Introducing Studio Better Matter
This year, Design Academy Eindhoven introduces Studio Better Matter, a new interdisciplinary bachelor studio led by Vlasta Kubušová (Crafting Plastics! Studio) and Charles Gateau and Odin Visser (Studio LoopLoop) as the head tutor. Rooted in a shared fascination with the intersection of science and design, the studio sets out to explore how materials and the systems they’re part of can be radically rethought for a sustainable future.Combining Vlasta’s expertise in biobased materials and circular design with Charles and Odin’s deep research into non-extractive production and plant-based anodising, Better Matter invites students to engage hands-on with materials science, biodesign and systems thinking. The studio will provide the tools to experiment, collaborate and navigate complexity, bridging lab, field and studio practice.
DAE alumna Emma Lucek speaks with the two studio leaders and the head tutor about the studio’s foundations, the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and the role of the designer as a mediator between matter, people and planetary systems.
EL: How did the idea behind this collaboration begin?
OV: We met at the first edition of Alcova Miami. It was a really small group, so it felt a bit like a school trip.. And then we met Vlasta and obviously we have the same passion for materials and sustainability, circular systems—and also a great passion for tacos. So, we had a lot of tacos together.
VK: Already from our second meeting — or second tacos — we started discussing how it's difficult to sustain as a material designer. We shared the urgency over design-driven material innovation. And why we think designers could make more impact if education helped them find their agency, and not be afraid to work in interdisciplinary collaborations. And I think the setup is quite interesting because we all have different backgrounds: Charles with material science, Odin with sustainability engineering, and mine is in product design and film. That combination brings different perspectives, and we all have more than a decade of experience in a sustainable material design field.
EL: Yes, that perfectly answers how you complement each other. But going back to what you said about sustaining as a material designer — can you explain what you meant?
VK: I meant more to sustain as a material designer. How do you turn it into a profession and design your position in a way that allows you to sustain yourself in the long run. Not just making samples. We actually thought of calling our studio "No Sample Studio," because that felt like the barrier. Students make amazing samples at design universities, but to cross the gap into something functional and scalable and meaningful is a different question.
EL: It sounds like you're trying to instill a kind of toolkit early on in the designer's education. What do you think is missing?
CG: The toolkit is a really good keyword here — especially giving students access to scientific tools that often feel out of reach in art and design education. It’s about empowering them, making these tools accessible and understandable, so they feel confident engaging with other disciplines. Coming from a background in material science and then studying design, I experienced both sides: engineers thinking they aren’t creative, and designers thinking they can’t touch science. There’s this inner saboteur on both ends. Breaking down those walls and building interdisciplinary confidence is a big part of what we want to do.
EL: How do you help students cross the gap between experimentation and scalability?
VK: Often the thinking about the entangled system around new materialities, including scale comes too late. We want to structure the semester so that students first zoom in: they learn how material experimentation and research actually works and gain the confidence to propose new material solutions. But then we also help them zoom out: to see the broader system their work exists in. Who are the stakeholders? Where might a new material be introduced? What companies are already trying — and maybe failing — to communicate around this? Zooming in and out is truly essential. This kind of interdisciplinary approach is one of the most exciting parts of design. Because it’s not just about changing minds — it’s about supporting ecosystems to thrive. Designers are uniquely positioned to do this. They can talk to scientists, policymakers, manufacturers, and the public. And they do it creatively. That’s something we want to encourage from the beginning. And I think it’s nice what Charles said — he came from science looking at designers, and I came from design looking at science. We both felt that distance. Now we want to help close it.
EL: Collaboration with new disciplines, developing new systems, it’s all a recipe for unexpected outcomes. So how do you think about the concept of failure in the context of design and research?
OV: You can see it as a hypothesis. You test it, and whether or not you get the result you predicted , you learn. There’s always something to take forward. Expectations are part of it — students often have many. We can learn from the set-up of scientific research, focusing on curiosity instead of expectations. But even if the project doesn’t go where you hoped, that’s still a valuable result.
VK: In science, even a failed hypothesis can be a paper. In design, we’re scared to show that something didn’t work. But in Crafting Plastics, many things didn’t work — and still, every failure taught us something. Especially in material-related design, it’s so explorative. You almost never really fail. Failure doesn’t always have to be an endpoint but rather a feedback loop.
