The Beauty of Mycelium
FEATURED RESEARCH BY CÉVERINE GIRARD & GEORGIE GERRARD
Mycelium-based materials are composed of the vegetative part of a fungus, which acts as a natural glue when mixed with organic particles. Mycelium grows on a wide variety of substrates, such as agricultural waste, and has the potential to convert organic byproducts into new compounds. Once moulded, the natural white texture can be modified, especially in terms of colour, texture and finish. The qualities and properties of mycelium-based materials depend on how they are prepared, fed, grown and treated and on the quality of the mycelium itself. The fungi-based material has been adopted in architecture and design since it is suitable for diverse applications, from acoustic panels to packaging and from textiles to building materials.
Lightweight and relatively inexpensive, the most significant advantage of mycelium is its rapid biodegradability. It takes less than a year to decompose fully under optimal conditions and falls entirely apart beforehand.
The organic composite has a lot of potential. Still, its uneven and unique appearance has an impact that is not always positive in the market: Consumers expect a mass-produced, plastic aesthetic and are not used to products made from living materials.
Would we be able to see the unique beauty of living materials?
Although conscious designers and researchers bring biomimicry and nature engineering as alternatives to petroleum-based materials, consumers expect the same characteristics as synthetic materials. So instead of focusing on the advantages of employing regenerative, eco-friendly, self-sustaining materials that minimise energy use, carbon emissions, waste and pollution, we are still focusing as a consumer society on an alternative that maintains our same lifestyle that causes serious social and environmental impacts.
More regenerative processes and materials have always been available, such as the traditional techniques of the original peoples, where their relationship with nature is not one of exploitation. Hence, the biggest challenge remains not only in developing new materials and processes but in the cultural transformation of our society.
Plural highlighted the work of Céverine Girard and Georgie Gerrard, where the designers showcased the unique beauty of the organic regenerative material with an aesthetic lens and, most importantly, encouraged critical thinking.
Céverine Girard
The designer Céverine Girard researched organic matter; she grew mycelium in moulds and applied surface treatments through experiments. Her material research aimed to improve the surface quality of mycelium composite to obtain high-quality texture by growing, mixing, printing and naturally dyeing the material to make it suitable for commercial use.
Céverine Girard Mycelium research
6 Locations by Georgie Gerrard
Georgie Gerrard
The '6 Locations' project by designer Georgie Gerrard explores the sculptural potential of mycelium.
The designer has always been interested in working with biomaterials, partly due to the pleasure of developing new materials but also the importance of creating regenerative matters that do not impact the environment. With this fascinating and promising material, Georgie developed her own substrate and explored different ingredients.
For the creation of '6 Locations', Georgie focused not only on the versatility of the material and its aesthetics but also on how mycelium manifests itself in different geographical regions.
6 Locations By Georgie Gerrard
6 Locations By Georgie Gerrard
“My project is conceptually based on my ties with family located in different corners of the country and even the other side of the world. My late grandfather was a geologist; I came across hundreds of his film slides from geology field trips and family holidays, in which he relentlessly photographed geological features, rocks, fossils etc. The love of his subject brought me to think about how family can tie you to a place; while each location differs socially, ecologically, and geologically, the material and concept are naturally intertwined. My project ties together the separate locations as one unified body of artefacts, reflecting the way in which they are connected by the mycelium that permeates them”