3D Printing Eggshells: Exploring Eco-Socio-Technical Relations through Biomaterial Design
People: Fiona Bell, Camila Friedman-Gerlicz, Lauren Urenda, Leah Buechley
Year: 2024-2025
Description: In response to ongoing environmental crises, the digital fabrication community has recently begun to develop biomaterials. Biomaterials and their practices correspondingly carry eco-socio-technical relations that shape the creation of more sustainable futures. From this perspective, we present three entangled contributions: (1) a new, easy-to-make, 3D printable eggshell biomaterial, (2) a circular, material-centered practice for designing with the eggshell biomaterial, and (3) a reflection on the eco-socio-technical relations that the eggshell biomaterial and biomaterial practice reveal. We ultimately use the eggshell biomaterial to extend the current material library for 3D printing and promote circular digital fabrication practices, while highlighting the importance of ecological awareness and community engagement in designing for sustainability.
Outcomes: ACM CHI’25 Paper, GUI/GOOEY Exhibition, Hindsight Insight 5.0 Exhibition, Into The Realms Of Possibility Exhibition, Currents New Media Art + Technology Festival 2025, Open Hardware Summit Talk