Design Friction Lab

The Design Friction Lab is a Multidisciplinary Research Lab and Design Studio at the intersection of science and the industry, of reality, innovation and vision. We constantly seek out the next big vision and innovative environmental solutions, while challenging conventions and fostering reflexivity. Our unwavering dedication to defying the status quo has allowed us to create innovative solutions that push the boundaries of what was fiction and now became reality. We firmly believe that the long-term well-being of our planet and its inhabitants hinges on our ability to innovate and design sustainable solutions to complex environmental problems. Through the exploration of speculative scenarios with a critical design approach, preferable visions and products are prototyped while always striving to meet real-world needs with a glocal perspective and embedding aesthetics into ethics. By partnering with outstanding scientists and field specialists, local artisans, international cultural institutions and tech corporations, DFL designs sustainable futures one vision at a time. The Design Friction Lab currently develops projects focusing on crafted products, electronics and DIY culture, distributed manufacturing and open-source production, nano-electronics and biodegradable sensors, growing materials, alternative materials and the development of circular design and production technologies. DFL is led by Professor Nitzan Cohen at the Faculty of Art and Design and art of The Free University of Bozen-Bolzano.