The Constructive Design Research course is my first exposure to serious design research and introduced me to the research-through-design methodology, focusing on the integration of making and reflecting as a cohesive process. Our project, Noticing Non-Human Temporalities in the Act of Fungi Spotting, explores how design can make the temporal rhythms of fungi visible. In doing so, we invite users to explore other understandings of temporalities besides human perception. The use of a studio approach allowed the project to combine an autoethnographic lens with material exploration and speculative design to understand and engage with temporalities of other non-human organisms.

Ultimately, our work formed a platform and set of biodegradable markers that allow users to document and share the life cycle of fungi. The markers were created from materials such as orange peels and tree bark and include a laser engraved QR code that connects the physical markers to the digital platform. By blending tangible and virtual elements, this project highlights how design can create new interactions between human and non-human entities.

This course deepened my understanding of U&S by challenging me to design for multispcies interaction and expanded my underlying understanding of C&A through the material-driven approach of creating the markers. By using and creating digital tools to locate and document the mushrooms, this project also highlighted MDC as valuable in such contexts. The principles that have emerged in this project continue to shape my commitment to design in harmony with ecological systems.