Myco Matters

from Ryne Roemer Architectural Design Portfolio

3D Funicular Structure

Spring-Fall 2021

Position: Graduate Research Assistant

In Collaboration with: Professor Jonathan Dessi-Olive & Talisa Hernandez Kansas State University

Myco Matters is a mycelium research lab created by Professor Jonathan Dessi-Olive in Spring 2021. The goal of the lab was to research the architectural and structural potential of mycelium growth, as well as develop techniques of growing mycelium in order to achieve varying structural, acoustical, and aesthetical qualities. The lab was funded through a FDA agricultural research grant, consisting of five professors specializing in: agriculture, robotics, economics, structure, and design.

Professor Dessi-Olive commenced Myco Matters with research assistants: Talisa Hernandez and myself in Spring 2021, with Talisa departing the lab in the Fall. The lab initially focused on the starting points of researching basic growing conditions for mycelium, performing cost analysis of dilutions of spawn material into different substrates, as well as the success of the mycelium. Eventually the lab evolved into researching manipulations within the material fabrication for predictable and varying results.

Acoustical diffusion and absorption prompted us into creating acoustical paneling systems that could be configured in order to scatter acoustical waves multi-directional. Structural qualities led into the fabrication of reinforcement mesh into the growing cycle of the mycelium; our research on the subject being used to teach the Acadia conference in Fall 2021.

Mycelium Fabrications

**Demolding of Mycelium QRD Panel**
Talisa Hernandez

Acadia Confrence: Structural Reinforcement

Research & Confrence

Profesor Jonathan Dessi-Olive

Fall 2021 Acadia Virtual Confrence

As part of our research in mycelium our lab was invited to teach a four day Arcadia seminar. The main focus of our lecture was to teach how to use digital fabrication techniques in order to create custom reinforcement patterns for materials that need tensile support. Those who signed up for our seminar were shipped yarn, slab mold, mycelium spawn and substrate, and the tools to create the structural reinforcement. Using predictive parametric modeling, based off data from prior research, we modeled the expected deformation of the mycelium slab to create optimized reinforcement lines. We then used augmented reality to thread the reinforcement into the mycelium slab mold.