Xenocells: In the mood for the unseen

Forces that were previously invisible to the human eye are now being materialised in new aesthetics made possible by algorithmic design. The aptly named Wonderlab studio at University College London's Bartlett School of Architecture is running an ongoing research programme on these awe-inspiring possibilities. Its XenoCells project uses a cell division algorithm that can be applied in varying resolutions, to vastly different effect - achieving 3D-printed forms that range from sharp crystalline structures to organic folds reminiscent of internal organs. Alisa Andrasek, director of Wonderlab, explains.