Elemental Imprints is a collaborative research and design initiative by Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan South Asia in cooperation with the Bio Design Lab at Karlsruhe University of Arts and Design (HfG) and regional partner institutions. The project explores how locally available biological resources can inspire new approaches to sustainable design.

Through a series of Bio Design Lab programs across Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh, designers, artists, scientists, craftspeople and students come together to work with regionally available materials and their potential for ecological and circular design. The labs bring together experimental material research, local knowledge systems, and exchange between regional and international expertise.

The outcomes of the labs — including material samples, prototypes, research insights and documented processes — will be made accessible to the public over the course of the project. Planned formats include a Travelling Resource Center, workshops and publications.

More information:

Open Call – Deadline 30.04.2026
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