Base Diseño e Innovación is a bilingual academic journal established in 2014 by the School of Design at the Universidad del Desarrollo. Its mission is to highlight the transformative role of design in driving innovation processes that enhance quality of life while creating social, economic, and cultural value. The journal fosters interdisciplinary academic dialogue and connects key stakeholders from academia, industry, government, and civil organizations, along with professionals and scholars across all design fields. It aims to spotlight emerging areas of design development and promote global collaboration among researchers. By providing open, immediate, and free access to its content, the journal contributes to the democratization of knowledge and the exchange of ideas worldwide.
Bio-Agglomerated Panels from Forest Waste
This research describes the process of designing, developing, and validating bio-agglomerated panels made from capsules of Eucalyptus globulus Labill, an invasive species with a high environmental impact in Chile. The study is primarily positioned as applied research aimed at the development and technical validation of a biomaterial, carried out in the context of a thesis project guided over the course of an academic year and developed through research and close collaboration between students and teachers. Its purpose was to explore the technical and sustainable feasibility of transforming forest waste into a functional material, using design methodologies focused on material experimentation and the circular economy. The research was structured according to the Material Driven Design (MDD) and Territory-Based Biomaterials (BBT) approaches, integrating stages of territorial diagnosis, characterization of the raw material, formulation and manufacture of mixtures, application of physical-mechanical tests, and analysis of results. The panels obtained reached an average density of 0.82 g/cm³, water absorption of 6.3%, and tensile strength of 11.4 MPa, demonstrating structural stability and low permeability. The technical and material results obtained place the bio-agglomerate within the range of low-density lignocellulosic materials with potential applications in interior design. Beyond the technical results, the work recognizes the educational context in which the research was developed, without this dimension constituting an object of study in itself, demonstrating that undergraduate academic practice can contribute to the generation of applied knowledge in sustainable design.
Copyright (c) 2026 Base Diseño e Innovación https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Undergraduate education and cultural transfer
This article analyzes the role of undergraduate education in legitimizing design research and its social impact, based on a Final Degree Project in graphic design (FDP). The case studied is the project Marcas con fundamento (Brands with substance), defended at the University of La Laguna in 2023, which focuses on the historiographical study of Canarian graphic brands. Methodologically, the project adopted a mixed approach—historiographical, qualitative, and project-based—articulated as research through design and organized into five phases, with a sample of 30 graphic brands. The results enabled the identification of patterns of visual evolution, the creation of a graphic archive, and the development of various cultural transfer products, including a publication, a website, an educational game, and a public exhibition. The conclusions show that the FDP can operate as an applied research laboratory, integrating theory and practice, strengthening territorial identity, and democratizing visual culture. Based on this case, a replicable model of university-society transfer applicable to educational and cultural contexts is proposed.
Today's challenges cannot be solved by a single discipline; transdisciplinary collaboration is essential to address complex issues from integrated approaches. This requires cooperation among disciplines and the incorporation of non-academic actors, transcending the traditional boundaries of knowledge. At the Faculty of Architecture and Design of the University of Los Andes, the area of biodesign has established itself as a space where students and professors from different areas face challenges related to the construction and validation of knowledge, student conditions, and the methodological dynamics of classes. This article analyzes transdisciplinary collaborations aimed at innovation based on a case study of three biodesign courses. Through interviews, observations, and a review of teaching materials, the main tensions and lessons learned from working together were identified. The research answers the question: how can the dynamics of collaboration between teachers and students be strengthened so that the diversity of perspectives contributes to genuine cooperation? As a result, a set of analytical and diagnostic tools was developed that allows teachers to recognize progress, stagnation, and opportunities for improvement in their practices in order to adjust their methodologies and continue promoting collaboration and transdisciplinary learning.
The fashion industry exemplifies unsustainable production and consumption, generating severe ecological damage and perpetuating exploitative labor practices. Recent global analyses estimate that the sector contributes nearly 10% of global carbon emissions, disposes of a truckload of textiles every second through landfilling or incineration, and recycles less than 1% of discarded garments into new clothing. These alarming figures underscore the urgency of rethinking how future designers and researchers are educated. Higher education institutions, particularly design schools, are positioned to prepare graduates who can navigate the intertwined challenges of sustainability and social justice. This paper proposes that undergraduate research in sustainable fashion, when structured as a community-centered practice, provides a powerful pedagogy for cultivating socially responsible design researchers. Drawing on sustainable fashion studies, participatory and co-design traditions, Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS), and design justice, it develops a five-phase framework—Engagement, Exploration, Empathy, Experimentation, and Evolution. Each phase specifies inputs, competencies, outputs, and measurable social outcomes, moving beyond abstract ideals to actionable pedagogy. A mini-case and a 14-week semester map demonstrate classroom integration. By positioning communities as equal partners, the framework challenges extractive models of design research while aligning with global sustainability agendas, including the SDGs and circular economy.
