Miguel Carvalhais

Procedural systems allow unique modes of authorship and singular aesthetic experiences. As creators and users of these systems, we need to be aware that their aesthetic potential is not solely defined by interaction but that interpretation, and the capacity to understand and simulate the processes taking place within these artefacts is highly significant. This paper argues that although direct interaction is usually the most discernible component in the relationship between ergodic artefacts and their users, ergodicity does not necessarily imply interaction. Non-interactive procedural artefacts may allow the development of ergodic experiences through interpretation, and the probing of the system by its reader through simulations. We try to set the grounds for designing towards virtuosic interpretation, an activity that we may describe as the ergodic experience developed by means of mental simulation through the development of theories of systems.

M.M.M.M. is a generative sound and visual installation developed as a temporary exhibit for the Puppet Museum of Porto. It leans on the history of the museum and of the company that created it, the Puppet Theater of Porto, and develops a distributed sound composition with generative characteristics, built from sound recordings created through the manipulation of puppets and scenic objects from the archives of the company.

With the production of artifacts with biological systems with generative potential, where nature’s
randomness and physiological processes have an important role in the definition of form, we understand that
artifacts do not only need to attend to the needs and desires of their users, but also have the capacity to foster
emotional connections that arise from their nurturing and from an understanding of their morphogenesis,
from the proximity and time required for their growth and development.
These artifacts will only develop into final products if the system is understood and nourished by
their users. Their end results are singular and unique, with aesthetic qualities that arise from the understanding
of the artifacts’ growth constraints and the bonds that are created with them. The traditional quality canons
of mass produced goods are challenged, as the resulting artifacts will not get final shapes that are both
polished and free of imperfections, but that are inconstant, gnarly and sinuous. Other aspects, such as
production time and the dedication that the systems require from their user are motive to question the
connections that will arise between users and these artifacts.
We intend to contribute to the discussion about new production models that may be alternatives to
mass production in specific uses. With these systems we seek to catalyze greater empathy between objects
and their users, to understand which aesthetic qualities emerge and how their specific characteristics are
interpreted.
Geometrically simple experimental models with ants, bees and mycelia (the vegetative part of a
fungus, consisting of a network of fine white filaments), have been developed to better understand the
conjectural elements of these systems. In these, the matrices and the system are designed but the final results
are reliant on the choices of those who manipulate them and by the variables of the biological actuators. We
intend to make our findings available, allowing others to replicate our experiments in order to obtain a
broader understanding of reactions on the interaction with the systems and the perceived quality of the final
artifacts.
To better understand how individuals respond to this type of objects, we are developing small series of
artifacts, made with mycelia, in an embryonic stage. These will be distributed to users that will be asked to
nurture them into final objects; in this process each user will be asked to nurture his artifact into a final object,
where all options will be of their choice, from the sunlight exposure to the interruption of growth. Each user
will be asked to register the daily evolution of their artifact and to describe their feelings towards it.

The worldwide phenomenon of the disappearance of bees with the consequential imbalance of ecosystems is a problem that needs to be addressed in order to guarantee a sustainable future. Beekeeping is an activity, generally associated to agriculture, that allows small farmers to generate more food and income, this reality has had a shift in recent years with the number of small beekeepers decreasing, and big corporations gaining control over the industry. Regulations and the Colony Collapse Disorder, among other factors, may have a major role in these phenomena. With the intent to contribute to a more sustainable beekeeping practice in a local context, this research is being conducted to better understand this reality, looking for design driven opportunities. The challenge is to gain a deeper understanding of the beekeepers, a practice that is understudied by designers, particularly considering in-depth research methods. This