Urban Eden, human error

Bio-architectural constructions out of moss and seeds

Allison Kudla's project based on the formation of a living and growing biological material via its collaboration with an engineering mechanism.

Vergroot

Engineering mechanism to generate the artwork. - The project was presented in Linz, Austria for the Ars Electronica Festival 2010 as part of the show “Repair” sponsored by the OK Center and exhibited in the former Tabak Fabrik. Image by Miha Fras found on Allison Kudla's website. Image by Miha Fras found on Allison Kudla's website.

This system uses a computer controlled four-axis positioning table to “print” intricate bio-architectural constructions out of moss and seeds. Suspended in a clear gel growth medium, the moss continues to grow and the seeds sprout.

The algorithmically-generated patterns drawn by the system are based on the Eden growth model and leverage mathematical representations of both urban growth and cellular growth, thereby connecting the concept of city with the concept of the organism.