As we move deeper into the Anthropocene, an era where the defining stories are those of environmental crises and climate change, only a handful of artists and designers seem to attempt translating the scale and complexity of these issues into experiences that can 'reach the heads of state and the hearts of the people’, and fewer still succeed in doing so with clarity and emotion. Dutch ecological artist and designer Thijs Biersteker's body of work aligns with the latter ambition. Through his Netherlands-based Woven Studio, he creates large-scale installations that transform ecological data – whether the rate of deforestation, fluctuations in biodiversity, microplastic pollution or even the carbon footprint of digital technology – into sensory experiences that bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and public understanding.

At the core of Biersteker’s practice lies collaboration. His work operates at the intersection of science, sustainability, art and design – partnering with leading scientists, researchers and institutions like UNESCO and the WHO, to create projects grounded in robust scientific data. Sustainability is woven into the fabric of his practice. His installations are crafted from sustainable materials and guided by circular design principles, each accompanied by a ‘material passport’ that guarantees the pieces can be dismantled and returned to the cycle of reuse.

Biersteker’s work has been exhibited at major cultural institutions, including Fondation Cartier and the Barbican Centre (UK), as well as the Stedelijk Museum. It has also been featured on global platforms such as COP and the United Nations. At first glance, his installations dazzle. They are visually stunning while being urgent in their themes. Among his most striking works is Wither, a design installation powered by live data on deforestation in the Amazon. Made in collaboration with UNESCO and researcher Sacha Sian from Indiana University Bloomington (USA), the sculpture is constructed from materials designed to disappear physically; as forests in the Amazon vanish, the installation slowly deteriorates, offering a haunting illustration of deforestation.

Another project, Econtinuum, developed in collaboration with plant neurobiologist Stefano Mancuso, uses sensors to capture data on tree communication – through metrics like CO₂, humidity, VOCs – as they share nutrients, send warning signals and learn from one another beneath the forest floor and, with the help of eco AI, mimics the electric and chemical chatter of trees. Most recently, Origin connects real-time environmental data from a cacao tree in Indonesia with its digital twin in China. By showing how it drinks, grows and breathes, turning data into movement, rhythm and light, the installation aims to expose how our food system is built on fragile connections.

In conversation with STIR, the ecological artist and designer elaborates on the origins of his studio, the role of ecological design and the power of beauty, emotion and collaboration in spreading awareness and driving action in a time of climate crisis. Edited excerpts from the discussion follow.

Chahna Tank: You and your work have a very distinct voice today, intertwining art, design, science and sustainability in really inventive ways. How did it all begin for you?

Thijs Biersteker: For me and the team, creating projects on environmental topics that incorporate science, sustainability and innovation feels like the most logical step in this day and age. But of course, that is in retrospect.

After our first collaborations with scientists on the topics of plastic (Plastic Reflectic) and with Mancuso on biodiversity, it became clear that the work I was doing had a clarity and directness in communicating the science without losing its artistic, poetic power. The work we do now at Woven Studio is all built on learning how art and design, and their emotional power, can bring environmental science alive for heads of state and find a way into the hearts of the people. I think we are now known for this unique mixture and the thought leadership in the area. But to us, when you make this kind of work, this is the only way it should be done.

Chahna: Your work often involves translating ecological metrics into spatial and sensory installations and experiences. How do you go about interpreting them into a design language that audiences can intuitively engage with?

Thijs: Secretly, I see my work as science communication. It is a way of bringing the scientific facts and the feelings a work of art provokes together. I believe that is the only way science can have the impact needed right now. Society is not driven by science; it is driven by emotions. And emotions, well, that is the field of art.

We use big datasets from institutions like UNESCO or the WHO, and sometimes from companies’ CSR, like LVMH or Polestar. I think everything comes from that starting point. If we use datasets showing how quickly the Amazon is disappearing, like in the artwork Wither, it feels natural to use materials that can disappear themselves.

I see it as my job to turn their science into something relatable, understandable and beautiful. – Thijs Biersteker

Chahna: You and your team often collaborate with scientists, researchers, institutions and professional bodies from other fields. What does that collaborative process look like in practice, from the first conversation to the final project?

Thijs: I’m so happy you asked this. One of the most exciting things in the studio is when top scientists visit and we get to ask them questions and shape something together. We have become excellent at it – with onboarding systems and tools for expectation management. Scientists often work very differently from artists and designers, so we need to build some common ground first if we want to create something magical together.
What I love the most is when we show them how their years of work and research are translated into a data-physicalisation and they see how we have brought back the emotions in the work. I think we are proud when the scientist is proud in the end. I see it as my job to turn their science into something relatable, understandable and beautiful.

Chahna: How do you envision the role of ecological art and design evolving in response to the growing urgency of the environmental crisis? How does that carry over to the more public-facing, provocative nature of your work?

Thijs: I think, and it might be a bit provocative, that ecological art should evolve away from overly confusing art-science mixtures that confuse the visitors and dilute the message of the scientific knowledge that needs to reach the public in this time of planetary emergency.

Ecological art should put the ‘logical’ in its name to work. It should use art as a communication tool—making it a logical choice for translating and supporting science. Art has the power to bring the outcome of years of research to life and speak to the imagination. But this only happens when it works in the service of science—turning complexity into something compelling.

People need to feel the facts first; that is when the action actually starts. – Thijs Biersteker

Chahna: You strongly advocate combining facts and feelings to address the pressing issues of our time. How do you navigate that balance in your work, while also ensuring the emotional experience sparks reflection and connection, rather than anxiety or disengagement?

Thijs: I think a reason why the work we do actually works is that we have found the balance between the science that needs to be communicated and the design that brings it alive and lets it speak to the imagination. People need to feel the facts first; that is when the action actually starts. The most significant part of my work is to bring the science from the partners we work with down to its essence, to something that resonates with a bigger audience. Something that makes them feel in a way that can function as a gateway to knowledge. Not in a judgmental way, not in a prophet of doom kind of way, but in a way that it becomes relatable, understandable and accessible, while staying beautiful.

Chahna: Your installations are often visually striking, mesmerising in scale and form. What do you think about the role of beauty or spectacle in your work, especially when the underlying themes are urgent or unsettling?

Thijs: First of all, thank you for the compliment. I think we have a hard job to do when communicating the science about the state of our planet. So, making it spread happens by seeding hope, making the message accessible and not a shock tactic. I believe we have had enough of that, and it is not working. We can learn from nature. If you want your message to spread, like your DNA, you use beauty and elegance to attract those who can spread it, like flowers do with bees.

Chahna: Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the scale of the problems you are trying to visualise? How do you keep going?

Thijs: Well, what else is there to do? I think it gives me satisfaction that I have the opportunity to use my skills and enable others to use theirs, to create not only culturally significant work, but also work that makes a difference in the world. I think we could all use our skill sets better to better the planet.

Chahna: What is NEXT for you?

Thijs: We are making some amazing works around the emergence of life and are launching two giant Wither sculptures in key places in the world. We are starting a foundation, the Woven Foundation, to help spread the message and the way of working and to enable scientists to do these kinds of collaborations in an effective way. Not only that, but we are working with a luxury brand to bring their CSR impact to life and many more things we cannot disclose yet.