Elie Al Marji
Profession
MA Biodesign alum
College
Central Saint Martins
Person Type
Alumni
Biography
Elie Al Marji is a biodesigner and material researcher based in London. A 2025 graduate of MA Biodesign at Central Saint Martins, his practice explores regenerative materials and biofabrication.
Interview
Please can you tell me a little bit about yourself.
My name is Elie Al Marji. I am originally from Beirut, Lebanon, and I graduated from MA Biodesign at Central Saint Martins in 2025 with a Distinction.
Before joining CSM, I spent over 20 years working in branding and advertising as a Creative Director across the MENA region and Europe, leading global campaigns and building brands across FMCG, hospitality, government, technology and culture. I also hold a Master’s degree in Communication Arts. Studying at CSM marked a pivotal shift in my career, from building brands to building materials, systems and regenerative futures.
Why did you choose to study MA Biodesign and why CSM?
I chose MA Biodesign because I was searching for a new design language – one rooted in ecology, ethics and material innovation rather than consumption. I wanted to combine my background in brand design and storytelling with practices that collaborate with nature rather than extract from it.
Central Saint Martins felt like the right place, where critical thinking, experimentation and radical imagination coexist. The course challenges you to question not only how we design, but why we design and for whom. That critical culture, combined with access to labs, cross-disciplinary collaboration and London’s research ecosystem, made it the right environment for me.
What’s the most interesting project you’ve worked on so far? What made it so interesting to work on?
Two projects stand out for me: ALWAKIA and NOU.
ALWAKIA is a biofabricated protective jacket made from bacterial nacre. It explores how regenerative materials can evolve into protective gear for young activists, merging scientific research with cultural heritage and political resistance. The project bridges SEM analysis, biomaterial experimentation and Levantine craft traditions. It became both a rigorous material investigation and a cultural statement.
NOU is an eco-luxury booster made from microalgae nurtured in rainwater. It functions as both a body mist that supports the skin microbiome and an ingestible spray, reframing rainwater and microalgae as future sources of nutrition and beauty.
What made both projects particularly compelling was their hybridity, where science, storytelling, ethics, aesthetics and systems thinking converge into tangible artefacts.
Have you completed any work placements / internships whilst being on the course? If so, can you tell me a little bit about your role?
During my studies, I was selected for a residency at the Francis Crick Institute Making Lab. The residency allowed me to deepen my biomaterial experimentation within a scientific research environment.
Rather than a traditional internship, it functioned as a collaborative research engagement that bridged lab science and design practice. It expanded my technical understanding while reinforcing the importance of dialogue between designers and scientists.
What important piece of advice would you give to students thinking of studying this course?
Be ready to work hard and commit fully. This course requires you to become a rigorous researcher, not just a designer. It is built on questioning, experimentation, failure, iteration and ethical positioning.
Be comfortable with uncertainty. Growth often happens in moments of discomfort. Spend time in the lab, but also dedicate time to reflecting on your values and your stance as a designer. The strongest projects emerge when material experimentation is grounded in cultural, political or ecological relevance.
What has been the highlight of your CSM experience so far?
The highlight of my CSM experience has been the intellectual freedom and the strong sense of community.
Equally important are the technicians and workshops. The depth of expertise within each workshop, combined with the generosity and openness of the technicians, creates a rare culture of support. Their knowledge across diverse areas of design and fabrication makes ambitious experimentation possible and elevates the quality of the work.
What are your career aspirations? Where would you like to be in five years’ time?
I have founded my regenerative design and research studio, Rootiv, which focuses on building future-ready brands rooted in culture and ecological responsibility.
Alongside this, I am developing DE-LAB, a book and exhibition project supported by the MEAD Fellowship, which aims to democratise biodesign beyond institutional labs. The project responds to the urgency of the climate emergency and the need to rethink how materials are sourced, grown, used and valued. DE-LAB positions biodesign not as a niche scientific discipline, but as a cultural and educational tool. It is conceived for design students, practising designers and educators, as well as an accessible home learning resource that introduces younger audiences to ecological thinking and material responsibility. I am developing this project with my fellow MA Biodesign alumna, Weronika Turowska.
In five years, I see myself leading a globally recognised studio that merges material research, strategic design and cultural storytelling, working at the intersection of science, activism and regenerative innovation.
What is the most important thing you've learnt on the course so far?
Every material carries an ecological footprint, a supply chain story and a set of power structures. Biodesign taught me that designing responsibly means understanding systems – biological, cultural and economic – and working within them to create regenerative alternatives.
Links
View Elie's website to see his work
Follow Elie's on Instagram
Connect with Elie on LinkedIn