26th of March saw the final presentations of the Synthetic Biology project for the first year's students at Design Interactions, RCA. A bit of a new kid on the block, the brief was run at the department for the first time. Fiona Raby and I wrote the brief and taught on the four week project and we all had our brains tickled by bacteria...

Along the way, there was amazing input from James Chappell (Imperial College), Stuart Candy (a futurist from Hawai) and some graduates from Design Interactions and Architecture DS4. Their input made the process of turning a complex topic like synthetic biology into compelling stories and scenarios much more interesting, yet perhaps not easier. Although four weeks gives hardly enough time to produce finished designs, the project surely was a successful exercise in how design can engage with synthetic biology.

The project coincided with a few days of teaching at Liam's and Kate's studio at the Architectural Association. Both made me realise how much I enjoy teaching and led to a workshop I'm now developing with Revital, under the working title 'Design Fictions'.