Seoul – Researchers at ETH Zurich and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology are testing a novel building material made from the root network of mushrooms. A structure made from this is currently on display at the Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism.

Resources for conventional building materials are finite. In some regions, only a small amount of sand – an important component of concrete – is available, and reinforced concrete is making many countries dependent on imports. 

These are just a couple of reasons why researchers at the Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Zurich are testing a sustainable building material that can regrow.

The main component of their building material is mycelium, the root network of mushrooms. Mycelium is a fast-growing, fine matrix of thread-like cells. The researchers mix it with plant-based waste products, such as sawdust, allowing it to be poured into almost any shape or form. There, it is compressed for a few days, after which it is dried to prevent further growth and kill the mushrooms. 

The resulting lightweight blocks are good for insulation. To increase their compressive and tensile strength, the researchers use methods from graphic statics, allowing them to design geometric forms and the internal flow of forces in a targeted manner. 

“Regenerative building materials have the potential to replace conventional materials in many architectural structures,” Dirk E. Hebel from KIT said in a statement.

The researchers have now built a structure out of mycelium and bamboo to demonstrate how society can move away from mining construction materials to cultivating them for urban growth, according to ETH Zurich. The structure is currently on display at the Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism in Korea until 5 November.