Activity

Suggested readings:

• Rognoli, V., Bianchini, M., Maffei, S., & Karana, E. (2015). DIY materials. Materials & Design, 86, 692-702. DIY materials.
• Ayala-Garcia, C., & Rognoli, V. (2017). The New Aesthetic of DIY-Materials. The Design Journal, 20(sup1), S375–S389. The New Aesthetic of DIY-Materials
• Rognoli, V., Garcia, C. A., & Parisi, S. (2016). The material experiences as DIY-Materials: 4. The material experiences as DIY-Materials
• Karana, E., Barati, B., Rognoli, V., & Zeeuw van der Laan, A. (2015). Material driven design (MDD): A method to design for material experiences. International Journal of Design, 9(2), 35-54. Material driven design (MDD) A method to design for material experiences
• Pedgley, O., Rognoli, V., & Karana, E. (2021). Materials Experience: Expanding territories of materials and design (O. Pedgley, V. Rognoli, & E. Karana, Eds.). Butterworth-Heinemann. Materials Experience: Expanding territories of materials and design
• Material tinkering - Interni Magazine
• Parisi, S., Rognoli, V., & Sonneveld, M. (2017). Material Tinkering. An inspirational approach for experiential learning and envisioning in product design education. The Design Journal, 20(sup1), S1167–S1184. Just a moment...

Suggested Activity:

We invite you to explore the exciting world of DIY Materials! Your task is to research and create your own materials using easily accessible ingredients. Feel free to explore online resources for recipes and step-by-step guides—there's plenty of inspiration out there!

Important Caution: When experimenting with DIY materials, make sure to follow instructions carefully and handle all ingredients with care. Some materials may require precise steps or specific handling, so always prioritize safety. If you are new to this or unsure, consider participating in a guided workshop where you can learn from experts and follow safe practices.

As you work on this project, keep in mind the concepts we've covered in the first week of the MOOC, especially around sustainability, circularity, and regenerative materials design. This is a great opportunity to put theory into practice and experiment with different ingredients, techniques, and methods.

Once you've created your DIY materials, we want to see them! Share your process and results with us by tagging our Instagram account @materialsfortransition_polimi and use the hashtags: #mooc #polimi #materialsdesignfortransition. We will feature your work on our channel!

You can get started by exploring DIY material recipes at the following links:

• Materiom: Open-Source Recipes for How to Make Your Own Raw Materials Out of Natural Ingredients - Core77
• Bioplastic Cook Book - Issuu
• Make Your Own Bioplastics!
• Nature Lab - Biomaterials You Can Make at Home

Share your discoveries and recipes with us!