Underground

Underground is located at Persiaran Tropicana which is a place for plant lovers Unlike most of the plants that only serve as a décor, mushrooms are mysterious growing fungi that has various kind of nutrients which benefits the human body

It is said to be anti-cancerous for humans and has unique umami flavour when added to a cuisine It is a saprophyte that helps to get rid of dead organisms and maintain the life natural cycle However, this incredible plant is fragile and rots easily Underground is a mushroom cultivation ‘cave’ It provides its neighbours to get mushrooms easily and first-hand Other products like dried mushrooms and mushroom powder can also be found here

Products

Excellent antioxidants and flavor is not only concentrated but also created.

Healthy alternative of MSG unlocks the fifth taste of your cuisine.

Self-harvesting the freshest mushrooms yourself!

Types of Mushroom

Shiitake Mushroom

2-7 days until harvest

Harvest while cap is still closed/5cm in dia.

Fruit every 5 weeks for 4-6years on logs

3-5 flushes on grain/sawdust

Hardwoods (maple, beech, ironwood)

Best on oak: 7.6-15.2cm (dia.), 91-122cm (long)

Paddy Straw Mushroom

RH 80-90%

7-14 days until harvest

3-5 flushes

Best on paddy straws

Cassava waste and palm oil waste

Oyster Mushroom

10-30 ˚C

10-12 days until harvest

3-4 flushes

Best on straws

Ground coffee, sawdust, cardboard, sugarcane bagasse, coco coir and cotton waste

Substrate

Materials

Site Response

Surrounding

Provide nutritious food to the neighbourhood and use materials that are recyclable and environment-friendly.

Vegetation

Embracing trees inside the building.

Accessibility

Open a pathway to the West side of the building for the people in the condominium to access a lot more conveniently.

Dimension of Site

Create a functional yet spacious space in the limited area.

Sun Path

Openings are designed to block the excessive sunlight and the balcony is located so that it can get enough sunlight for drying mushrooms.

View to Site

Having a balcony facing the North and the South which is not blocked by the contour or other buildings.

Contour

The entrance has stairs for people to experience a short jungle trekking to a different space.

Log Cultivation

Drill holes 1015cm apart Fresh Wood Hammer inoculator wooden dowels into the log

Wax to seal (prevent dowels from drying and insects)

Soak log into water for 24h to initiate fruiting

Place log vertically to allow pinning of mushrooms

Log cultivation (can produce up to several years)

Break spawn bottle and clean it with cotton

Mix spawn with substrate

Poly Tubing (can produce 2-3 flushes)

Mushroom Bedding

Polythene Cover

Pasteurised Straw

Pasteurised Straw (conserve water)

Wood Chip

Spawn

Pasteurised Straw

Spawn & Pulse Powder Spawn

Pasteurised Straw

Wood Chip

Cardboard

This project aims to achieve a self-sustainable and environment-friendly design. It embraces low-tech like having a mining elevator that runs manually and pulley systems for the polytubes which we grow mushrooms on. There is a for people the draw water more easily and conveniently on the first floor. Incorporating low-tech into the design fascinatingly gives a unique aesthetic aspect to the building.

Underground is mostly enclosed without a lot of openings to simulate the natural habitat of mushrooms However, it also values breathing and unrestrained spaces

The whole building is connected by having courtyards and open spaces in between, letting people connect to the surroundings and appreciate the openness of the building

Trees became one of the important aspects for Underground

The materials chosen for this building are mainly reusable, recyclable and environmentally friendly, which somehow gives the building its own antique and natural look. Thick clay walls and superadobe construction also contribute to the insulation and temperature control of the space. Recycled glass bottle and glass blocks are placed inside the thick clay wall to let subtle light penetrates into the space, just enough to illuminate the space.

The special thing about Underground is that it has a sky well, giving it a shine of light in the middle of darkness. The sky well symbolizes the connection with nature, offering a sense of serenity and calmness. During rain, the water gathers down to the water well in the middle of the dark space and creates a beautiful scene whilst hearing the soothing sound of the gushing water. The water well not only gives the building an interesting characteristic but also contributes to cool down the whole building

The 4m deep water well contributes as the main cooling system of the whole building as mushrooms need to be grown at a relatively lower temperature People can go down the water well using the stairs spiraling down, not only to draw water but also gives another extraordinary experience for the visitors.

Exploring various kinds of water collecting systems and finding out which is the most suitable one for Underground

The final decision was made based on considerations such as space planning, limited area, workability, and human experience

The columns in the greenhouse imitate the random arrangement of the natural growing mushrooms It creates the fascinating feeling of going through a mysterious labyrinth

The water well reflects lights coming through the sky well which creates a shimmering and beautiful gleam on the water surface The entrance to the space also lets light shines into the dark space, giving it a serene and remarkable sight Seating is provided to allow visitors to chill inside the space

Underground compromises different mushroom cultivation methods. There are mushroom bedding, wall culture, poly tubing, and log cultivation. There are specific areas in the building for each of the methods and each creates a different experience for the visitors. Not only people can admire the mysterious mushrooms, but they can also have a new understanding of mushrooms and change their perceptions about mushrooms as boring plants

A stone path leads the way to the toilet and courtyard at the back of the building. The toilet view is intentionally facing the semiprivate courtyard to let visitors enjoy the nature and peaceful scenery.

This shows the first apparent space towards the building. Visitors or staff can use the antiquelooking elevator to reach the first floor. The texturized wall enables climbing plants to mount onto it. Trees are also planted in this space to guide visitors into the space indirectly.