The 1st International BioDesign Conference will take place on 26–28 August 2026 at TU Delft. This new conference brings together researchers and practitioners working at the intersection of design, biology, computation and sustainability.
We invite researchers and practitioners across Design, Architecture, and Human–Computer Interaction (HCI) to join BioDesign’26, the inaugural international conference dedicated to exploring advances at the intersection of biology, design, computation, and sustainability.
This unique forum will showcase interdisciplinary research, novel theories and methodologies, and forward-thinking research artifacts that push the boundaries of biodesign.
Conference Structure
- Two conference days featuring panel discussions with leading international scholars and practitioners, parallel paper sessions presenting peer-reviewed research, and an exhibition of demos, prototypes, and research artifacts, alongside a conference dinner and social events.
- One final day dedicated to workshops led by experts and curated excursions, offering opportunities to engage with local contexts relevant to biodesign (subject to capacity and additional fee)
Confirmed Panelists
- Carole Collet, Professor in Design for Sustainable Futures, Central Saint Martins UAL
- Emma van der Leest, Biodesigner and founder of BlueCity Lab
- Ermi van Oers, Bio-tech designer and founder of Nova Innova
- Larissa Pschetz, Associate Professor in Design Informatics, University of Edinburgh
- Maurizio Montalti, Founder and Creative Director at Officina Corpuscoli; Chief Mycelium Officer and Co-founder at SQIM, Ephea, and Mogu
- Orkan Telhan, Founder of design.bio and President of the Biodesign Challenge
- Phil Ayres, Chair Professor of Biohybrid Architecture, Royal Danish Academy
- Rachel Armstrong, Professor of Design-Driven Construction for Regenerative Architecture, KU Leuven
- Tom Ellis, Professor of Bioengineering, Imperial College London
- Valentina Rognoli, Associate Professor of Design, Politecnico di Milano
Registration opens: May 2026
Conference proceedings: accepted papers will be published in a special issue of the Journal Biotechnology Design (Cambridge University Press), available from August 2026.
Email for general inquiries: biodesignconference@gmail.com
