Innovative use of mycelium in construction

Abstract The goal of the interdisciplinary study presented in this paper was to identify opportunities for innovative applications of mycelium in construction, including housing construction. This solution is gaining significance due to its sustainability and eco-friendliness. Mycelium can be seen as an innovative alternative to traditional building materials, and can be transformed into permanent structures using mycotecture. In 2023, within the framework of cooperation between researchers from the Warsaw University of Technology and experts from the Łukasiewicz Research Network Institute, an experimental study was conducted and produced interesting results. The study is at the testing stage. The interdisciplinary research team grew to include researchers from the Cracow University of Technology, Eurac Research from Italy and InnoRenew CoE from Slovenia. The methodology of research on mycotecture is a comprehensive process that begins with defining research goals and analyzing the literature. After analyzing existing cases and drawing conclusions, research experiments are designed, which include both laboratory tests and field tests. Field tests of the material produced during the study was linked with the participation of students from the Warsaw University of Technology, who built the Future Pavilion also known as the “We Stand For” initiative, where a prototype mycelium brick was used in the pavilion’s structure.