Paper short abstract:

By celebrating rather than suppressing nonhuman biogenic growth on the architectural organic skin - a phenomena described as 'Epidermitecture'- this paper propose ways to coexist with nonhuman life forms that are an intrinsic part of architecture and the environment.

Paper long abstract:

Almost all architectural and urban surfaces are conditioned to be maintained and protected with weather-resistant coatings to obtain their desired state, yet all material components are going through an inescapable cycle of changes. This inevitable transformation, which affects all material surfaces, is not only caused by dynamic forces such as wind and rain but is also the result of microorganism activity, thus any naturally occurring stains on surfaces are usually considered a subject of removal, dating back to ancient Greece and their ceremonies of cleaning sculptures during festivities. What happens when we question what the outside of a building needs to look like and why? And how might this deepen our understanding of what grows on the surface?

Biopatina, a thin layer of microorganisms on architecture organic skin, is a symbiosis of cyanobacteria, microalgae, fungi and lichen that metamorphose, change and respond to its environments. The results of their activities affect how material surfaces transform visually in terms of colour, texture and structural integrity. This paper is primarily concerned with biopatina’s microorganisms and their ability to restore and regenerate the environment while exploring their cultural, visual, and sensual potentialities. By collecting, analysing, cultivating, and representing the biopatina of Villa Tugendhat, this paper will reflect on new ways of how buildings are maintained by proposing so-called ‘bio-restoration’ of the cultural heritage.