In the quest for sustainable building materials, researchers and designers are turning to an unlikely source: fungi. Mycelium, the vegetative part of fungi, is being explored for its potential to revolutionize construction through 3D printing. Three notable pioneering projects are currently in the works that leverage mycelium-based 3D printing to create eco-friendly, durable, and versatile structures, showcasing how different companies and researchers are leading this innovative approach.
Shape Lab’s Mycera
The Shape Lab at the Institute of Architecture and Media at Graz University of Technology in Austria has made significant strides in developing MyCera, a fungi-based 3D printing material. Composed of clay, wood sawdust, and mycelium, MyCera is designed to address global waste management and CO2 emissions problems. The mycelium acts as an intelligent fiber reinforcement, enhancing the structural performance of 3D-printed material, basically allowing the mycelium, which is still alive after printing, to bind the other components together.
The research, detailed in the International Journal of Architectural Computing, emphasizes the material’s high tensile strength, attributed to the growth process of mycelium after printing. This unique characteristic enables MyCera to achieve fiber distribution that non-growing materials cannot replicate. Using the Delta WASP 40100 Clay 3D printer, the team has successfully created structures where mycelium continues to grow, bio-welding adjacent elements together through an expanding network of hyphae (fungal threads).
The potential of MyCera goes beyond sustainability. Researchers envision replacing traditional concrete with MyCera, offering a more eco-friendly alternative. Future research aims to compare mycelial fiber reinforcement with other commonly used fibers, such as basalt and glass, to demonstrate its advantageous structural effects.
Blast Studio’s Tree Column
Across Europe, London-based Blast Studio has taken mycelium-based 3D printing in a novel direction with their Tree Column. This over two-meter-tall structure is not only a functional building element but also a living organism capable of producing edible mushrooms. The Tree Column is created from shredded used coffee cups mixed with mycelium, which serves as both a nutritional source and a growing medium. The structure’s design includes micro-pockets that trap moisture, facilitating the mycelium’s growth. As the mycelium consumes the paper pulp, it solidifies into a load-bearing column. Once the fungi are dried and killed at high temperatures, the resulting biomaterial offers strength comparable to medium-density fiberboard (MDF) and provides insulating and flame-retardant properties.
Blast Studio’s vision extends to urban environments, where living structures could self-repair and provide food. The design studio is working towards 3D printing a large pavilion and, eventually, entire buildings, enabling sustainable urban development. Their approach shows how mycelium-based 3D printing can merge functionality with ecological benefits, creating a new model of living architecture.
Artist Eric Klarenbeek’s artistic and practical applications
In Amsterdam, Dutch artist Eric Klarenbeek has explored the artistic and practical applications of mycelium-based 3D printing. His method involves mixing ground straw with mycelium to create a filament for 3D printing. Unlike traditional FDM printers, Klarenbeek’s process does not require heat. Instead, the printed straw and mycelium mixture is soaked in water, allowing the mycelium to grow and fuse the material into a solid structure.
Klarenbeek’s creations, such as a mycelium-infused chair, are lightweight and strong, resembling cork in texture. By combining the mycelium mixture with a thin bioplastic shell, he allows the structure to grow and stabilize further. This innovative method demonstrates the potential for creating a wide range of objects, from furniture to entire interiors, using mycelium. The energy efficiency of Klarenbeek’s process is notable, as it eliminates the need for heating during printing. Additionally, the resulting objects are fully compostable, contributing to a circular economy where waste is eliminated, and the continual use of resources is prioritized. Klarenbeek’s work not only highlights the environmental benefits of mycelium-based 3D printing but also showcases its artistic potential, paving the way for future applications in sustainable design.
Future advancements in research
These projects exemplify the diverse applications and benefits of mycelium-based 3D printing. From MyCera’s structural innovations and Blast Studio’s living architecture to Klarenbeek’s artistic approach, we can see how mycelium offers a sustainable alternative to traditional building materials. The potential to create eco-friendly, durable, and versatile structures is immense, addressing critical issues of waste management and CO2 emissions in the construction industry.
As fascinating as the innovations from The Shape Lab, Blast Studio, and Klarenbeek are, they can be even further advanced using recent research. A study titled "Effects of Incorporating Ionic Crosslinking on 3D Printing of Biomass–Fungi Composite Materials” sheds light on the potential of ionic crosslinking (a process where chemical bonds are formed between polymer chains, linking them together to enhance the physical properties) to improve the quality of 3D-printed biomass-fungi composite materials. By using sodium alginate as the hydrogel and calcium chloride as the crosslinking agent, researchers observed significant enhancements in geometric accuracy and reduced height shrinkage of the printed parts. Additionally, the crosslinking process improved the hardness, cohesiveness, and springiness of the material, making it more suitable for applications in packaging, furniture, and construction. This approach demonstrates that integrating ionic crosslinking into biomass-fungi composite materials can address common quality issues in 3D printing, paving the way for the development of new, high-quality, sustainable materials for diverse industrial applications.
As research and development continue, mycelium-based 3D printing could transform sustainable architecture, offering solutions that are not only environmentally friendly but also functional and aesthetically pleasing. The integration of living organisms into building materials opens new avenues for creating structures that support both human and ecological well-being, ushering in a new era of sustainable design.
