2017 Grand Prize

l'm Humanity

Etsuko Yakushimaru

In l'm Humanity, Yakushimaru makes pop music with the use of the nucleic acid sequence of Synechococcus, which is a type of cyanobacteria. The musical information is converted into a genetic code, which was used to create a long DNA sequence comprising three con-nected nucleic acid sequences. The DNA was artificially composited and incorporated into the chromosomes of the microorganism. This genetically-modified microorganism with mu-sic in its DNA is able to continuously self-replicate. So even if humanity as we know it be-comes extinct, it will live on, waiting for the music within it to be decoded and played by the species that replaces humanity.

Rock Print

Gramazio Kohler Research, ETH Zurich, und Self-Assembly Lab, MIT

Rock Print shows the potential of using granular jamming for architectural purposes. These principles are applicable to a large range of granular materials which allow for use of local materials, and the fact that they can be fully returned to their original state points towards a truly sustainable construction method.