During my summer at Ben-Alon Speculative Studio, I primarily worked on developing a research study exploring the technological possibilities and ecological growing capacities of mud textiles. Ben-Alon Speculative Studio focuses on the speculative sustainable design possibilities of non-toxic and low carbon earthen materials rooted within experimental research methodologies to yield new material outcomes for a more positive climate future. My research was directly connected to the organization’s mission as I worked with low-carbon earth materials to produce new design possibilities of flexible fabric. My research project outcomes helped to expand the scope of the studio’s application and inspired a new terrain of research within the studio on mud fabric. During this internship, I worked closely with the director, Lola Ben-Alon, to map out phases of the research into achievable metrics and determine research project outcomes. These outcomes included three separate material panels and a working mud fabric garment.

Design Justice, a joint course from the Columbia Engineering and Columbia Social Work Schools, Philosophical Theories of Materials Studies from the Columbia Religion Department, and Critical Environmental Studies from the Columbia Climate School were just a few classes that helped to inform my research applications this summer. Sasha Costanza-Chock’s Design Justice integrated core justice principles within my design approach and helped me consider vital design questions to ask throughout my research process such as who is actively excluded, and why and how can this be reverted? Philosophical theorists such as Rosi Braditotti’s Post Human frameworks guided my interaction with the earth materials themselves and dissolved the barrier between human and non-human relationships with my material innovation practice. I believe that this philosophy only informed and aided the biological development of the material. Finally, Critical Environmental Studies informed me of the importance of creating alternative technologies to combat environmental pollution and ultimate climate catastrophe. This course legitimized the purpose of my research as an active way to rebuild a positive climate future. Having insight from these classes were extremely valuable for identifying how to apply the theoretical into practice.

The research project I worked on was challenging at times by its inherently independent nature and social constraints. This forced me to integrate social balance in complementary ways outside of the studio. I also needed to steward projects to completion while being the only researcher that could successfully do so at times because of my built knowledge base on the topic. It felt daunting and at times, nearly impossible, to develop the research further because of this. I had to problem solve and identify solutions in unique and creative ways in order to answer new and emerging questions that revealed itself at various incremental stages of the research. Luckily, I felt that my director was an incredible resource and felt supported by her whenever it was needed.

It was an invaluable experience to work at the intersection of science, design, theory, and application to build healthier and more environmentally friendly futures with the Ben-Alon Speculative Studio. Throughout my experience, I explored new earth building methodologies, material science sequences and iterated over 30 material recipes until I discovered a flexible fabric made out of mud and bio-based materials. With support from the Tamer Center for Social Enterprise and research directorship from the studio, I was able to fulfill my overall summer research goals and produce tangible products to showcase the newly developed material. I pursued an internship opportunity at Ben-Alon Speculative Studio because I wanted to explore the possibilities of one of the most abundant resources on earth to see if it could be used as an alternative to address an environmentally damaging textile industry. Throughout the experience, I realized that my research allowed this potential possibility to actually fully materialize. And though this research is still at an iterative design stage, I will be continuing my research efforts as a consultant to further develop the material at both a body and architectural fabrication scale. I feel confident that this is the ideal place for me to launch my continued efforts in environmental material innovation and that it has expansive potential to continue to connect me to my next design phases as well.