Mycelium as Structure
Each time a construction crew breaks ground on a building, 30% of the materials brought to the site will end up as waste. Amongst the most common of these materials is a surplus on concrete. In many underprivileged parts of the world, this is the most accessible and cost-effective building material. With 85% of all construction and demolition waste being concrete, there is a need to reduce this environmental impact.
Mycelium is a biodegradable and regenerative material made of fungal hyphae that in essence acts as a glue to bind fibers like the ones in agricultural waste. There are tons of examples of Mycelium forging new paths in product design and other objects of the sort. From a functioning canoe to leather goods and clothing, Mycelium continues to provide sustainable solutions to everyday items.
Info
Role: Design Lead
Team: Benjamin Simmons, Michael Brooks, Torain Bullock
Softwares/Hardwares: Rhino 3D, Grasshopper, Adobe Creative Suite, Mycelium mixing and packing, Carpentry.
Using Mycelium composite to design an environmentally friendly structural building module for the future.
Research and Prototyping
The research phase led us to the conclusion that rather than focusing on Mycelium as a short term building solution, the objective should be the reduction of concrete in building systems that rely heavily on it as a primary building material.The research phase led us to the conclusion that rather than focusing on Mycelium as a short term building solution, the objective should be the reduction of concrete in building systems that rely heavily on it as a primary building material.
Prototyping was an essential aspect of this project. Using wireframes and user flow diagrams to design the fabrication process allowed us to seamlessly flow from the digital world into the physical one. With a final total of 3 physical prototypes, Myco-Crete has become a pioneering case study in the world of Mycelium and design.
