In a laboratory in the Netherlands, Professor Han Wösten presents a seemingly simple sponge-like brick. However, this innovative block, crafted from the root structures of fungi, holds promise for the future of sustainable construction. “In ten years, we should see the first buildings made from fungi,” asserts Wösten, a molecular biologist at Utrecht University.
These materials are not the moldy walls typically associated with fungi; rather, they represent a new category of living materials derived from mycelium, which is the underground, root-like network of fungi that serves as nature”s communication system. Wösten and his research team envision these living materials as potential building blocks for future architecture.
Wösten is part of Fungateria, a research initiative funded by the European Union that unites scientists from multiple countries including Belgium, Denmark, Greece, the Netherlands, Norway, and the UK. Their ambitious objective is to develop engineered living materials (ELMs) that not only exist within the built environment but also interact with it dynamically.
By integrating fungal mycelia with bacteria, the team is working on materials that can grow, self-repair, and even detect environmental changes. For instance, envision insulation that autonomously fills in cracks or walls that can absorb carbon dioxide and purify the surrounding air. “We can already produce leather-like materials or insulation panels from these extensive fungal networks,” Wösten explains. “Our next goal is to cultivate buildings in a controlled manner.”
The foundation of this innovative material is agricultural waste, which nourishes the fungal hyphae—thread-like filaments that constitute the material”s structure. The composite created is not only strong and lightweight but also insulating and importantly, biodegradable. The construction industry currently generates over one-third of the total waste in the European Union, while material extraction and manufacturing contribute a significant percentage to national emissions. Utilizing fungal buildings could significantly mitigate these statistics by decreasing carbon emissions and repurposing existing waste.
Despite some trepidation regarding buildings constructed from living organisms, Professor Phil Ayres, an expert in biohybrid architecture at the Royal Danish Academy, believes this apprehension will dissipate over time. “We have consumed foods with living organisms for centuries,” Ayres points out. “It has only been in the last two decades that we have begun to explore the potential of these organisms in construction.” He advocates for a paradigm shift in architecture, urging a view of materials not as static entities but as dynamic, evolving systems. “All constructions undergo significant changes over time,” he notes. “If we start to perceive buildings more like living organisms, we might foster architecture that is more ecologically integrated.”
To manage the growth of these materials effectively, controlling fungal development is crucial. The most commonly used species, Schizophyllum commune (the splitgill mushroom), thrives on decaying wood. To prevent it from consuming its own structural supports, researchers have implemented two control strategies: adjusting light and temperature and employing specially engineered bacteria from the University of Ghent.
These bacteria provide essential nutrients to the fungus, and their removal or destruction halts growth. Certain bacteria are even designed to release antifungal compounds as an additional precaution.
So far, these fungal materials have demonstrated notable resilience, enduring drought and high temperatures. Given the increasing prevalence of extreme weather patterns globally, this is an encouraging sign. “In the future, I envision complete buildings cultivated where wood serves as the structural framework, with the fungus growing alongside and between the wood,” Wösten states.
As urban areas seek more sustainable, intelligent, and adaptable construction methods, fungal architecture may present a groundbreaking solution: materials that are not merely inspired by nature but are a part of it. The future of construction could indeed be alive.
