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Designers join scientists to make living architecture a reality

Summary

Scientists and designers are working together to create buildings made with living organisms like yeast and fungi that can clean the air, detect hazards, and even repair themselves. These living walls work similar to plants, requiring water and nutrients while providing benefits like removing harmful chemicals and improving air quality. This approach combines nature with architecture to create healthier, more sustainable homes and buildings for the future.

Background

Living architecture combines biological organisms with building materials to create structures that improve indoor environments and reduce environmental impact. While concepts like living roofs date back over 1,000 years, modern bioengineering now enables construction with yeast, bacteria, algae, fungi, and other organisms to enhance built spaces.

Objective

This article explores how designers and scientists collaborate to develop living architecture that provides practical benefits such as improved air quality, eco-friendly construction, and self-healing properties while maintaining aesthetic appeal.

Results

Multiple prototypes have been successfully developed including formaldehyde-absorbing yeast tiles, mycelium-based construction materials, DNA fluorescent tiles for hazard detection, and BioKnit dome structures combining textiles with fungal growth for strength and insulation.

Conclusion

Living architecture shows promise for creating healthier, more sustainable buildings, but commercial viability requires continued technological advancement and shifts in consumer preferences to accept non-traditional aesthetic characteristics of biologically integrated structures.
  • Published in:Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
  • Study Type:Feature Article/Review,
  • Source: 10.1073/pnas.2522200122, PMID: 40961142
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