Alumna Dinorah Schulte in Mexico City

MAS ETH DFAB alumna Dinorah Schulte explores how digital fabrication can connect contemporary technology with Mexico’s long-standing traditions of craftsmanship. During her time in the MAS ETH DFAB programme (2019–2020), she contributed to the Digital Bamboo Pavilion in support of Marirena Kladeftira’s research and, for her thesis project, collaborated with researcher Patrick Bedarf on material innovation using 3D printing with mineral foam. Her work within the MAS ETH DFAB allowed her to experiment with advanced fabrication techniques while engaging deeply with principles of sustainability, material research, and collaborative design.

After graduating in 2020, she returned to her home country, Mexico City, to co-found the company MANUFACTURA with Edurne Morales, whom she met during the MAS programme in Zurich. MANUFACTURA focuses on rethinking manufacturing processes through adaptive fabrication, combining 3D printing, robotics, and mold making with ceramics and bio-based mortars created from locally available food and organic waste, such as eggshells, corn by-products, and coffee grounds.

Grounded in Mexico’s rich ceramic and construction heritage, Dinorah’s work bridges traditional craftsmanship and digital innovation. She collaborates closely with local craftsmen, architects, designers, artists, and researchers, positioning technology as a collaborative tool that enables sustainable production, personalisation, and new forms of craftsmanship while preserving cultural heritage and the knowledge accumulated over centuries.