Slow prototyping in biodesign: designing with the living in hybrid laboratories

The chapter examines how working with living organisms in biodesign requires a shift from rapid, linear prototyping toward slow prototyping, a practice shaped by biological time, uncertainty, and material autonomy. Designing with the living demands new hybrid skills, as designers move across laboratory environments and negotiate procedures typical of both scientific and creative practices. Slow prototyping is described as an iterative, time-dependent process in which growth, care, observation, and environmental responsiveness become central design parameters. Hybrid laboratories are presented as spaces where embodied practices, new terminologies, and interdisciplinary collaboration enable designers to develop situated knowledge and adapt their intentions to the behavior of living materials. Ultimately, the chapter argues that slow prototyping is not merely a method but a new design paradigm that redefines the designer’s role, expands the epistemological tools of design research, and introduces ethical responsibility when engaging with living systems.