From Near and Far : Postnatural Cultures of Emergency

As climate disasters become increasingly prevalent issues in architecture, alternative design responses can help communities move forward from crises. Bacterial cellulose, a living culture of bacteria and yeast, produces a sheet pellicle on its surface which can be harvested, dried, and processed into a sheet good. Excellent in tensile capacities and biodegradable, BC can be used as a substitute for products like leather and plastic. Its status as a cost-effective and placid living material give it the capacity to be grown in a variety of spaces. This thesis explores the potential of bacterial cellulose as an alternative to traditional materials in architectural applications, following a narrative that sets BC as an important figure in the survival of societies living through the speculative future of climate disasters. Using case studies, material experimentation, and material studies as methodology, this paper underpins the potential for alternative construction methods in a rapidly changing environment.