A space for biodesigning at Aalto University
The bioMakerStudio is a DIY fabrication space, which acts as an incubator for exploring and engaging creatively with the process of biological growing, making, and designing.
We welcome creatives (researchers, students, makers, community) from any discipline who are working with (or would like to try) bio-themed projects.
Our intention is also to be as low-threshold, accessible, flexible and open as possible. We we encourage users to be explorative, scavenge stuff, make their own tools, and try more exploratory encounters that might be otherwise hard to do in a closed lab environment.
Our space develops according to demand, and grows together with the projects and our community.
NEWS
bioMakerStudio Workshop Series
The bioMakerStudio Workshop and Talks Series is a non-profit community engagement initiative funded by the Sustainability Action Booster Grant… [read more]
Where to find us
Otakaari 7, 02150 Espoo, Finland
OUR APPROACH
At the bioMakerStudio, we run on a makerspace philosophy, which includes:
Learning-by-making
You learn through hands-on experiments, and by actively making and growing something. DIY (Do-it-yourself) and DIWO (Do-it-with-others) with communities.
Finding creative workarounds
This is not a scientific lab – meaning that for certain processes, you will have to find creative workarounds. Can you find replacements for tools in everyday objects, for example?
Combine fabrication techniques and fields
How can you combine different fabrication and making techniques? Biofabrication, digital fabrication, crafts, textiles… How can you combine knowledge from different disciplines?
Sharing and lowering barriers to knowledge
With the open-access mindset, you’ll share your processes and results with others, and also learn from others. How can you share your knowledge in ways that can be accessed by more people?
SPACES & EQUIPMENT
bioMakerStudio
Our current inventory includes:
• Workbenches
• Digital incubator
• 3D clay printer (for biomaterials)
• Mini laminar flow hood
• Autoclave
• Transparent growtent
• Darkroom growtent
• Digital microscope (AF)
• Stereo microscope
• Fridge + freezer
• Kettle
• Shelves
• UV light
• Heating pads
• Heating plates
• Humidity gauge
• Vacuum former
• Dehydrator
• Drying fan
• Scales
• Kitchen utensils (stick blender, containers, pots, steamers etc.)
• Lab consumables (petri dishes, test tubes, cotton cloths, pH paper, etc.)
• Kitchen consumables (baking sheets, aluminium foils, paper plates, etc.)
• Ingredients for growth mediums
• Large TV screen with HDMI
• Storage space
• First aid kit
Garden
8m2 community garden plot, currently growing:
• Woad (Isatis tinctoria)
• Japanese Indigo (Persicaria tinctoria)
• Dyer’s chamomile (Anthemis tinctoria)
• Dyer’s greenweed (Genista tinctoria)
• Weld (Ruseda luteola)
• Dyer’s coreopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria)
We also have access to these facilities in the same building:
Dyeing Studio
A splash-proof kitchen-like space for wetwork with:
> Sinks
> Hobs
> Drying cabinet
> Kitchen utensils
For more, visit: https://studios.aalto.fi/product/dyeing-and-surface-manipulation/
FabLab
Digital fabrication laboratory for digital fabrication, with:
> Laser cutter
> CNC machine
> 3D printers
> Electronic workstations
> Programming software
For more info, visit: https://studios.aalto.fi/fablab/
WHAT CAN I WORK WITH?
We allow work with entry-level and food-safe organisms and materials in the bioMakerStudio. Currently, we are working with bacterial cellulose (SCOBY), cyanobacteria (spirulina), slime mould (physarum), mycelium (oyster and reishi), and plants (wild and grown).
Working with organisms that are highly perceptible to contamination would be very challenging in our space, as we cannot create completely aseptic conditions.
The bioMakerStudio is constantly changing. For most recent photos check out our Instagram account: @biomakerstudio
An interactive installation with the spirulina culture! 🧪
Check out this work by Ana Todosijević @_ana_todosijevic, who is exploring communication pathways between humans and cyanobacteria.
