Neri Oxman: Material Ecology - by Paola Antonelli (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

The first survey on the interdisciplinary biodesign genius of Neri Oxman, pioneer of "material ecology

Throughout her 20-year career, Neri Oxman has invented not only new ideas for materials, buildings and construction processes, but also new frameworks for interdisciplinary--and interspecies--collaborations. She coined the term "material ecology" to describe her process of producing techniques and objects informed by the structural, systemic and aesthetic wisdom of nature, from the shells of crustaceans to the flow of human breathing.

Groundbreaking for its solid technological and scientific basis, its rigorous and daring experimentation, its visionary philosophy and its unquestionable attention to formal elegance, Oxman's work operates at the intersection of biology, engineering, architecture and artistic design, material science and computer science.

This book--designed by Irma Boom and published to accompany a midcareer retrospective of Oxman's work--highlights the interdisciplinary nature of the designer's practice. It demonstrates how Oxman's contributions allow us to question and redefine the idea of modernism--a concept in constant evolution--and of organic design. Some of the projects featured in the book and exhibition include the Silk Pavilion, which harnesses silkworms' ability to generate a 3-D cocoon out of a single thread silk in order to create architectural constructions; Aguahoja, a water-based fabrication platform that prints structures made out of different biopolymers; and Glass, an additive manufacturing technology for 3-D printing optically transparent glass structures at architectural dimensions.

Israeli American architect, designer and inventor Neri Oxman (born 1976) is professor of media arts and sciences at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Media Lab. Her work is in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art, New York, the Cooper Hewitt Design Museum, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and Boston's Museum of Fine Arts, among others.

Review Quotes

Explores the nexus of design and biology...--Alex Klimoski "Architectural Record"

Material Ecology itself is her brainchild, a new design approach devoted to reaching "a 'material singularity' where there will be little to no distinction between 'natural' and 'artificial.'"--Jake Carver "Flaunt"

A technological mashup of design, manufacturing, and biology.--Paul Laster "Art and Object"

Neri Oxman at MoMA illuminates and inspires.--Editors "Architectural Record"

The exhibition showcases the materials (chitin from the shells of crustaceans, melanin from horse hair) and processes (3D printing, silkworm weaving) that could one day be incorporated in the practices of architects and designers. In keeping with her devotion to natural processes, no object in the exhibition is constructed from parts--each is grown as a single object.--Maria Veitch "Interview"

a futuristic cabinet of curiosities--Nicole Anderson "Architectural Digest"

marks the first time Oxman's work is shown as a collection.--Bridget Cogley "Dezeen"

through the 'material ecology' methodology, oxman investigates natural processes, which constitute a new philosophy of designing and making -- and even unmaking -- the world around us--Kat Barandy "Design Boom"

A pioneer in materials, objects, and construction...Neri Oxman's work on display explores the intersection of the science of materials, digital fabrication, and organic design in pieces both extruded from and infused with the wisdom of nature.--Kate Mazade "Architect's Newspaper"

In her work, creativity and imagination seem to know no bounds, and disciplines have no divisions.--Wanda Lau "Architect Magazine"

Oxman [...] works at the intersection of technology, biology and culture. At MoMA, the art perspective is at the forefront, but through projected process videos and displays of completed works and experiments Oxman showcases how the discipline of material ecology can be practically applied in different contexts.--Kristin Tauer "WWD"

Oxman's work is often heady but seeing the evolution of her philosophy brings her interdisciplinary, interspecies approach into greater focus.--Alexandra Alexa "Core 77"

The architect of tomorrow--Carolina Roux "Financial Times"