The first DESIGNAE International Conference will take place on 25–26 March 2026 in Aveiro, under the theme “Regenerative Biodesign Across Disciplines.” The conference brings together researchers, designers, and practitioners to explore interdisciplinary perspectives on regenerative and biobased design, encouraging dialogue across science, technology, culture, and sustainability. The event will feature peer-reviewed contributions and foster critical discussion on how design can actively contribute to regenerative futures across disciplines.
DESIGNAE — CA24126
Fostering Nature-Centred BioDESIGN to Explore regenerative futures
regenerative futures
DESIGNAE
MANIFESTO
We stand at a turning point.
Design, science, and society confront accelerating climate disruption, biodiversity collapse, and the exhaustion of extractive production systems. The mechanistic worldview that shaped the past centuries—one built on separation, optimisation, and control—has reached its limits.
The DESIGNAE COST Action emerges as a collective and coordinated response to this crisis. Rooted in the aims outlined in its Memorandum of Understanding, it declares a shared ambition: to cultivate an interdisciplinary, nature-centred design paradigm capable of regenerating ecosystems, cultures, and futures. Our commitment is to shift from incremental sustainability to transformative regeneration, extending the design horizon beyond human concerns toward multispecies flourishing.
Biodesign presents itself as a key domain for enabling this transformation. At its frontier, designers collaborate with biology and technology pursuing approaches that move beyond technocentric optimisation toward more substantive ecological relationships. Yet, current practice still remains fragmented, anthropocentric, and often aligned with market-driven logics. This manifesto expresses our collective intention to change that trajectory.
About
DESIGNAE aims to cultivate an interdisciplinary, nature-centered design paradigm for a regenerative future. It addresses global challenges through sustainable biodesign solutions, integrating knowledge from biology, material science, engineering, chemistry, with design and law. The Action is organized into six Work Groups (WGs) focusing on biodesign observation, materials and technologies, computational approaches, practical application of nature-centered biodesign, and advancing ethical and regulatory discussions in this emergent field.
DESIGNAE explores cutting-edge technologies like nanotechnology and green biochemistry for applications in architecture, healthcare, and emerging fields. It investigates scaling potential by experimenting with at least two embryonic biodesign projects providing real-world insights into the challenges of implementation.
The network brings together members from a wide range of countries, including strong participation from Inclusiveness Target Countries (ITCs). A significant proportion of participants are Young Researchers and Innovators who will actively engage in workshops, training schools, and Short-Term Scientific Missions carefully defined across all WGs of the Action.
WORKING
GROUPS
Biodesign Observatory
Explore (bio)materials and (bio)fabrication techniques for biodesign
Computational Technologies for biodesign
Approaches to Design Regenerative solutions
Roadmap, Ethics, Regulations, and implications for Research and Education
Dissemination, Communication and Training
1st Designae international Conference
SUBMISSIONS
Abstract Submission
Authors are invited to submit an abstract (limited to 1.000 words), which will undergo double-blind peer review. If the abstract is accepted, it will be included in the Conference Abstract Proceedings, published with its own ISBN.
Guidelines
- Language: all submissions should be in clear, grammatically correct English (American or British, but consistent); all presentations are also expected to be in English.
- Templates: There are no templates for this Conference. The content of the abstract is limited to 1.000 words, submitted directly in the CMT platform.
- Originality & Ethics: submissions for abstracts should be original; declare consent/anonimisation when involving people or data.
- Attendance: At least one author from each accepted work must register for the conference and present the work. If the work is not presented, the abstract will not be included in the book of proceedings, and no reimbursement of travel (for eligible members) will be provided.
- Fees: There are no registration fees. This is an open-event for DESIGNAE network members and non-members.
- Reimbursement: COST policies apply, including support for ITC participants, Young Researchers & Innovators (YRIs), and gender balance. Mobility funding is available for eligible accepted speakers.
How to Submit
A CMT account is required to submit a paper. Please head over to the links below for help on how to create an account, or on how to submit a paper. Any queries or doubts, please contact us.
The Microsoft CMT service was used for managing the peer-reviewing process for this conference. This service was provided for free by Microsoft and they bore all expenses, including costs for Azure cloud services as well as for software development and support.
Contact
Any queries about DESIGNAE should be directed to:
COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) is a funding agency for research and innovation networks. Our Actions help connect research initiatives across Europe and enable scientists to grow their ideas by sharing them with their peers. This boosts their research, career and innovation.
For more information visit the COST website > www.cost.eu