Prototyping Circular Materials Based on Reprogrammable Matter

For almost two centuries, design, manufacturing and consumption models have exploited Earth’s valuable resources (elements, minerals, flora and fauna) on a profound scale. As resources become depleted, there is a desperate need to develop new approaches for how materials are utilised and fabricated with to reduce or even reverse waste and pollution. The research aims to create a new design and fabrication process that can develop circular materials, which contributes to a circular economy. The research presented documents initial prototyping explorations that build towards a vision of physical products/structures composed of reprogrammable matter. Meaning, an object’s properties (shape, colour, texture) can be updated by uploading information from design tools into matter to avoid redundancies and heal damage. The research is presented as a pictorial in the format of an annotated portfolio that combines photographs and videos to communicate the research-through design process along with our findings and insights.