Creative and Collaborative Thinking Through Hands-On Manual Paper Recycling in Design Education
The advancement of environmental challenges and the need for creative solutions make education a fundamental element in the development of innovative minds and creative thinkers capable of analysing and proposing solutions to complex problems. This article explores manual paper recycling as an initiative that combines environmental awareness and artisanal processes as tools for the development of creative skills and adaptive thinking. Through the Action Research methodology and a case study in three collaborative workshops, we seek to understand how practical experimentation with recycled paper fosters innovation and adaptive and flexible thinking in different training contexts. During the activities, participants experiment with pulp manipulation techniques, moulds and pigments, achieving close contact with traditional materials and techniques. The results indicate that manual experimentation generated creative and unique solutions, such as the reinterpretation of colonial icons and the exploration of textures. Preliminary findings show that workshops are spaces with great potential for developing cognitive flexibility and fostering collaboration. These are fundamental aspects for training professionals and citizens who are adaptable to contemporary challenges, demonstrating the pedagogical impact of this initiative.
This study investigates how undergraduate design studios function as research environments that cultivate inquiry-based learning and knowledge production through making. A key problem addressed is the disparity between recognized research in STEM fields and the undervaluation of research-through-design within interior architecture education. The central research question asks: How does the design studio facilitate research as a form of inquiry in undergraduate interior architecture curricula? Participants included senior-level students engaged in capstone studio projects emphasizing iterative design prototyping and contextual analysis as applied to an intensive year-long project. Results indicate that students demonstrate higher levels of critical inquiry and self-directed research when engaged in approaches of iterative making and reflection. This allowed for the transformation of spatial problems into evidence-based design propositions that still employed creativity and feasibility. These findings suggest that undergraduate design education can indeed be more widely recognized as a legitimate site of scholarly research.
Development of a Repairable Dermal Layer for Venipuncture Phantoms
This article presents the results of an interdisciplinary project between the School of Design and the School of Nursing, both at the University of Chile. The project seeks to develop a biodegradable and repairable skin-like material for use in venipuncture phantoms. To this end, a material similar to human skin was developed with a hydrocolloid matrix rich in calcium carbonate. Four formulations were defined with the selected hydrocolloid binder, varying the percentages of each component and organic load. To characterize the materials, their density and moisture content were evaluated, as well as their repairability. Subsequently, the perception of users (nursing students and teachers) was tested. After testing the material, it was used in the phantom developed for the University of Chile School of Nursing, thus verifying the user's perception of the complete phantom. This testing was carried out in a real teaching experience and consisted of venipuncture simulation rotations. The results of the verification showed that the developed dermal layer is even more similar to human skin than the current practice with rubber silicone, in addition to being repairable by dilution with water and biodegradable.
Bacterial Bioluminescence and Biophilic Design
Disconnection from nature is one of the main challenges of contemporary urban living, with negative effects on emotional and cognitive health. This study, carried out as part of a degree project in Design at the University of Chile, explored bacterial bioluminescence as an innovative resource in biophilic design, aimed at promoting emotional well-being in urban contexts. An experimental prototype was developed based on the ethical cultivation of Photobacterium, designed according to principles of biomimicry and biocollaboration. Validation was carried out through non-participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and emotional assessment surveys, complemented by electroencephalography (Emotiv Epoc EEG) and the PrEmo scale. The results showed that interaction with bioluminescence generated responses of awe, fascination, and calm, linked to processes of restorative contemplation, along with a sustained increase in levels of attention and relaxation. The integration of bacterial bioluminescence into the design not only offers an aesthetic and sustainable alternative, but also a sensory medium capable of mediating emotional and symbolic links with nature. This work also validates project-based research as a legitimate way to generate new knowledge that can be published under current academic standards.
Fontibón, a district of Bogotá, accounts for 15% of the city's fixed sources of pollution, causing respiratory, cardiac, and mental health problems among its population. This problem is related to rapid urbanization and heavy truck traffic on Calle 13, which has drastically reduced green spaces and damaged the Meandro del Say wetland. In response to this situation, the project proposes an interdisciplinary methodology that combines design, biology, and community participation through territory-sensitive research, stratigraphic analysis, and co-creation. As a result, BIO-VASC has been developed, a support system inspired by biodesign and biomimicry that seeks to activate a symbiotic relationship between the community and the wetland, promoting collective appropriation and strengthening territorial resilience. This research demonstrates that biodesign, in order to be sustainable, must be constructed from a dialogue situated within the spatial practices of the context.