National and international guests took part in the launch event.
The eighth edition of this academic publication brings together various articles written by experts in the fields of design, science, and technology. This year, the main theme was “Biodesign and Nature-Inspired Innovation.”
The event was attended by several authorities from Universidad del Desarrollo, including Rector Federico Valdés Lafontaine, Pro-Rector Ernesto Silva Méndez, Vice-Rector for Academics and Quality Management Sergio Hernández Ollarzú, Dean of UDD Design Alejandra Amenábar, Director of Research, Paulina Contreras, and general editor of magazine Base Design and Innovation, Úrsula Bravo.
UDD Rector Federico Valdés celebrated the achievement of the School of Design and highlighted that “an academic magazine like Base is, in itself, a sign of disciplinary maturity. It represents a commitment to rigorous thought, to shared knowledge, and to design as an agent of change.”
Dean Alejandra Amenábar also recognized the launch of the publication, which coincides with the 25th anniversary of the faculty. She underscored the importance of biodesign in today’s context: “It’s not just about being inspired by nature, it is about collaborating with it, understanding biological principles as guides to create new materials, processes, and systems.”
Editor, Úrsula Bravo described the magazine as a platform for professionals to “showcase their visions, passions, projects, and trajectories, and to foster connections that expand opportunities for national and international collaboration.” She also emphasised that the publication seeks to encourage interdisciplinary dialogue to address both current and future challenges.
Biologist and Doctor in Phytopathology, Giovanna Danies gave a presentation focused on her experience in biodesign and its impact on student and professors’ development. “Those of us who study science do so with the desire to help and change society. But traditional education doesn’t always make that visible. Biodesign was the opportunity to work with professors who had those creative tools, that active teaching style not often seen in science. The systemic vision inherent to design really helps to solve problems,” said Danies.
Former Minister of Science, Andrés Couve, discussed the interdisciplinary collaboration between design and science, highlighting the methodological criteria that support successful integration of the disciplines. He also reflected on the transformative power of science and technology and the challenges we currently face in these fields.
Alejandro Weiss, founder of the Biomaterials Lab in Valdivia, encouraged attendees to reflect on the materials we use to shape our environments and the cultural messages they convey. He also explained his methodology of territory-based biomaterials and the importance of biopolymer research in achieving greater autonomy.
Antonia Biggs, General Manager of the National Recycling Industry Association, used her pitch to analyse the significance of recycling and the ways in which recycled materials are incorporated into infrastructure and everyday objects. She also stressed current challenges related to Chile’s Extended Producer Responsibility (REP) Law, such as improving recycling management capacities and ensuring the quality of recovered materials.
👉 To read the journal, click here:
https://repositorio.udd.cl/collections/afbe3ced-ce70-4037-b80d-00cdc52a4162
About Revista Base
Revista Base: Design and Innovation seeks to showcase and promote inspiring experiences where design plays a key role, while also identifying new areas for development and potential collaborations that expand the horizons of design.
Issue Nº8 of Revista Base is organised into four sections exploring how nature-inspired approaches—such as biomimicry, bionics, bioinspired design, biobased innovation, and regenerative practices—are being adopted to propose new ways of inhabiting, producing, and regenerating.
