mycelium-materials
Mycelium-materials research explores how the thread-like fungal networks of mushrooms can be grown and processed into sustainable materials such as packaging, textiles, and building composites. Because fungi share deep ecological and metabolic ties with plants—often forming symbiotic or decomposer relationships in root systems and soil—this field draws heavily on plant science to understand fungal growth substrates, nutrient cycling, and biomaterial properties. Advances here highlight the broader potential of plant-fungal ecosystems as sources of renewable, biodegradable alternatives to conventional materials.
open_in_new WikipediaOpenAlex · 2026-07-16
Researchers used AI-driven design algorithms alongside a living fungus, Ganoderma lucidum, to grow sound-absorbing acoustic panels, shaping both the panel's surface pattern and an internal air channel network that helps the fungus grow. The project shows how digital design and living materials can team up to make functional building materials that are grown rather than manufactured.
A genetic algorithm optimized panel surface patterns for sound diffusion using acoustic simulations of a 6x4x3m room, run through Rhino-Grasshopper and the Pachyderm plug-in.
A separate proximity algorithm designed a 3D-printed biodegradable wood-PLA scaffold that acts as an internal aeration network to boost oxygen flow and fungal growth within the panel.
Two working prototypes were built and grown, a 15x15cm proof-of-concept and a 40x40cm scaled-up panel, using CNC-milled MDF molds, vacuum-formed PET, and Ganoderma lucidum mycelium.