"Distant Kin is an interactive installation that investigates communication pathways between distant groups of organisms, specifically humans and cyanobacteria, through light and sound effects. As a visitor steps into a spotlight, their presence activates light that initiates Spirulina’s photosynthesis. The spotlight is controlled by the oxygen level — once Spirulina produces enough, the light moves to a new spot, choreographing the
visitor’s movement. Using oxygen as a control signal, the algae sets the rhythm of interaction, turning human behavior into part of a nonhuman-led performance."
#biomakerstudio #biodesign #aalto #aaltouniversity #bioart #installation #interactive #interactiveinstallation #spirulina #cyanobacteria #exhibition
An interactive installation with the spirulina culture! 🧪
Check out this work by Ana Todosijević @_ana_todosijevic, who is exploring communication pathways between humans and cyanobacteria.
"Distant Kin is an interactive installation that investigates communication pathways between distant groups of organisms, specifically humans and cyanobacteria, through light and sound effects. As a visitor steps into a spotlight, their presence activates light that initiates Spirulina’s photosynthesis. The spotlight is controlled by the oxygen level — once Spirulina produces enough, the light moves to a new spot, choreographing the
visitor’s movement. Using oxygen as a control signal, the algae sets the rhythm of interaction, turning human behavior into part of a nonhuman-led performance."
#biomakerstudio #biodesign #aalto #aaltouniversity #bioart #installation #interactive #interactiveinstallation #spirulina #cyanobacteria #exhibition
Plant-Human Interaction workshop with Oscar Tomico from TU Eindhoven 🌱 at the BioMakerStudio!
This morning, we hosted a workshop run by Oscar Tomico, "Greening interior spaces through multi-species design", where participants explored Plant-Human interactions and bioreceptivity through textiles.
The workshop started with an introduction to Plant-Human interactions, then participants explored emerging forms, patterns, and aesthetics through hands-on roleplaying. At the end, everyone shared their reflections on taking a more-than-human perspective in the design process 🌿
Thank you @otomico for the workshop, and for all the participants for joining!
#biodesign #morethanhuman #textiles #bioreceptivity #workshop #sustainability #biomakerstudio #biolab #plant #humanplantinteraction
#interactiondesign #hci #interiordesign #tueindhoven
Plant-Human Interaction workshop with Oscar Tomico from TU Eindhoven 🌱 at the BioMakerStudio!
This morning, we hosted a workshop run by Oscar Tomico, "Greening interior spaces through multi-species design", where participants explored Plant-Human interactions and bioreceptivity through textiles.
The workshop started with an introduction to Plant-Human interactions, then participants explored emerging forms, patterns, and aesthetics through hands-on roleplaying. At the end, everyone shared their reflections on taking a more-than-human perspective in the design process 🌿
Thank you @otomico for the workshop, and for all the participants for joining!
#biodesign #morethanhuman #textiles #bioreceptivity #workshop #sustainability #biomakerstudio #biolab #plant #humanplantinteraction
#interactiondesign #hci #interiordesign #tueindhoven
📌 APPLICATIONS OPEN 📌
Are you an Aalto ARTS student?
We`re excited to offer BioMakerStudio (2ECTS), a one-week summer course in biodesign, in collaboration with IAAC (Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia) 🌻
The hands-on studio course explores living systems, design, and low-threshold methods to prototype adaptable structures that grow, respond, and/or heal their environments.
📅 9 – 13 June, 2025
📍 BioMakerStudio, Otakaari 7, Otaniemi
Application link and more information in bio 🌱
#biodesign #aaltouniversity #sustainability #biomakerstudio #biolab #iaac #summercourse
@aaltoarts
📌 APPLICATIONS OPEN 📌
Are you an Aalto ARTS student?
We`re excited to offer BioMakerStudio (2ECTS), a one-week summer course in biodesign, in collaboration with IAAC (Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia) 🌻
The hands-on studio course explores living systems, design, and low-threshold methods to prototype adaptable structures that grow, respond, and/or heal their environments.
