SynBio architecture: From lab-grown materials to bio-programmable infrastructures

Synthetic Biology (SynBio) has emerged as the fastest-developing technology in human history, rapidly transforming industries by enabling novel biological system designs. This paper examines SynBio’s influence on architecture and construction, focusing on the evolution from Engineered Living Materials (ELMs) to Programmable Living Materials (PLMs). This paper is organized into four sections. The first introduces the field of SynBio and its initial impact on architectural design. The second section highlights contemporary ELM biomaterials projects and presents a taxonomy of emerging biomaterials in architecture. In the third section, we discuss a design proposal focused on bioplastics for small-scale, bio-grown habitats optimizing tension and elasticity. The final section explores PLMs, addressing the challenge of developing biostructures that transition seamlessly from nanoscale to macroscale while maintaining dynamic growth and function, as seen in large-scale living organisms. Speculative projects include self-lifting bio-membranes, 3D bioplastic structures, and spider silk infrastructures in a future of programmable materials.