2023: PHOENIX is a building-scale acoustical retrofitting sculpture made of myco-materials that addresses the issue of short building lifespans and unsustainable landfilling. Comprised of lightweight hanging myco-sheets), Phoenix was designed to improve the acoustics of a large space used for events such as art exhibitions, musical performances and lectures.
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#mycelium #mycology #mycotecture #mycoarchitecture #mycotech #biotechnology #mycodesign #fantasticfungi #biofab #biofabrication #biomaterialresearch #biodesign #acoustic #architecturalacoustics #hangdry #mycosheets
Jonathan Dessi-Olive is a researcher, designer, and Assistant Professor in Department of Architecture at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He is also the director of the MYCO MATTERS LAB, a design and research practice that focuses on applications of fungi-based materials in architectural design and construction.
Jonathan‘s research takes a critical approach to technology while integrating history and theory of architecture, contemporary construction, and computational design.
Recent projects include large-scale biofabrication with mycelium composite materials, large-scale monolithic mycelium structures, computational design methodologies for architectural acoustics, large-scale inflatable tensegrity structures, constructing monolithic structures with emerging bio-materials such as mycelium, and methodologies for thin-shell vault structures in the United States, Europe, and East Africa.
Keen to know more?
Check him out:
⌭ jdovaults.com
⌭ @jdessiolive
⌭ @mycomatterslab
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#fungi #mushrooms #mushroom #nature #mycology #fungus #innovation #naturephotography #science #biology #ecosystem #biodiversity #fungilove #forest #fantasticfungi #naturelovers #mycelium #mushlove #mycophile #champignons #foraging #mushroomspotting #design #macrophotography #forestfloor #magicmushrooms #mushroomart #psychedelic #architecture #mycostoriesmaterials
Join us at NCECA in Salt Lake City! On Thursday, March 27th at 1pm, @mycomatterslab and I are sharing our talk “Biohybrid Fabrication with Ceramics and Fungi.” Think 3D printed clay, growing mycelium, and a wild semester of art and architecture converging. Come see what sprouted!
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#NCECA2025 #Ceramics #ContemporaryCeramics #ClayAndCulture #ClayArt #3DPrintedClay #3dpotter #DigitalCeramics #Mycelium #Biohybrid #Biodesign #SustainableDesign #LivingMaterials
#mycology #mycotecture #mycoarchitecture #mycotech #biotechnology #mycodesign #ExperimentalDesign #CeramicFutures #FutureOfCraft
2023: cyborgs crafting connections. After the myco-sheets had sufficiently grown to be handled, the next step was to locate and install numerous suspension points into each sheet. The position of each point was located with the HoloLens and marked onto the plastic film with a marker. Then, the sheet was lifted off the ground with the wooden brackets previously used to form the sheets. The stitch connection detail was hand-sewn into the sheet using a curved leather-working needle and flax twine. A rigorous pattern of stitches allowed the detail to provide aconnection point on either side of the sheet from a single length of twine. After stitching the connection detail, each sheet was allowed to further grow for a minimum of one week.
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#mycelium #fungi #fantasticfungi #myceliumdesign #biodigital #biodesign #biotechnology #biomaterials #biofabricate #mycomatters #hangdry
2023: Two years ago (at the time of this post) @queencitynerve generously included a story about Phoenix and the work we do at MycoMatters Lab. They even put Lab director @jdessiolive on the cover as a cartoon! We’re still flattered.
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#queencity #charlottenc #mycelium #fungi #mushroomman #mycotecture #biotechnology #biodesign
2023: Phoenix is a building-scale installation that demonstrated we can grow building retrofits that improve the quality and performance of existing buildings. In the production of Phoenix, we demonstrated an integrated computational methodology that included the use of FEA simulation, and AR to validate design and aid assembly.
From our acoustic simulations we observed the potential to leverage these technologies as a means of growing retrofit installations that are specific and customized to the acoustical and aesthetic needs of a space for various situations such as music or speech. Spatial mappings (see image 2) show that in the large room, areas under Phoenix exhibit reduced reverberation time, heightened clarity, and better speech intelligibility, while areas not under the Phoenix suffer from poorer acoustics.
