Student of the University of Brunel (London) Alexy Vesalome together with the architectural company Astudio developed the building material of the future, which was nicknamed “Mushroom Sausage”. It consists of light biodegradable structures, which can also be eaten for food.
The idea to build buildings made of material on a plant mushroom -based material may seem utopian. But this is only at first glance. In fact, this material has many advantages: it is very light, does not require baking in the furnace and has a unique ability to self -assembly.
The structures that are discussed are grown when the mushroom mushroom is mixed with a wet cardboard. Mycelium is the autonomic part of the mushroom (mycelium), consisting of the thinnest fibrous threads that penetrate the surrounding space. It is the mushroom body that consists of. The mushrooms themselves that we see are just a tiny “Iceberg’s top”.
Cardboard in this case is food for mycelium. In the process of assimilation, cardboard turns into small particles. The resulting adhesive plastic mass can then be given various forms, in particular, the form of sausage. The structure is formed within four weeks, gradually compacting and increasing its weight.
Alexy Vesaluom does not give data on the reliability of the building from mushroom sausages. However, an experiment with bricks created according to a similar “mushroom” technology showed that they completely withstand the weight of 50 machines.
The main advantage of the unusual material is the Libra that mushrooms do not die during the assembly of the structure. They continue to grow, and the owner of such a building can regularly harvest. The inventor believes that this may come in handy for restaurants or temporary structures.
Source — Brunel University