EKOW

In a context marked by ecological urgency, design is called upon to transcend its formal dimension to assert itself as a transformative practice. The transition to biomaterials is not merely a technical substitution, but a paradigmatic shift that repositions the designer in relation to matter, time, and living systems, moving them from an extractive logic to a regenerative one.

The project was developed within the Design Office IV curricular unit in the Design degree at ISMAT, adopting co-nature’ing as a procedural methodology. This approach guided the work through a relational logic between user, material, and context, promoting a situated, experimental, and conscious practice. Students explored biomaterials as active agents, integrating variability, sensory dimension, and the ability to co-determine experience.

In this context, EKOW emerges, the result of research on dementia and the role of neurocognitive stimulation in promoting well-being. Inspired by traditional Portuguese games, the project combines cognitive stimulation, sensory experience, and social interaction, working on memory, strategy, logical reasoning, and fine motor skills.

The use of biomaterials introduces tactile diversity, transforming the act of playing into a multisensory experience. EKOW thus establishes itself as a critical exercise where design, care, and sustainability converge.