The Tiger Penis Project is a speculative design that proposes using synthetic biology to create organs that can replace the animal products used in traditional Chinese medicine, including parts from endangered species.
Kuang-Yi Ku designed the Tiger Penis Project for his graduation from the Social Design Master's program at Design Academy Eindhoven.
His project envisions a "win-win" situation for conservationists and for people who practice Chinese medicine, by exploring ways to harness new technologies to create an alternative source of animal products for use in the traditional recipes.
The Tiger Penis Project envisions using synthetic biology to create organs that could be used in Chinese medicine
Ku proposes creating bespoke animal parts that would be combined with combinations of herbs to treat individual patients. Although the animal parts are speculative, the designer worked with traditional Chinese medicine practitioners to create real herbal formulas to complement them. The project is named after the tiger penis as tigers were often referenced in criticism of Chinese medicine in western media that Ku had observed.
As part of the conceptual project Ku crated sculptures from orthodontic resin
"Tiger Penis Project is a new interpretation of traditional Chinese Medicine for resolving the conflict between health, culture, and environmental conservation," the designer told Dezeen.
"I think [it] might play an important role in the contemporary...