Summer School Alum Story: 'Working with living materials gives you new perspectives every day'

Happi Dayawa from Paris, France, attended the Nordic Biomaterials with CHEMARTS course in the summer of 2024 after being introduced to the CHEMARTS cookbook with recipes for material experimenting during her studies. CHEMARTS is a long-term strategic collaboration between two schools at Aalto University, the School of Chemical Engineering (CHEM) and the School of Arts, Design and Architecture (ARTS).

Creating with living materials has been Happi’s passion for the past few years. Her interest in working with natural materials stems from an urge to develop sustainable material options and, at the same time, make people more aware of alternative, more climate-friendly materials.

‘I have been experimenting with materials since I was a child’, says Happi.

Happi is currently working as a multidisciplinary artist and a freelancer for various artists within sculpture and painting while pursuing her master’s degree at Ecole Nationale supérieurs des Arts Décoratifs of Paris. 

‘During my career, I began to feel that something vital was missing: a deeper connection between fashion and sustainability. Driven by this realization, I shifted my focus toward developing alternative materials that could redefine the future of fashion, such as faux leather of Eucalyptus,’ says Happi.

Material samples from the Finnish forest

During the Nordic Biomaterials course, all students get to work on their own biomaterial projects in the laboratories at Aalto University, culminating in a festive open vernissage on the last day of the course.

‘It was my first time experimenting with materials in a state-of-the-art laboratory. Instantly, I felt a strong sense of belonging and knew that this was something I wanted to do more of,’ says Happi.

‘Before attending this course, I was already interested in working with fungal mycorrhizae and studying it in the lab. Upon arriving in Finland, the first thing I did was visit Nuuksio National Park to collect samples of mycorrhizae to bring back to the lab. However, I found it difficult to handle because of its fragile nature,’ says Happi.

‘While digging in the soil, I got the idea to focus on roots, the primary beneficiaries of mycorrhizae. I collected roots from various tree species in Nuuksio and manipulated them in the lab to create root sheets – a translucent, flexible material that is lightweight and vibrant,’ Happi concludes. 

What was your first impression of Finland and Aalto University?

My first impression of Finland was how calm, peaceful and safe I felt. Paris tends to be overcrowded and anxious while Finland is like a breeze of freshness. 

As for Aalto University, I wasn’t expecting such a big school! The kindness and professionalism of the teachers and the staff, and the quality of the facilities were flawless – you can really tell that the campus is designed to increase students' efficiency and creativity.

Who do you think should take this course?

I recommend this course to those who want to experiment and discover new techniques, ingredients, and materials. Be curious and prepared for failure, as in the lab; the most important thing is to try again and again until you end up with something you’re proud of. It’s a very rewarding process, and working with living materials gives you new perspectives every day.