Mycelium – Building

MYCELIUM BUILDING

Mycelium is inextricably linked to a sustainable consumer society. This highly energy efficient organism will play a role in various sectors as a binder, packaging, textile or building material. For the Veenweide Atelier, part of Triennial Arcadia, STV developed a protocol in which plant fibers can be glued with mycelium. Important goals are: using fibers from crops from wet cultivation, being able to grow and dry with minimal energy consumption, and everything must be feasible within the operational setting of a livestock farmer. The common method of inoculation involves sterilization and working as sterilely as possible to avoid contamination of the material with other fungi and bacteria. However, this is impossible if this has to be introduced as a new agricultural activity on the farm and that is why STV has mainly focused on developing a protocol where sterile working is not necessary.

The cattail fiber is soaked in a bath with calcium hydroxide, which kills or suppresses the bacteria and fungi. After soaking for a few days, the fiber is removed and poured into a mixing vat. We mix in chopped oyster mushroom foot, an agricultural residual flow from oyster mushroom cultivation. The oyster mushroom base is mycelium and therefore ideal as a starting material for the growth of our mycelium. The whole is mixed well and placed in jute bags and aged between wooden planks for 4 days. Due to the relatively large amount of introduced oyster mushroom mycelium, other fungi do not have a chance. After 4 days the mycelium has grown through all the plant fibers and has become a homogeneous block. This block can be dried and used for an agricultural or construction application to be determined. STV is continuously involved in product development surrounding mycelium, and will continue building material development for Veenweide Atelier, a project from Triennale Arcadia Friesland.