A Conceptual Framework for Furniture Design Embedded with Living Organisms (FDLOs): Exploring Biophilia, Biodesign, and Bio-Inspired Approaches
- Abu Hanifa Ab. Hamid
- Dinah Rakhim
- Nurul ‘Ayn Ahmad Sayuti
- -
- Sep 30, 2025
- Creative Arts
A Conceptual Framework for Furniture Design Embedded with Living Organisms (FDLOs): Exploring Biophilia, Biodesign, and Bio-Inspired Approaches
Abu Hanifa Ab. Hamid, Dinah Rakhim*, Nurul ‘Ayn Ahmad Sayuti
Faculty of Art and Design, University Technology MARA, Kedah Branch, Sungai Petani, 08400 Merbok, Kedah, Malaysia
*Corresponding Author
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.9010179
Received: 23 August 2025; Accepted: 28 August 2025; Published: 30 September 2025
ABSTRACT
The widespread use of natural elements in the contemporary design context with the utilisation of living materials has resulted in a different way of thinking in terms of how nature can be utilized and applied to daily life. Biophilia, biophilic design, bioinspired design, and bio design are design practices that bring natural and biological elements into the process of design and pose new opportunities for sustainable innovation. In this paper, a conceptual framework, Furniture Design Embedded with LIving Organisms (FDLOs’ is proposed to guide the inclusion of living organisms in furniture design. The framework is structured into three major dimensions: a) Functionality and practicality, b) Aesthetic and semantic, and c) Experience and Emotion. The framework is presented in the context of design education, in particular Final Year Project (FYP) pedagogy to stimulate students’ explorations with radical materials and bio-related design genres. The conceptual model of FDLOs offers theoretical guidance for the designers, educators, and researchers of how to look at living organisms as a design resource of the future sustainable product.
Keywords— Biophilia, Biophilic Design, Bio-inspired Design, Conceptual Model, Furniture Design
Biophilia, Biophilic Design, Bio-inspired Design, Conceptual Model, Furniture Design
A Conceptual Framework for Furniture Design Embedded with Living Organisms (FDLOs): Exploring Biophilia, Biodesign, and Bio-Inspired Approaches
Abu Hanifa Ab. Hamid, Dinah Rakhim*, Nurul ‘Ayn Ahmad Sayuti
Faculty of Art and Design, University Technology MARA, Kedah Branch, Sungai Petani, 08400 Merbok, Kedah, Malaysia
*Corresponding Author
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.9010179
Received: 23 August 2025; Accepted: 28 August 2025; Published: 30 September 2025
ABSTRACT
The widespread use of natural elements in the contemporary design context with the utilisation of living materials has resulted in a different way of thinking in terms of how nature can be utilized and applied to daily life. Biophilia, biophilic design, bioinspired design, and bio design are design practices that bring natural and biological elements into the process of design and pose new opportunities for sustainable innovation. In this paper, a conceptual framework, Furniture Design Embedded with LIving Organisms (FDLOs’ is proposed to guide the inclusion of living organisms in furniture design. The framework is structured into three major dimensions: a) Functionality and practicality, b) Aesthetic and semantic, and c) Experience and Emotion. The framework is presented in the context of design education, in particular Final Year Project (FYP) pedagogy to stimulate students’ explorations with radical materials and bio-related design genres. The conceptual model of FDLOs offers theoretical guidance for the designers, educators, and researchers of how to look at living organisms as a design resource of the future sustainable product.
Keywords— Biophilia, Biophilic Design, Bio-inspired Design, Conceptual Model, Furniture Design
A Conceptual Framework for Furniture Design Embedded with Living Organisms (FDLOs): Exploring Biophilia, Biodesign, and Bio-Inspired Approaches
Abu Hanifa Ab. Hamid, Dinah Rakhim*, Nurul ‘Ayn Ahmad Sayuti
Faculty of Art and Design, University Technology MARA, Kedah Branch, Sungai Petani, 08400 Merbok, Kedah, Malaysia
*Corresponding Author
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.9010179
Received: 23 August 2025; Accepted: 28 August 2025; Published: 30 September 2025
ABSTRACT
The widespread use of natural elements in the contemporary design context with the utilisation of living materials has resulted in a different way of thinking in terms of how nature can be utilized and applied to daily life. Biophilia, biophilic design, bioinspired design, and bio design are design practices that bring natural and biological elements into the process of design and pose new opportunities for sustainable innovation. In this paper, a conceptual framework, Furniture Design Embedded with LIving Organisms (FDLOs’ is proposed to guide the inclusion of living organisms in furniture design. The framework is structured into three major dimensions: a) Functionality and practicality, b) Aesthetic and semantic, and c) Experience and Emotion. The framework is presented in the context of design education, in particular Final Year Project (FYP) pedagogy to stimulate students’ explorations with radical materials and bio-related design genres. The conceptual model of FDLOs offers theoretical guidance for the designers, educators, and researchers of how to look at living organisms as a design resource of the future sustainable product.
Keywords— Biophilia, Biophilic Design, Bio-inspired Design, Conceptual Model, Furniture Design