Focus groups to understand the interaction between the new material culture and UDIT students.

Project Title: ERRATUM. Micro-design for society

Code: INC-UDIT-2024-PRO16

Research Group: DESIRe (Regenerative Integral Design)

Authors: Elsa Gil Benito, Montserrat Pichel and María Beltrán

The project "ERRATUM: Micomaterials for society", which includes the thesis "Micomaterials, meaning and significance in the new material culture, for its projection in art and design", seeks to understand what are the new aesthetics and semiotics of micomaterials; and their social link, as a key tool to promote their incorporation. Questions such as: How can we share mycomaterials in society; what are the most sensorial representations of the material; and what are the forms that best illustrate the living organism? require active testing with society.

The advancement of biomaterials research is recognised as a crucial avenue to explore new sustainable and efficient sources addressing the environmental and economic challenges of the industry (Ribeiro et al. 2019). Biomaterials derived from mycelium, the vegetative part of fungi, offer a relevant opportunity in this context due to their abundance, renewability and accessibility (Elsacker et al. 2021). Industry has started to employ them as substitutes for petroderived materials in conventional applications and uses (Jose et al. 2021; Zhang et al. 2022 among others). However, they do not delve into the meaning of the material itself, nor do they promote its possibilities or inherent organic aesthetics (Camere and Karana 2018). This is compounded by psychological and social constraints on both designers and consumers due to its novelty and vivid appearance. Thus, a context of action is created where a barrier exists between the advantages of incorporating mycomaterials and the industrial and consumerist perception.

During the 2023-24 academic year, 5 Focus Groups have been carried out in partnership with other universities: School of Fine Arts of the Complutense University of Madrid, School of Technical Engineers of Design and Product Development of the Polytechnic University of Madrid, School of Business and Marketing School, ESIC, and the students of the Degree in Interior and Product Design of UDIT.

Through the data collection activity "Focus Group" (FG), we brought micomaterials closer to users, presented in various designs of organic aesthetics and geometry, in order to assess the level of perception, acceptance and linkage between different professions (design, art, marketing and engineering). The FGs stand out for being a relaxed environment, where participants are welcome to express themselves freely, as these comments are the most enriching. During the different dynamics we were able to observe different modes of interaction, ranges of emotions and tastes, both in geometry and with the material. The FGs give rise to a detailed and extensive collection of qualitative testimonies that allow us to identify patterns of acceptance, biases by profession and to recognise opportunities and barriers in the approach of mycomaterials to society.

The results of this research will be published in various impact journals and conferences.