Though undeniably cool and completely revolutionary, “Mycotecture” using mushrooms is a relatively unknown concept quickly catching on among scientists, experts, and start-up companies.
In 2024, sustainability is a massive hot topic as we humans attempt to dial back some of the destruction we have unleashed on our planet. As humans continue to pop out mini humans left, right, and center, one keen area of interest is housing. Could mushrooms be the answer?
Mycotecture is the meeting of architecture and mushrooms
It’s estimated that there are currently 16 million abandoned buildings in the US alone. Though the idea of empty buildings seems ridiculous, after all, the US also boasts nearly 700,000 homeless, it’s a growing issue across the globe. Shockingly, the solution might be sitting at the back of your fridge right now. Well, kind of.
“Mycotecture” is a concept combining architecture and myco, a prefix that suggests a relationship to fungus. Though the actual process has been around for years, recent advancements have illustrated just how powerful the humble food source can be.
Redhouse Studio founder Chris Maurer is at the forefront of the mushroom brigade thanks to his tireless work in understanding the intricacies of fungi.
On mushroom buildings, he recently told the BBC: “All of the material from demolition — the studs, the floors, cellulosic mass, and even things like ceiling tiles and asphalt material like roof shingles, can be mixed into substrate that then becomes good for growing fungus.”
Though admittedly slower than other building practices, the application of “Mycrotecture” is limitless. As reported by Innovation Hub, demolished buildings are injected with living mycelium which grows into the desired shape. Once finished, the bricks can withstand twice the pressure as regular concrete.
Mushrooms in space?
When he’s not building mushroom houses in Namibia or Cleveland, Chris is looking to the stars with a clear vision of the future.
Though extremely expensive, with $150 million needed to launch into space, mushroom blocks could be used to create mushroom buildings on both Mars and the Moon.
NASA took mushrooms up a level as they outlined other practices including the construction of fungi polymers and oxygen-producing mushrooms.
The space agency explained: “The capabilities of the mycelia will be developed using bioengineering augmentation; for example, production of useful polymers will be considered. We envision a future that includes the addition of cyanobacteria that can produce oxygen, bacteria that can provide sensing capabilities (e.g., sensing of environmentally relevant gases like oxygen for crew health support), and decoration of the mycelia with proteins for assorted chemical transformation functions.
“Enhancements such as these can result in “living architecture” in the true sense of the word, because of sensitivity and near real-time adaptability to internal and external environmental changes.”
