Anicca – the sense of impermanence I 2019

project partner: Annekathrin Grüneberg, Malu Lücking, Technical University Berlin

Does longevity equals value?
Does permanence testify to quality?
Does material consumption inevitably mean having to leave traces behind?
Is the system subject to a fundamental error of thought?


The question is what remains after we have replaced our cell phone with the newest model or exchanged our clothes for the latest trends. Synthecally produced materials such as polyester leave traces and problems, not least because of their almost unlimited lifespan. At the moment when the life of the material exceeds the useful life of the product, material remnants arise – in other words, waste. 
Since the Industrial Revolution, regular consumption has become part of our western lifestyle. It is hard to imagine that most people will embark on a radical change in the production of goods and purchasing behaviour in the coming years. So if you can’t extend the life of products because the need for consumption remains unbroken, we should try to shorten the life of our materials. 
The project „Anicca“ deals theoretically and practically with the positive characteristics of material instability. This is done through interdisciplinary research and design with the biological raw material alginate, which is obtained from brown algae. The biodegradability and natural circular capacity of the yarn spun from alginate are the focus of the research. The design process experiments with the specific application possibilities on the basis of different processing methods. The colours of the yarns are created by pigments obtained from microalgae. 

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