Biodesign in the Middle: The Center is an Edge

In late 2020, Xiao-Wei Wang’s Blockchain Chicken Farm and Rem Koolhaas’s Guggenheim show emphasized that the countryside is where radical changes occur. At the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), biodesign is being integrated into an emerging media arts program to bridge art and science. This initiative counters the current discourse that sidelines imaginative design, through speculative design workshops with Nebraska communities. Biodesign, practiced collaboratively, fosters an innovation ecosystem encompassing scientists, artists, designers, entrepreneurs, and industry. This approach aims to maximize benefits and minimize risks, aligning with Freeman Dyson’s vision of domesticated biotechnology driving new possibilities and alleviating rural poverty. The program links digital and physical realms, addressing ecological impacts of agriculture and the integration of renewable energy landscapes. Concepts like digital twins and the internet of animals blur the boundaries between technology and nature, making traditional items as significant as digital devices. The curriculum encourages students to oscillate between analog and digital learning modalities, using methods like Live Action Role Play (LARP) and immersive VR design. This pedagogy instills a mindset that comprehends the interconnectedness of the physical and virtual, the biological and digital, redefining technology beyond screens and code. By exploring the physical internet and carbon footprint, the program redefines the boundaries of art and innovation, promoting transformative narratives and new modes of expression. Through these efforts, biodesign helps shape students' world-building and storytelling, ultimately guiding responsible biotech use to address pressing global issues.