ARC

Today’s world is saturated with fast-paced digital technologies. Our relentless pursuit of efficiency, ingrained in the development of these technologies, reflects a narrow view of time as merely a resource for management and optimization. Researchers claim that this limited outlook on time has obscured our ability to appreciate more expansive temporal perspectives and distanced us from the natural world. To re-examine our dominant relationship with time, it's essential to acknowledge nonhuman temporalities and contemplate ways of becoming more attuned to them.

ARC — Algal Relay Computer is a simple form of a computer that incorporates the growth of micro-algae in its calculation process. A simple calculation takes a long time, because the circuit needs to wait for the algae culture to grow and reach a certain density. The deliberate contrast between the instant technology, symbolised by a computer, and the slow tempo of micro-algae growth serves as a design provocation, sparking discussions about how we interpret nonhuman temporalities and how these may be incorporated into design practices.

The project addresses the emerging topic of more-than-human temporalities in the design research community. The exploration of accounting for nonhuman temporality in design could broaden the possibility of interaction design, which might have been constrained by our perception of time.

This particular way of portraying nonhumans in a tangible format could lead to discussions regarding related topics such as (but not limited to) competing temporalities and care relationships between humans and nonhumans.

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