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#mycelium #fungi #myceliumarchitecture #mycotecture #mycoarchitecture #myceliumtechnology #biotechnology #myceliumdesign #myceliumstructures #mycostructure #fantasticfungi #sustainability #sustainabledesign #sustainableart #biomaterials #biodesign #biofabricate #biofabrication #bioarchitecture #bioengineering #acoustic #architecturalacoustics #mycomatters #hangdry #mycosheets
2023: packing formworks with living substrate into a desired shape is common to nearly every form of myco-fabrication. For Phoenix, a single formwork system was reused and reconfigured to make all sixteen myco-sheets. Using one cubic meter of living myco-materials we formed sixteen uniquely shaped sheets, phased over one week. Each sheet was roughly 40mm thick and anywhere between 3.5 and 5 meters long. After packing, and disassembling the formwork, a layer of food-safe film was applied to protect the fungal colony from contamination and aid in trapping moisture and heat. Assuming the materials were already loose and ready to pack, each sheet was formed in under two hours.
Students @cltarchitecture learned and assisted throughout the process. Many of these students were enrolled in the MycoMatters Lab architecture design studio taught by called “How to Grow a House”, which charged students to imagine and execute a complete building system that specified what role mycelium plays within the assembly, and what other materials were needed. Their experience working on Phoenix was a vital means of apprenticeship and learning. Through direct access to an ongoing installation with myco-materials, the architecture students learned that building (with any material) is challenging, but also joyful and rewarding. They gained access to structural analysis, computational design, and digital fabrication tools that helped develop their own projects in the course.
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#mycelium #fungi #myceliumarchitecture #mycotecture #mycoarchitecture #myceliumtechnology #biotechnology #myceliumdesign #myceliumstructures #mycostructure #fantasticfungi #sustainability #sustainabledesign #sustainableart #biomaterials #biodesign #biofabricate #biofabrication #bioarchitecture #bioengineering #acoustic #architecturalacoustics #mycomatters #hangdry #mycosheets
2023: Phoenix was made of 16 myco-sheets with unique shapes, lengths between 3.5m and 5m, and just over 1 cubic meter of living hemp substrate, which we procured from @grow.bio@ecovative . Once assembled, formwork was packed with 40 mm of spawn. Each myco-sheet was grown between two layers of black plastic tarp and a layer of plastic film, which together maintained humidity, blocked light, and provided a protective layer against contamination. The 16 sheets were phased over one week, whereby two or three sheets were formed each day. Any sheet could be formed by in under two hours, and most were produced collaboratively to speed up the process.
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On site @charlotteartleague
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Soundtrack by JDO
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#mycelium #fungi #myceliumarchitecture #mycotecture #mycoarchitecture #myceliumtechnology #biotechnology #myceliumdesign #myceliumstructures #mycostructure #fantasticfungi #sustainability #sustainabledesign #sustainableart #biomaterials #biodesign #biofabricate #biofabrication #bioarchitecture #bioengineering #acoustic #architecturalacoustics #mycomatters #hangdry #mycosheets
2023: the space and tools we had available to produce Phoenix cannot be under appreciated nor understated. @charlotteartleague generously provided space for MycoMatters Lab and their students to cultivate the mycosheets during a 4-month “residency” and exhibited the sculpture for about 6 months following. In late 2022 we started with a huge dusty storage space full of event furniture and construction materials and transformed it (cleaned) into a cultivation space. When we started the space had no power, no lights, and no heat. By early January the space had lights and electricity but not heat (hence the space heaters). The setup was tactical and ever changing as we learned about the challenges and limitations of growing massive amounts of myco-materials.
Other invaluable equipment: the aluminum lighting truss turned hanging apparatus; MacBook Air with iPad extension monitor running parallels and rhino; @thehololens ; @fologm ; a bluetooth speaker; bottle of water; plenty of vinyl gloves and iso alcohol.