EL: Working with a hypothesis and continuously tweaking that hypothesis as you glean results also suggests a mindset shift to the process. What other mindset shifts do you hope to instill?
CG: I believe there’s truth to the left-brain/right-brain model. Today’s society leans heavily on left-brain thinking: structured, goal-driven, materialistic, and intolerant of deviation. While simplified, this model is useful to understand ourselves. We want students to stay explorative by embracing right-brain qualities like presence, intuition and openness. Connecting with one’s whole brain is not only a powerful tool against anxiety, which is commonplace amongst art and design students - and the world at large, it is also an invaluable asset to access one’s true creativity and sense of meaning.
We want to structure the semester so that students first zoom in: they learn how material experimentation and research actually works and gain the confidence to propose new material solutions. But then we also help them zoom out: to see the broader system their work exists in.
EL: Ok, let’s shift gears. Because I wonder how, in all of this, do you approach form in material design?
OV: That’s where seduction comes in. New materials have different aesthetics, different functionalities. Designers can use beauty and storytelling to shift perceptions. Storytelling is humans’ superpower, it’s about the emotions of the material. It’s interesting how materials are valued very differently across different parts of the world.
CG: Totally. Materials carry narratives, politics, histories.
VK: Plastics are deeply political. One reason why biomaterials or bioplastics haven’t scaled the way they could is because there’s a lot of lobbying behind conventional plastic recycling. Policymakers often don’t even know there are better alternatives because they’re being pushed in a particular direction. But instead of offering one “perfect” replacement, we believe in presenting five or ten viable alternatives that make more sense long term. That’s where designers can play a huge role — as mediators and connectors.
EL: Do you feel overwhelmed by the responsibility?
OV: Designers are often the ones who can speak across disciplines. It is a lot. But students should learn it’s okay to play one small part in a bigger system. There are no simple answers so teaching our students that this is the environment in which they’ll be working and introducing them to it, will be crucial. It’s also about letting go of ego.
VK: And to find joy in that part. Not everyone has to lead the whole project. Some are great at conversations. Others are shaping ideas. Finding your role is a success. That’s something I would have been grateful for in my studies, to have more time to refine what brings me joy within this discipline.
EL: Right, some people have certain skills and predispositions. I can imagine bringing in real-world examples will also help open the students up to this world.
VK: Yes, it’s actually a great time to start this type of studio.Ten years ago, this was an emerging field and it was hard to orient yourself. After ten years of attempts, failures and successes, we now have a landscape to learn from. It’s crucial that we’ll be inviting lots of guests from practices who are already changing the industry.
EL: Do you have a project that really stayed with you?
OV: Yes, so, one of our guest speakers will be Bob Hendrix. He runs a company that makes mycelium coffins. The first time I saw mycelium used in a way that made sense on every level, and it was one of those projects that you saw that ticks all the boxes.
CG: That shows the value of material-led design. You don’t start with “I want to design a coffin,” you ask what the material can do. Then follow where it leads.
VK: I really admire projects in this field who are not just doing materials for themselves but that also support local economies. Like, and she’ll be a guest speaking also, Zuzana Gombošová, co-founder at Malai biomaterials. She’s based in Kerala and she’s growing bacterial cellulose leather and creating jobs and teaching skills to people who didn’t have access before. It’s a whole ecosystem.
EL: The studio also seems like a response to a kind of frustration with greenwashing?
OV: [Laughs] Actually, this week we had a call and we’re working on an assignment called "Bullshit Bingo." Like a toothbrush that says "70% biopolymers" and slaps a USA flag on it. We want to help students decode these things but in a light way to get the topic on the table and to make their legibility of these greenwashing slogans.
EL: Despite the complexities, however, I really get the impression that you’re optimistic. Would you say so?
CG: 100% yes.
VK: I’m very excited to show the students the positive examples that exist and also the examples that didn’t work out. I think we can totally transform this industry. Between technological optimism and systemic critique lies a fertile terrain for experimentation. That’s where Better Matter wants to operate.
OV: Somewhere on the whole "tech fix" vs. "degrowth" spectrum there are so many opportunities and chances, as long as you keep curious and see the whole system. But I’m definitely optimistic.