Relive: novel design approaches to livingness

This book presents the results of the FARB (Fondo d’Ateneo per la Ricerca di Base) research project RELIVE, conducted within the Department of Design of Politecnico di Milano. RELIVE aimed to explore and conceptualize a framework for designing living artefacts. The objectives of the research are the conceptualization of original theory regarding livingness and the exploration of design-oriented approaches to craft living artefacts using living materials and digital technologies.
The book includes contributions from researchers at the intersection of biology and design, as well as from Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), to highlight the livingness within across various disciplines. Additionally, it presents the results of three workshops-two conducted at the School of Design and a third held at an international conference with experts on the subject. Through literature and case studies analysis, the interdisciplinary approach of the research allowed the formulation of a new definition of livingness based on three levels of living materials. The book provides the basis for future explorations in the field of living artefacts, proposing approaches and methods to practitioners interested in exploring livingness within relevant sectors. Ultimately it offers research trajectories including practical applications to promote regenerative futures and user interaction based on mutual care.