Neo-Fruit Lab
未来水果实验室︎Jun, 2020
Neo-Fruib Lab is a speculative design project proposing a future fruit production system in which individuals can design entirely new fruit species based on personal preferences. The project explores how advances in synthetic biology and genetic engineering may enable humans not only to modify existing organisms, but to invent post natural life forms with new functions and aesthetics.
The concept originates from research into the long history of agricultural modification. Over the past twelve thousand years, humans have continuously reshaped crops to meet demands of taste, appearance, productivity, storage, and transportation. If technology continues to advance, how far might this manipulation go? How will gene editing influence biological evolution? To what extent will consumer preference shape ecosystems and food systems?
Neo-Fruit Lab proposes a three step speculative system. First, users design their own neo fruit species by selecting parameters such as shape, texture, and flavor. Second, the designed fruit is translated into encoded gene data, drawing parallels between DNA sequencing and computer programming, and digitally transmitted to remote seed printers. Third, intelligent cultivation chambers precisely regulate light, humidity, soil conditions, and temperature, enabling standardized distributed production anywhere in the world.
The project includes a generative interactive website that produces unique fruit models and information cards based on user input, alongside food design prototypes and a concept animation film. It was selected for the “Young Blood Project” at China’s largest music festival, the Strawberry Music Festival, where it was exhibited as a large scale installation. The exhibition expanded the narrative into an “alien fruit base,” presenting oversized inflatable fruit sculptures in a humorous yet uncanny setting. Visitors could scan a QR code to design and save their own fruit species through the interactive web interface.
All components of the project were independently developed by me, including concept development, website design and coding, generative system, installation design and fabrication, food prototype, animation production, and overall visual direction.
Set in the imagined year 2050, Neo-Fruit Lab envisions a world in which designer fruits have entered everyday life. Every unusual fruit one can imagine becomes possible.
Please enjoy tasting Fruit No. ATS709.
Neo-Fruit Lab 未来水果实验室 是一个关于未来水果生产系统的概念设计项目。在这个设想中，人们可以依据个人喜好“设计”全新的水果物种，并形成一种全新的生产与制造模式。项目旨在探讨合成生物学与基因技术发展背景下，人类如何塑造“后自然”生命形态，以及未来生物可能具备的新功能与新美学。
研究缘起于对农业改造历史的观察。从一万两千年前至今，人类持续改造农作物，以满足口感、外观、产量、保存与运输等需求。水果早已与其原始形态相去甚远。当基因工程与生物技术进一步成熟，人类是否会对生命进行更深层的塑造？消费者的偏好将如何影响食物系统乃至自然生态？未来的水果会是什么样子？
项目提出一个三步构成的未来系统：第一步，用户依据个人喜好设计新的水果物种，包括形状、肌理与味觉等参数；第二步，将设计结果编译为基因数据，实现DNA密码与计算机代码之间的转换，并通过数字方式传输至各地的“种子打印机”；第三步，通过智能种植舱精准控制水分、光照、温度、湿度与土壤条件，实现全球范围内的分布式标准化生产。
项目包含可生成不同参数化水果造型及信息卡的互动网页，以及食物设计与动画制作的概念视频。该项目曾入选中国最大音乐节，草莓音乐节 的“新血计划”，并在音乐节装置单元展出。展览现场构建了一个以水果为元素的“外星基地”场景，将未来水果制作成巨型充气模型，以怪诞与幽默的方式引发观众对基因改造与生物塑造的思考。观众可通过扫描二维码进入互动网页，设计并保存属于自己的未来水果。
本项目从概念构建、系统设计、网页设计与代码开发、装置结构设计与落地执行、实物模型与材料测试，到动画视频制作与整体视觉排版，均由本人完成。
在设定的2050年，未来水果实验室创造的新物种已经进入日常餐桌。所有关于水果的想象都成为现实。
那么，请品尝 No. ATS709 号水果。
Inflatable Installation at Beijing Strawberry Music Festival 2020
Process:
Website prototype coding
Food Design and prototype
Insatllation Setup
