GIGA AAPIARY - KARL EMMANUEL ISMAEL
BIOMIMETIC DESIGN - CIRCULAR SYSTEMS - ADAPTIVE BEE INTELLIGENCE
Karl-Emmanuel Ismaël’s design journey moves fluidly between industries, from automobiles to high-performance footwear at Salomon and Givenchy.
Now, with GIGA AAPIARY, the focus shifts to an unexpected frontier: beekeeping.
More than just designing hives, this project explores how nature itself can shape the creative process. Inspired by biomimicry, material circularity, and swarm dynamics, Karl-Emmanuel is redefining what it means to design for the future. By working with nature rather than imposing on it, his approach challenges conventional manufacturing and rethinks sustainability at its core.
A CONVERSATION WITH KARL EMMANUEL ISMAEL
Your relationship with apiculture is now central to your practice. How did this connection emerge, and how does it influence your work?
My connection to apiculture was never planned, but it emerged naturally through my research on sustainability and biomimicry. As I explored ways to reduce design’s carbon footprint, I became increasingly fascinated by biological intelligence, particularly how nature solves complex structural and material challenges with remarkable efficiency.
Bees, in this context, stood out as exemplary models not just as pollinators but as highly skilled architects creating lightweight yet incredibly strong honeycomb structures. What started as a research-driven curiosity quickly evolved into a deeper engagement with apiculture. Observing bees up close, I realized that their lifecycle and material production could be integrated into a broader design system. Beyond building beehives, I began exploring how their natural processes especially the production of chitin could inform a new way of thinking about materials and circularity.
“Bees, as instinctual architects, offer insight into form and function, paving the way for biologically driven production”
Your work bridges the creative and the functional. How did your transition from automobile and footwear design to designing beehives shape your approach to design, both as a craft and as a means of problem-solving?
Automobile and footwear design share a similar creative process. They both involve research, sketching, and ergonomics. Initially, beehive design felt like a departure, but it directly connected to my past work. During my master’s thesis on reducing carbon footprints in the automotive industry, I explored collaborating with nature instead of relying on rigid industrial methods. Inspired by Neri Oxman’s Mediated Matter Lab, I began seeing design as an organic, co-creative process with natural intelligence. My first prototype beehive structure applies these principals holistically.
This perspective reshaped my approach. Rather than designing fixed objects, I now create conditions for nature to influence the outcome. Working with bees led me to study chitin, a sustainable biopolymer comparable to carbon fiber. Ethically integrated, it could revolutionize industrial design with lightweight, regenerative components. My upcoming beehive structu
Beyond materials, this collaboration shifts the designer’s role. We move from imposing structures to learning from nature’s efficiency. Bees, as instinctual architects, offer insights into form and function, paving the way for biologically driven production. And as a poetic outcome, the honey harvested from these hives embodies the synergy between creativity and the natural world.
NERI OXMAN - MEDIATED MATTER LAB
GIGA AAPIARY CAMPAIGN STILL
GIGA AAPIARY integrates multiple disciplines and calls upon various expertise. What role do community and environment play in shaping this initiative?
Community plays a crucial role in fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge sharing. By operating in fluid environments, they merge technology, craftsmanship, and adaptability to address contemporary challenges:
I. Developing innovative approaches that integrate experimentation with sustainability.
II. Rethinking interactions between nature and urban spaces, preserving biodiversity through
intelligent solutions.
III. Balancing performance with environmental responsibility in design practices.
GIGA AAPIARY thrives on collective intelligence, uniting designers, artisans, and experts from various fields. Together, they propose a vision that is both forward-thinking and deeply rooted in its context.
You have also introduced the concept of the "NeoCivilian" persona in your approach. Can you explain what this represents and how it connects to your work in sustainable design and apiculture?
I drafted this concept to have a model for what the future human could look like: a blend of urban energy and outdoor passion.
Embodying the NeoCivilian lifestyle is about blending the urban hustle with a deep connection to nature, finding that sweet spot between innovation, sustainability, and performance.
These individuals move through life with a circular mindset, meaning they don’t just consume, they understand, adapt, and contribute. They see the world as an interconnected system, where every choice, whether in design, technology, or daily living, has an impact. More than just observing nature, they live in sync with it, bringing eco-conscious thinking into their creativity, work, and lifestyle.
At their core, NeoCivilians shape the future, not just by what they wear or where they live, but by how they think, move, and create in a world where city life and the outdoors don’t have to be at odds.
NEOCIVILIAN AESTHETIC
PIECES UNIQUES
ARCTER’YX VEILANCE
Design often reflects a set of values or a worldview. What personal values guided your transition and how are they expressed in your work today?
In every project I undertake, I consciously integrate a co-creation approach, whether directly within the design process or as guiding philosophy. When a project doesn’t naturally allow for this dynamic, I ensure that my creative process and lifestyle still embody these values. Since such an open-minded approach remains rare in many industries, I see it as my responsibility to embed these principles into my work, shaping not only what I design but also how I engage with he world around me.
What are the long-term goals of GIGA AAPIARY/NeoCivilians? How do you envision its impact, both environmentally and socially?
Ultimately, NeoCivilians/GIGA AAPIARY represent the future of creative sustainability, where efficiency, physical resilience, and deep ecological awareness merge into a new standard of living and designing.