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In Living Colour, Lilian van Daal explores the potential of structural colour created by bacteria as a sustainable alternative to harmful pigments. By combining design and biotechnology, she introduces an ecological and innovative approach to colour.
Nature as a source
In nature, colour often arises not from pigment, but from microscopic structures that reflect light in unique ways. This phenomenon, structural colour, is seen in the shimmer of peacock feathers or butterfly wings. These colours don’t fade, are non-toxic, and fully biological. For this project, Lilian van Daal collaborated with biotech company Hoekmine BV, which specialises in bacteria capable of producing such colours. By cultivating these bacteria, a colour emerges that is both aesthetically and ecologically valuable, offering a sustainable alternative to polluting dyes and painting processes.
Colour in motion
The research resulted in a kinetic object that shows how colour changes with light and movement. Flakes of bacterial colour reveal their full spectrum as the object moves. This dynamic experience highlights how structural colour can be not only sustainable, but also interactive and emotionally engaging within product design.
