Biotechnology, is no longer just the subject of scientists. The science has become an integral part of design. For years, architects and artists have been looking for eco-friendly substitutes for plastics. They reach for natural raw materials, but their resources are limited. It's high time to grow them. Marek Glogowski uses, among other things, the properties of mycelium in his unique designs.
super material, or mycelium
Ongoing research and a growing number of scientific observations show the extraordinary properties of mycelium.Mycelium roots grow incredibly fast, forming a dense network.These organisms are a very strong binder, so they can be a component of natural composites that replace plastic or other materials. They form hard and extremely durable forms. Their structures containing chitin or melamines are very durable polymers.
They are very delicate. When growing, they require a high degree of purity, and must not be infected with other fungi. But once they are created, they offer many possibilities and an interesting visual effect. From mushrooms you can create furniture, lamps and even... bricks. Although they usually seem rather uninvited guests in our houses and apartments, unless they appear in them as a food product, it turns out that they can become a durable and sturdy building material. - Marek Glogowski tells us.
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Such a mushroom, or rather a mushroom composite, also contains no toxic substances. When placed in the right molds, it grows and can be used for packaging, lighting elements and furniture. An additional advantage is that it does not leave any trace in the environment, being one hundred percent biodegradable. Once dried, the material becomes biologically inert and resistant to mold, thanks to the natural coating produced by the mycelium.
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sterile conditions
The ideal material? Why aren't we surrounded by fungi yet? It turns out that working with this kind of material requires a lot of work and precision, and the road to growing it is quite arduous. The creation of each object looks more or less similar, it differs only in the choice of form. The mold is filled with mushroom embryos, and these can be obtained even at the first better supermarket. You can get the material for breeding even from edible, ordinary oyster mushrooms. But once we have the embryos.... At this stage, difficulties arise. Mushrooms need sterile conditions, an ideal temperature and humidity level for them.
From the obtained spores,mycelium shreds are formed, and then the medium for them is prepared in an autoclave, which is a hermetically sealed, heated tank used for chemical processes. At home, for example, you can use a pressure cooker for this, or use the method of boiling. The substrate needed for mycelium growth usually consists of wood shavings or other pieces of wood. The fungus eats them in a certain way and already in its chosen form - such as a lamp or chair - overgrows them, forming a dense network of connections. This process takes about two weeks. Finally, the finished object is dried so that the mycelium does not develop further. We get to the right stage of development, because we don't want the lamp to sprout hats, in which there may be spores, to which some people are allergic. The mycelium itself, on the other hand, is safe," the designer tells igimag.co.uk.
The changing environmental conditions, temperature, but also the choice of species also make each resulting object unique and impossible to imitate! The colors and shades of the grown forms depend on the species of mushroom. The raw and natural look is another advantage for many design enthusiasts, right after the ecological aspect of the material.
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the future of design?
I was at Dutch Design Week in Eindhoven and at the special exhibition of new materials there were a lot of such examples, such as a carpet created from specially controlled grass roots or the use of clay for 3D printing or the use of salt crystals to create a variety of forms. It seems to me that this is part of a worldwide trend and that this is one of the directions in which design will go," Glogowski noted.
The introduction of mushroom composite into larger-scale production has a chance not only for furniture, but also for various types of packaging.
extremely eco-friendly
Someone who decides on this kind of design, however, should like the smell of the forest. Allergic people need not fear - mushroom lamps or stools are safe for them. Perhaps in the future we will all have mushroom lampshades above us and a carpet of grass germs underfoot?
And although Marek is now working on another project, he is constantly exploring the possibilities of using biotechnology in design to make everything around us as environmentally friendly as possible. We look forward to seeing the designer's next ideas.
