form produced in rapid prototyping environment
photo © whoisjuju

 

 

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.