peichin-lin__unknown__ual__2025

Basic

School: RCA
Program:
Year: 2025
Author(s):

Source: https://ualshowcase.arts.ac.uk/project/642982/cover

Materials / Themes / Keywords

Contacts

Files

Images

(no images downloaded yet)

Description (Markdown extracted)

# Project Description

Blue Becoming

Peichin Lin

Summary

Final work

A textile designer exploring sustainable colour and material systems through microbiology and cultural heritage. Her work combines microbial dye recovery with ecological storytelling, rethinking the relationship between pollution and value. By integrating living systems, traditional practices, and material-based expression, she builds new narratives around regeneration, care, and the role of design in a changing environment.

A textile designer exploring sustainable colour and material systems through microbiology and cul...

College Central Saint Martins

Course MA Biodesign

Graduation year 2025

Blue Becoming explores a microbial system that purifies indigo textile wastewater while producing phycocyanin — a natural blue pigment with the potential to sustainably replace synthetic indigo.

The system operates through a two-stage, closed-loop process: Bacillus subtilis first breaks down synthetic dye pollutants, followed by Spirulina, which absorbs the remaining nutrients. Pigment is then extracted from the microalgae. This separation ensures the purity of both water and dye, while maintaining ecological balance.

The project draws on traditional Chinese indigo dyeing and the symbolism of the lotus — a flower that not only emerges pure from muddy water, but actively contributes to its purification. This dual role mirrors the microbial system at the heart of Blue Becoming, where polluted dye wastewater is transformed into clean water and vibrant, living colour. The lotus becomes both a cultural metaphor and an ecological parallel, embodying the possibility of regeneration through natural systems.

Final work

View Gallery

View Gallery

View Gallery

Blue Becoming

Research and process

Stage 1: Bacterial Decolorization of Indigo Dye

This image documents Stage 1 of the microbial treatment system. From left to right: the first tube contains indigo blue dye, representing the original synthetic wastewater; the second is LB medium alone, showing its natural yellow tint; the third contains LB medium, indigo dye, and Bacillus subtilis. After five days, the third tube shifts from deep green to pale green, demonstrating bacterial decolorization — the essential first step in the two-stage purification process.

Share this project

Blue Becoming explores a microbial system that purifies indigo textile wastewater while producing phycocyanin — a natural blue pigment with the potential to sustainably replace synthetic indigo.The system operates through a two-stage, closed-loop process: Bacillus subti...

A link to this page has been added to your clipboard

Browse related work

Nature & Environment

Links (Markdown)

# Links

## Official page
- https://ualshowcase.arts.ac.uk/project/642982/cover

## External
- https://www.instagram.com/somnus_pl
- mailto:13917018987@163.com
- https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fualshowcase.arts.ac.uk%2Fproject%2F642982%2Fcover&text=Blue+Becoming
- https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fualshowcase.arts.ac.uk%2Fproject%2F642982%2Fcover&media=https%3A%2F%2Fportfolio-tools.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F06%2F03195325%2Fshowcase2.png&description=Blue+Becoming