Welcome to explore our research and projects 🍂
We are a design research lab at the College of Design and Innovation, at Tongji University in Shanghai. We work with a broad interest in nature and ecology-related subjects, exploring what design can do to go beyond the distinction between Nature and Culture and instead imagine and realize a world of positive influence between human spaces and the environment.
Together with students and faculties, we explore the Anthropocene to acknowledge the limitations and impact of human interventions and to design for a world where humans are no longer dominating and imposing over the rest of the ecosystem. Instead, with our design, we can be the promoter of an ecological culture that looks at a balanced relationship with the environment.
We do this by making and fabricating: we work in very close collaboration with Fablab O Shanghai where most of our creations are made possible. Get in touch: ecologydesignlab at tongji dot edu dot cn or come enjoy some tea and chocolate at the lab!
Francesca VALSECCHI ☉ Researcher, Associate Professor
Francesca is a researcher and professor at Tongji University, D&I. Before establishing the Ecology and Cultures Innovation Lab to discuss and experiment on more-than-human design and the challenges of the post-development paradigm, she spent many years leading the local hub of the International Network for Design for Sustainability and Social Innovation (DESIS).
Her researches include published, speculative and exhibition works about mapping ecosystems, ethnography of waterscapes, ecological data, and urban-nature interaction. She has an ongoing artistic practice using alternative photographic processes and bio-media, in particular exploring fermentation bacteria and mycelium as alleys of the collaborative and creative process. She is an environmental activist.
Saverio SILLI ☉ Researcher, Fablab Shanghai Vice Director
Graduated in architecture from Roma Tre University, Saverio Silli worked as an architect and lecturer at the School of Architecture.
He is an active member of the Italian maker community since 2012, and he founded the first two Fablabs in Rome. In 2015 he moved to Milan to enroll in the Fab Academy course directed by Neil Gershenfeld, director of MIT’s Center for Bits and Atoms. After graduating as a Digital Fabrication Specialist he became the local instructor for Fab Academy in Fablab WOMA in Paris, France, and since December 2016 he is the Director of Courses and Vice-Director at Fablab Shanghai in Tongji University College of Design and Innovation. He works as an instructor and community manager and conducts research on personal fabrication, design innovation, new materials, and physical ideation.
He has organized digital fabrication workshops in Rome, Milan, Paris, Seoul, Shenzhen, Xi’an, and Boston and he is an active member of the International Fablabs network.
LU Wentao ☉ Researcher
Loving for intellectual and hands-on experiment and researches about ecology, biology, material and social design, LU Wentao joined our research team after graduated as an industrial designer Tongji University in 2022.
With research interests in Nature Connection design, urban biodiversity and biomaterial, he participates in the research, teaching and media of our lab and biolab of Fablab Shanghai.
ZHU Ziyi ☉ Researcher
With great interests, experience and ability in computing and digital fabrication, ZHU Ziyi works as an instructor for the lab’s undergraduate course and bachelor graduation projects. He is also in charge of the technical integration and applications for the lab’s research program.
Master Students
Our current team of MA students developing applied research across design and ecology, and supporting with great creativity the research of the lab.
Advanced Media and Communication Design: CHEN Herun (moss as interactive communication model), Kira ZHANG (soundscape and urban birds), Jade Yu (stray animals and animal welfare), Giacomo Annoni (urban crypto-forests), Valentina Pagano (wetland ecosystems and ecological alternative cartography), Fabiola Papini (energy impact of internet servers)
Interaction Design: Du Zhaoyang (scientific education and dissemination), Zhang Yuanyuan (slime molds)
Environmental Design: Micol Merlin (GIS methodology for urban climate resilience)
Alumni
Ma Shuhao (urban regeneration), Luca Piallini (ocean animal welfare), Serena Alampi (AI and 3D print-based solution for waste reduction in school food delivery), Giorgia Cazzanelli (eco-tourism community innovation), Anna Rigillo (sustainable food network in the city)
Graduated Students
Industrial Design: CAI Xuerong (2023), CHEN Mingjing (2023), LIU Chang (2023), GAO Shihan (2023), GONG Longyu (2023), QU Xinyu (2023), SONG Yue (2022), WU Yichen (2022), Lu Wentao (2022), Zhu Ziyi (2022)
Media and Communication Design: HUANG Xiangqi (2022), Zerui QUAN (2022), Lian ZIyi (2021), Xu Ti (2021), Huang Yuhan (2021)
Collaborators
Some of our research partners
Fablab O
