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A Brunel University London student has been exploring how mushrooms can be used to grow robust zero-waste structures as an alternative to conventional building techniques.
In collaboration with environmentally-focused architecture firm Astudio, Aleksi Vesaluoma's Grown Structures, use mycelium (oyster mushroom spawn) mixed with cardboard. The material is then molded into 'mushroom sausages' by packing the mixture into a tubular cotton bandage.
The mushroom sausages are shaped over a mold of the preferred shape and grown over four weeks in a ventilated green house, resulting in a striking structure with potential use at festivals or other events that could be easily biodegraded afterward.
The large quantities of gourmet mushrooms which pop out from the structure can also be picked and eaten, creating a novel architectural surrounding which doubles as a food source. A pop-up restaurant grown from mushrooms, serving mushroom meals, is just one potential idea for the project's future, say the creators.
While a number of designers, artists and companies are also working with mycelium in a range of different ways, Aleksi's artistic and versatile new 'sausage' technique is new to the field and a launch-pad for further developments – enhancing the structure's strength, reshaping into different designs, or building on a smaller scale, for example.
Zero waste, carbon neutral buildings can also be built with clay, stone, or wood, but probably don't taste as good.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Wednesday June 21 2017, @03:42AM (1 child)
Well, I guess it holds true... for some values of "grow".
If the mushrooms would be able to grow in any conditions, with only cardboard (i.e. cellulose) needed... then I guess the humans could never use cardboard.
Fortunately, mushrooms do need some extra condition: humidity, temperature, some need light to get to fruiting stage
(has anyone seen a fruiting mushroom in Sahara [google.com]? No? They do exist [wikipedia.org], though.)
Also, as a festival organizer, would you bear the liability for allergy/asthma attacks cause by mushroom spores [nih.gov]?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 3, Interesting) by MostCynical on Wednesday June 21 2017, @05:14AM
I think the mushrooms are meant to be 'not growing', when used for building... http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/ae/6b/c8/ae6bc86d1a1c664b782bc42a30b6d14a.jpg [pinimg.com]
else you come home after a holiday and find you have a new room or two, possibly not where you want them (over your driveway, on your neighbour's house...)
or you use it as an excuse for your house getting much, much bigger..
http://www.bostonmagazine.com/2007/03/the-house-that-ate-weston/ [bostonmagazine.com]
"I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
(Score: 4, Insightful) by jmorris on Wednesday June 21 2017, @04:23AM
From TFA:
Go look at the photos. Do you see anything actually suitable as a building material? Not decorative bits, actual building material. So why is that line in the article? If he is showing off a viable building material and can't seem to get any interest it might be plausible to at least propose "the power of the materials industry" doesn't like new competition as an explanation. But he ain't got nothing, at least not now. Even if this douche nozzle is really that baked on magic mushrooms or whatever, why is phys.org allowing something that moronic to see print under their masthead?
Since this isn't the first, or even second, dubious article linked from phys.org is it time yet to entertain the notion they ain't all that much into science anymore? Time to put em on the converged list and ignore?
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Fluffeh on Wednesday June 21 2017, @04:28AM (1 child)
I thought this was kind of cool, until I read this - then saw the pictures.
Firstly, anything that takes four weeks to grow is pretty much a non-starter in the really-real world.
Secondly, and possibly more importantly, calling this a "striking structure" is like calling snot "efficiently inspired" or a turd "olfactibly enriching". It looks like a four year old make their first paper mache and toilet paper roll stick figure.
I don't want to talk this down, but I really hope that the others working in this concept of mushroom-cardboard building materials get further, because this is not going to get anywhere.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Wednesday June 21 2017, @05:19AM
+1 x many times! Made my day.
Not going to go any further.
As expected, that cardboard is consumed in the process (by the mushrooms) and flexural/compressive modulus of the mushroom micellium doesn't quite make it proper for a building material.
At the best, you'd stop the mushroom development at some stage and work some chemical/physical magic to transform that micellium into something stronger (I don't know, its mostly carbohydrates, protein and water, lots of water).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday June 21 2017, @04:35AM
Formal attire is required and you will pay a cover charge before you pick the walls. Food is for decorative purposes only and not meant to feed the hungry.
(Score: 2) by cubancigar11 on Wednesday June 21 2017, @06:21AM (1 child)
Am I the only one being reminded of Morrowind [uesp.net]?
(Score: 2) by LoRdTAW on Wednesday June 21 2017, @11:47AM
I was thinking http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/smurfs/images/0/07/Smurf_Village_Comic_Books.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20120417231142 [nocookie.net]
(Score: 2) by inertnet on Wednesday June 21 2017, @09:19AM (2 children)
I bet this guy went to Amsterdam, tried the mushrooms and then got this bright idea.
(Score: 4, Informative) by takyon on Wednesday June 21 2017, @10:17AM
Bright idea, but not a new idea:
Now You Can Buy Gorgeous Furniture Made of Mushrooms [soylentnews.org]
Philip Ross Molds Fast-Growing Fungi Into Mushroom Building Bricks That Are Stronger than Concrete [inhabitat.com]
Mushrooms hold potential for sustainable building materials [phys.org]
Mushroom Based Building Materials Are Here (With Video) [planetsave.com]
Mycelium: The Future of Building with Mushrooms and Organics [buildabroad.org]
The Future of Construction: Mushroom Buildings [interestingengineering.com]
Surprising New Uses for Mushrooms, From Houses to Packaging [nationalgeographic.com]
Making houses out of mushrooms [bbc.com]
Now most of the incarnations of mushrooms as a building material don't grow edible mushrooms out the sides. But they could be used as replacements for bricks, foam, and wood.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday June 21 2017, @10:34AM
... after being inspired by his first encounter with a "mouldy sausage" in one of the backstreets!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday June 21 2017, @11:39AM
The "grey" aliens from the future are actually pale blue it is just it's dark when people see them, our future selves are actually smurfs
(Score: 2) by Grishnakh on Wednesday June 21 2017, @02:20PM
So we're going to be living in mushrooms like the Smurfs in the future?