MYCOLab Ai Logo - gold and army green

Challenges and Opportunities in Scaling up Architectural Applications of Mycelium-Based Materials with Digital Fabrication

Summary

Mycelium, the root structure of fungi, can be grown with agricultural waste to create building materials that are environmentally friendly and biodegradable. While these materials show promise for insulation and non-structural uses, scaling them up for large buildings faces challenges including lower strength compared to traditional materials and lack of standardized production methods. The paper reviews various fabrication techniques and existing projects to suggest how digital design and advanced manufacturing could help overcome these barriers.

Background

The construction industry contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and waste through linear production models. Mycelium-based materials offer renewable alternatives that use organic agricultural and industrial waste as key ingredients, presenting potential for circular economy approaches in construction.

Objective

This review examines recent developments in mycelium-based materials across disciplines with focus on digital fabrication techniques. The goal is to identify key challenges in scaling up mycelium applications as load-bearing structural elements in architecture and propose opportunities for future research.

Results

The review identifies two primary mycelium material typologies and multiple fabrication approaches. Most project-scale implementations use mycelium-bound composites grown in molds with prefabrication techniques. Key challenges include low mechanical properties, lack of production standardization, patent monopolies hindering knowledge distribution, and limited large-scale structural applications.

Conclusion

Mycelium-based materials show significant potential for circular construction but face barriers to scaling. Future advancement requires integrating structurally-informed computational design with appropriate digital fabrication techniques, standardizing production methods, and coupling material selection with relevant construction approaches.
  • Published in:Biomimetics (Basel),
  • Study Type:Review,
  • Source: 35466261
Scroll to Top