Research and development of melanin patterning methodologies across scales used to create biohybrid functional materials for applications in design and architecture. A method for bacterial melanin production was developed that allows the control of pigment expression through chemical and environmental stimuli. The process was developed into a hydrogel based bio-material, capable of sustaining the bacterial melanin production.

Custom tools for tuneable material deposition were engineered for the newly developed bio-material.

A performance driven parametric algorithm was composed and used to generate morphologies and gradients informed by environmental parameters. 

The conjunction of all three aspects of the project enabled the 3D printing of environment-informed complex melanin-graded bio-structures.

awarded best Scientific Research, UCL Bartlett B-Pro 2021

research, work and process document available on request.