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#mycelium #fungi #myceliumarchitecture #mycotecture #mycoarchitecture #myceliumtechnology #biotechnology #myceliumdesign #myceliumstructures #mycostructure #fantasticfungi #sustainability #sustainabledesign #sustainableart #biomaterials #biodesign #biofabricate #biofabrication #bioarchitecture #bioengineering #acoustic #architecturalacoustics #mycomatters #hangdry #mycosheets
2023: each myco-sheet in Phoenix was its own unique size and shape. As a way of addressing the ethical concern of building waste due to temporary molds and formworks, the MycoMatters Lab invented a bespoke forming system that combines a few basic physical elements assisted by an augmented reality overlay using @fologm through @thehololens . The physical formwork kit was designed to be used again and again to form every sheet no matter its size and shape. The kit was composed of wooden brackets, laminated particle board rails, a few clamps, and cmu blocks. To form a sheet for Phoenix, the fabricator would view the configuration of the formwork parts through the HoloLens and proceed to align the parts. The brackets and end pieces were held in place by concrete masonry unit (CMU) blocks, and the splines were held to the brackets with a dab of hot glue. Once this was complete the formwork could be completely cleaned with 70% ISO alcohol and ready ti be packed with living fungal materials.
Students @cltarchitecture learned and assisted with every step of the process: from cultivation, to sheet forming, to sheet bending, to final installation.
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Additional support from @clt_coaa and @charlotteartleague .
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#mycelium #fungi #myceliumarchitecture #mycotecture #mycoarchitecture #myceliumtechnology #biotechnology #myceliumdesign #myceliumstructures #mycostructure #fantasticfungi #sustainability #sustainabledesign #sustainableart #biomaterials #biodesign #biofabricate #biofabrication #bioarchitecture #bioengineering #acoustic #architecturalacoustics #mycomatters #hangdry #mycosheets
2023: the myco-sheets that make up Phoenix were flat-formed and cultivated on the floor in non-rectangular forms using a reusable formwork made of wooden brackets and flexible splines. An improvement upon previous prototypes was the access to a HoloLens headset with @fologm , which offered numerous advantages including freeing up the fabricator’s hands and increasing in accuracy.
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On site @charlotteartleague
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Soundtrack by JDO
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#mycelium #fungi #myceliumarchitecture #mycotecture #mycoarchitecture #myceliumtechnology #biotechnology #myceliumdesign #myceliumstructures #mycostructure #fantasticfungi #sustainability #sustainabledesign #sustainableart #biomaterials #biodesign #biofabricate #biofabrication #bioarchitecture #bioengineering #acoustic #architecturalacoustics #mycomatters #hangdry #mycosheets
2023: PHOENIX is hanging acoustical sculpture made entirely out mycelium composite materials. Composed of 16 meandering myco-sheets, each with their own unique length and shape. The interplay of layers in Phoenix creates a playful dance of light and shadow, while the use of fungi-based materials permeates the space with a soft and ethereal ambiance, elevating and softening the acoustics.
Phoenix demonstrates a novel fabrication technique developed by the MycoMatters Lab that introduces expressive three-dimensional curvatures into flat myco-material sheets by hanging them from precise support points, bending them while alive and gelatinous, and drying them in place. The technique
is advantageous because it permits myco-materials to take forms otherwise inefficient or not possible using casting or formwork-based approaches. Each sheet was hand crafted, cultivated, and shaped with the guidance of an augmented reality (AR) headset with @fologm , which helped translate complex digitally-generated geometries into physical materials without the need for arduous measuring.
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Project Team: Omid Oliyan @omidstrace , Jonathan Dessi-Olive @jdessiolive , Rebecca Buntrock @boxytron , Nat Oppenheimer @oppenheimer.nat , Namita Modi @nmodi333 , and Dennis Wedlick @denniswedlick .
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MYCOMATTERS LAB Assistants: Bryan Campbell, Nirvana Kimiyaie @nirvanakimiyaie , and Kimari Parker.
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Installed @charlotteartleague
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Cultivated using our trusty favorite living material from @ecovative@grow.bio
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#mycelium #fungi #myceliumarchitecture #mycotecture #mycoarchitecture #myceliumtechnology #mycotechnology #myceliumdesign #mycodesign #myceliumart #mycoart #myceliumstructures #mycostructure #mycofabrication #fantasticfungi #sustainabledesign #sustainableart #biomaterials #biofab #biofabricate #biofabrication #bioarchitecture #bioengineering #mycomatters #hangdry #mycosheets
