Diving into success: marine entries win BioCraft competition

The winners of the RSB's annual BioCraft competition have been announced!

Participants were asked to create a biology-inspired 3D artwork from recycled (or other) materials and submit photos of their entries.

A judging panel comprised of RSB staff decided a shortlist for both the individual and group entry categories. Entries were judged on the variety of materials and creative skills used, the aesthetic quality and originality of the piece, and how well the piece captures the biological basis of the subject matter.

The winners were then decided by a public vote, with over 1,500 votes gathered to select the winners.

Winner — individual category

The winner of this year's individual category was Gracie from King's High School, Warwick Preparatory School with 'Migration in Glass'.

The artwork, made of recycled glass, shows multiple marine species migrating to illustrate the various reasons for migration, including seasonal migrations due to food availability, temperature changes, and breeding needs.

Commenting on the win, Gracie said: "I still feel a little in shock after hearing that I’d actually won the BioCraft competition. I feel incredibly lucky to have been not only selected as a finalist but also receiving so much support from the public vote. I feel so glad now that I chose to enter the competition and I think all the effort was worth it! I was inspired to pick the subject of ocean migration due to my love of sea creatures that I’ve had since a very, very young age and I wanted to make something to reflect that love."

Winner — group category

The group category award was given to Anna, Paula, Valentina, and their teacher Abril from Colegio Ciudad de México for 'Coral Reef'.

The artwork depicts the vibrancy of a thriving coral reef ecosystem, which serves as a refuge, food, and breeding zone for thousands of marine species, using recyclable materials including carboard and bottle caps.

Abril said: “This is one of the greatest honours for us as a team and as individuals. We worked very hard on this project, and we are incredibly grateful for what winning this means. The topic we chose (coral reefs) matters deeply because of the impact they have on the planet and, believe it or not, on the oxygen we breathe. Though they cover less than 1% of the ocean floor, they support photosynthetic organisms that produce much of our oxygen. Corals are fundamental yet underestimated, and we hope this recognition helps raise awareness of the crisis they’re facing.”

Shortlisted — individual category

'Plastallis' — a chrysalis for the plastic age by Joseph Moulton 

'Open Wide' — the structure and development of a tooth by Pak San Ng

Shortlisted — group category

'The beauty inside the hardy hibiscus' by Aiyara, Karina, and Ryleigh

'Fluid mosaic model' by Gunveen and Navraj

'Rabbit food pyramid' by a group of students from Lower 5 C2 Biology from Moreton Hall

'Macaw wing' by Myra and Kanna

'The fabrics of the ocean layer' by the Primary School Art Team at the Australian International School of Bangkok

The winners all receive prizes and the competition will open again in autumn 2026.