"Taken together, these projects point to a growing interest in materials as active participants, responsive, living, and purposeful, shaping how design engages with ecological cycles, human perception, and the future of production. Before we move into 2026, we highlight some of the most inspired projects and material applications featured on designboom, making this year's top 10 list of design objects and materials."
"The BioHybrid Device is a video game controller that merges biological growth with digital manufacturing. Designed by Vivien Roussel, Madalina Nicolae, and Marc Teyssier, the device is grown using SCOBY (a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast), with conductive elements, sensors, and output components integrated directly into the material during its natural growth process. By applying biofabrication techniques, the project points toward a future of more sustainable interactive technologies."
Design projects in 2025 emphasized recyclability, sustainability, and sensory assistance while pushing material experiments toward biology and technological innovation. Designers treated materials as active participants capable of carrying identity, function, and environmental responsibility. Notable examples include a BioHybrid gaming controller grown from SCOBY with integrated conductive elements, a Yamaha digital piano crafted from unused rare wood to extend material life, a modular pen with 12 fingertip-stimulating grips to enhance focus, and a fungi-made prosthetic organ designed to extract and break down microplastics. These efforts foreground living, responsive, and purpose-driven material applications across production and perception.
Read at designboom | architecture & design magazine
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