ISMAT hosts international BIP on Biofutures.
Between 23 and 27 February, the Communication Design course at the Instituto Superior Manuel Teixeira Gomes (ISMAT) hosted the first in-person week of the Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) entitled “Speculative and Performative Design for Biofutures: Expanding Boundaries in Creative Practices and Concepts.” The programme brought together students, researchers, and lecturers from several European institutions, namely ISMAT (Portugal), Aalto University (Finland), Howest – University of Applied Sciences (Belgium), and Izmir University of Economics (Turkey).
The programme is part of an international initiative dedicated to exploring new approaches at the intersection of design, science, and sustainability, with a particular focus on the potential of macroalgae as a raw material for more sustainable futures. Prior to the in-person week in Portimão, participants attended a virtual phase between 9 and 13 February, intended to introduce the programme and allow participants to get to know each other. During the week in the Algarve, participants engaged in a series of interdisciplinary activities combining scientific research, laboratory experimentation, and speculative design practices. The programme included guided visits to S2AQUA – Collaborative Laboratory for Intelligent Sustainable Aquaculture (Tavira and Olhão), where students had direct contact with specialists and different species of macroalgae found in the region.
Participants also carried out fieldwork for the collection and identification of algae, as well as laboratory experimentation sessions, exploring the properties of these organisms, including pigment extraction, textures, and potential applications in biomaterials. To inspire the creative processes, on the second day students participated in small practical workshops focused on the ecological, cultural, and economic significance of algae. These sessions included participatory mapping exercises, experiments, and dialogues with researchers and local producers. Guest contributors included biologist Ricardo Coelho (Salivitae), chef João Marreiros (Loki Restaurant), and biologist and chef Joana Duarte (Rota das Algas).
In parallel, speculative and performative design workshops challenged students to imagine and prototype possible future applications of algae within social, environmental, and cultural contexts. The week concluded with the presentation of the first results at ISMAT, including reflections, experimental prototypes, and visual documentation of the research and creative processes. This BIP promotes an interdisciplinary approach, bringing together students and lecturers from different countries and fields of knowledge, with the aim of bringing design closer to ecological and scientific realities while encouraging new creative practices oriented toward contemporary environmental challenges.
The initiative also marks the starting point for the next international phases of the programme, which will take place at other partner institutions across Europe, strengthening collaborative networks between design, scientific research, and sustainable innovation.
