Transmaterial Lab is a special project course taught by professor Shuyi Cao at Pratt Institute School of Design, Graduate Communications/Package Design.
What are the next revolutionary materials that transform our design methods and construction processes, in response to the changing economic and ecological climate? How can we create objects and systems that are not only socially and environmentally sustainable but also culturally resonant, when viewed through the lens of material ecology?
With these questions in mind, Transmaterial Lab explores the creative possibilities that emerge from transformative collaborations between the natural world and the synthetic creation of new materials.
Collectively, we develop design approaches that draw inspiration from the structural, systemic, and aesthetic intelligence of nature, while also situating material practice within the broader field of material culture—understanding how substances and artifacts embody social values, cultural histories, and ecological relationships.
With these questions in mind, Transmaterial Lab explores the creative possibilities that emerge from transformative collaborations between the natural world and the synthetic creation of new materials.
Collectively, we develop design approaches that draw inspiration from the structural, systemic, and aesthetic intelligence of nature, while also situating material practice within the broader field of material culture—understanding how substances and artifacts embody social values, cultural histories, and ecological relationships.