This workshop aims to provide a seamless connection between research on innovative mycelium materials and a bioregional, sustainable approach to design, using renewable materials that could be integrated in circular processes.
The workshop will cover the basics of fungal biology, explore foraging of fungal strains in a natural environment, introduce the process of mycoremediation, and illustrate the practical steps to cultivate mycelium materials for design and construction applications. Several case studies will support the theoretical and practical sessions, demonstrating successful implementations of fungal materials. The workshop will also offer to delve into the concept of design terroir, traditionally associated with food, and applied here to the production of living materials. This approach emphasizes the bioregional characteristics of local environments—climate, geography, culture, and available materials—in shaping design and construction, and offers a rich and creative potential for sustainable design.
The workshop’s culmination will be a collaborative design project, where participants will apply the concepts and methods introduced to develop a design and construction scenario. Attendees will work in teams to brainstorm, design, and present visions for sustainable material systems that are both innovative and ecologically responsible. The scenarios will highlight the potential applications of fungal materials and foster a community of practitioners committed to sustainable design and construction.
This hands-on, interdisciplinary event is for architects, urban planners, designers, and anyone interested in the future of sustainable material systems. Through this workshop, participants will gain the skills and inspiration to pioneer new directions in architecture and urban planning, grounded in ecological stewardship and cultural innovation.
Team: A. Rossi (EDEK), N. Nolte (EDEK), E. Ozdemir (EDEK), A. Rigobello (DKA), C. Colmo (DKA).
Period: September 14th – 15th, 2024.
Illustration credit: EDEK.