📅 9 – 13 June, 2025
📍 BioMakerStudio, Otakaari 7, Otaniemi
Application link and more information in bio 🌱
#biodesign #aaltouniversity #sustainability #biomakerstudio #biolab #iaac #summercourse
@aaltoarts
🍌🍄
Mycelium in a banana shape?!
Look around! You can find moulds to shape mycelium composites everywhere 👀
With @edoardobrunellidesigner and @areyouharveyshawaboutthat
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#mycelium #myceliummaterial #myceliumcomposite #biolab #biodesign #suatainability #biomakerstudio #biomaterialdesign #biomaker
🍌🍄
Mycelium in a banana shape?!
Look around! You can find moulds to shape mycelium composites everywhere 👀
With @edoardobrunellidesigner and @areyouharveyshawaboutthat
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#mycelium #myceliummaterial #myceliumcomposite #biolab #biodesign #suatainability #biomakerstudio #biomaterialdesign #biomaker
Dyeing our lab coats with natural colours 🥼
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#naturalcolor #workshop #sustainability #foodwaste #biolab #biostudio #biomakerstudio #labcoat #naturaldye @design.ismat
Dyeing our lab coats with natural colours 🥼
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#naturalcolor #workshop #sustainability #foodwaste #biolab #biostudio #biomakerstudio #labcoat #naturaldye @design.ismat
Beautifully dyed swatches from of our natural Colours workshop at @design.ismat 🇵🇹
Drying in progress… 🌬️
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#biodesign #biostudio #biomakerstudio #naturalcolor #naturaldye #naturaldyes #sustainablecolor #workshop #colours #bioexperiments
Beautifully dyed swatches from of our natural Colours workshop at @design.ismat 🇵🇹
Drying in progress… 🌬️
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#biodesign #biostudio #biomakerstudio #naturalcolor #naturaldye #naturaldyes #sustainablecolor #workshop #colours #bioexperiments
bioMakerStudio travelling! 👣
We`re in @design.ismat in Portimāo 🇵🇹 with our Natural Colour workshop using local ingredients 🥀
A peek at our prep for this afternoon`s lecture and workshop 👀
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#naturalcolor #naturaldye #biocolour #biodesign #bioart #foodwaste #portugal #biolab #biomakerstudio #ismat #workshop #portimao #community
bioMakerStudio travelling! 👣
We`re in @design.ismat in Portimāo 🇵🇹 with our Natural Colour workshop using local ingredients 🥀
A peek at our prep for this afternoon`s lecture and workshop 👀
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#naturalcolor #naturaldye #biocolour #biodesign #bioart #foodwaste #portugal #biolab #biomakerstudio #ismat #workshop #portimao #community
Natural dyeing with "Itajime" techniques🪻
Itajime Shibori is a Japanese traditional dyeing technique, which uses pieces of wood to sandwich a piece of folded fabric before submerging it into the dye bath.
We experimented with this technique at the bioMakerStudio, and managed to create a beautiful checkered pattern!
Red onion peel dye 🧅 on mordanted cotton fabric
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#naturaldye #naturalcolour #naturalcolor #itajime #japanese #dyeing #dye #dyebath #dyeingtechnique #biolab #biomakerstudio #biodesign #bioart #foodwaste
Natural dyeing with "Itajime" techniques🪻
Itajime Shibori is a Japanese traditional dyeing technique, which uses pieces of wood to sandwich a piece of folded fabric before submerging it into the dye bath.
We experimented with this technique at the bioMakerStudio, and managed to create a beautiful checkered pattern!
Red onion peel dye 🧅 on mordanted cotton fabric
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#naturaldye #naturalcolour #naturalcolor #itajime #japanese #dyeing #dye #dyebath #dyeingtechnique #biolab #biomakerstudio #biodesign #bioart #foodwaste
CONTACT
If you are interested in using the bioMakerStudio or have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
We are always looking to expand our inventory of equipment and materials through recycled or second-hand goods. If you have any lab / makerspace equipment that you would like to donate, please let us know!
Interested in the bioMakerStudio? Contact
Ena Naito
Doctoral Researcher
ena.naito@aalto.fi
+358 50 464 4304
Co-funded by
