Innovation in Bloom: An Interview with 2025 The Mills Fabrica Innovation Award Winner, Justina Alexandroff

About the Award

At the heart of our partnership with Central Saint Martins lies a desire to support designers who don’t just imagine a better future, but build it. Enter the world of 2025 The Mills Fabrica Innovation Award winner, Justina Alexandroff, and her project, Faux Flora—a biomimetic solution designed to safeguard urban pollinators.

From the initial spark of an idea in a London studio to a transformative residency at The Mills Fabrica in Hong Kong, Justina shares her journey of navigating complex technical challenges and leveraging industry exposure to redefine the relationship between technology and our urban ecosystems.

Project & Initial Inspiration

What initially sparked your Faux Flora project idea during your MA Material Futures at Central Saint Martins?

I began my Masters interested in how pollution impacts biodiversity. I quickly encountered research showing that urban air pollutants chemically alter flower odors, making it much harder for pollinators to navigate—even at pollution levels deemed "safe." This led me to Shannon Olsson’s Chemical Ecology Lab in Bangalore, where her colleague Aditi Mishra’s PhD research confirmed that generalist pollinators identify flowers through three combined traits: radial symmetry, a sweet scent, and a reflective surface. They had recreated a flower from inorganic materials using only these three cues. That was the moment the project crystallized for me: I could use biomimicry and 3D design to create artificial flowers that help pollinators navigate through urban pollution.

Before winning the award, what were the biggest challenges you faced when trying to develop Faux Flora at university?

The primary hurdles were material limitations and access to advanced manufacturing. Due to limited time and resources, I finished my Masters with speculative devices—they communicated the concept but weren't yet "deployable" prototypes.

Taking this research further through The Mills Fabrica residency has been a privilege. In Hong Kong, I’ve had the opportunity to explore advanced manufacturing through conversations with The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), The University of Hong Kong (HKU), and local designers. I’ve also connected with organisations like Editecture and Arup that are dedicated to activating innovation for biodiversity.

How does Faux Flora blend speculative design with practical environmental impact — and why do you believe design can play a key role in supporting urban pollinators?

Speculative design can play a key role in ecological interventions because it creates space to ask questions that stretch our imagination beyond human experience, which is especially important when designing for other species with different sensory worlds. When you combine that with scientific research and cross-disciplinary expertise, the results can be really impactful. Speculative design also shares tools with art, using visual culture to reach people, and by bringing all three together, design innovations can simultaneously be a form of communication, often more effective at instigating change than traditional approaches.

The Award, Residency & Specific Support

How did you feel when you learned you’d received the award, and what does this recognition mean to you as an emerging designer?

I was over the moon. I felt so grateful that The Mills Fabrica saw potential in both this idea and my broader practice. This recognition has given me the confidence to work within the multispecies-design space and helped me hone a methodology I can apply to future projects, such as a new Hong Kong specific design proposition within Faux Flora, called ‘Rootscapes’. The project responds to the ‘urban heat island effect’ - as well as air pollution - contributing to insect biodiversity loss in Hong Kong. During a conversation with Benoit Guénard at HKU, he noted that many pollinators simply can’t survive in concrete-heavy environments as the hard, smooth surfaces create microclimates that are just too hot and physiologically hostile for them.

In response, I’ve developed modular wall tiles biomimetically inspired by the native Chinese Banyan trees and their wall root systems. The tiles translate the wall root structure and bark micro-geometry (lenticel patterning) into ceramic 3D printed tiles that create the conditions for non-vascular plants like mosses to colonise and thrive on urban surfaces. Mosses create remarkable infrastructure for insects - they regulate localised air quality and surface temperatures and restore the kind of ecological texture that pollinators and other urban species depend on, that conventional building materials completely strip away.

What specific resources or mentorship at The Mills Fabrica have helped you move Faux Flora forward the most?

The team and the wider community have unlocked entirely new avenues for the project. They’ve connected me with specialists to address material challenges and helped identify prospective installation sites. Specifically, the Fabrica Lab has been invaluable for prototyping both Faux Flora and new research directions that have emerged during my time here in Hong Kong.

One of the key benefits of The Mills Fabrica residency is industry exposure and networks. Have there been any standout collaborations or insights during your time in Hong Kong?

The network I’ve built here spans scientists, sustainability managers, foresight teams and artists, and it’s been a real pleasure working with people across these disciplines. Conversations with AIRSIDE Roof Farm and material technicians at PolyU’s 3D printing department have shaped the next generation of prototypes, and AIRSIDE is even keen to host the devices!

Once I decided to pivot to 3D-printed ceramics—which offer the durability and porosity needed to diffuse scent—The Mills Fabrica connected me with local artist Silvester Mok. We are now collaborating on the next iteration. I was also invited to speak at a Rooftop Institute event on Art and Ecology on April 16th, which felt like a fitting way to conclude the residency.

Impact & Advice

What advice would you give to current CSM students or young innovators who want to create impactful work?

Don’t shy away from an idea just because it’s outside your comfort zone. Instead, focus on what you need to learn and who you need to learn from, and take it step by step. Always reach out to experts; you’ll always come away with something valuable. Most importantly, keep asking yourself how your work will bring about new, positive ways of being.

Looking ahead, how has this award reinforced your belief in the power of design?

It’s been inspiring to meet so many people who are interested in the role of design when addressing biodiversity challenges. While it’s easy to feel like global progress is stalling, the hope and curiosity I’ve found in the Hong Kong network makes me excited to be part of this industry. I’m grateful for organizations like The Mills Fabrica that support cross-disciplinary responses to environmental degradation.


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About The Mills Fabrica Innovation Award

Since 2018, The Mills Fabrica and Central Saint Martins have cultivated a partnership rooted in a shared commitment to sustainability and the future of material design. This collaboration underscores a mutual belief that bridging the gap between education and industry is essential for fostering systemic change.

The Mills Fabrica Innovation Award recognises one exceptional graduate from the MA Material Futures course whose work demonstrates transformative potential in sustainable technology. Beyond celebrating individual excellence, the award serves as a testament to The Mills Fabrica’s dedication to accelerating innovation across the textiles, apparel, and biomaterials sectors.

To help transition their project from an academic concept to a real-world solution, the winner receives a comprehensive support package. This includes a cash prize and a three-month residency in either Hong Kong or London, providing them with mentorship, access to the Fabrica Lab, and professional coworking space. Furthermore, the recipient gains significant exposure through media coverage, industry events, and high-level networking opportunities.

Learn more: https://www.themillsfabrica.com/impact-initiatives/csm-x-the-mills-fabrica-techstyle-sustainability/