Kingdom Fungi capabilities as materials for design

Abstract

Background: Living organisms such as algae, bacteria, and fungi are used to construct novel materials that offer possibilities for innovation. The article aims to explore mycelial growth and analyze the necessary conditions for its development and durability showing its visual potential as a material to be included in a design project. We have explored the aesthetic and metabolic opportunities of the Fungi Kingdom for the design and production of new materials. Methods: Taking the processes that are commonly implemented in biology and by adopting them into design processes, we grow filamentous fungi and isolate them in pieces designed to show and guarantee their natural development, exposing themselves to stress variables such as temperature, humidity, and substrate, among others. Results: Perpetuity is evident after nine years of cultivation; the colonies remain in the container preserving their morphological character and the pigmentation presented from the beginning of incubation with a slight variation in the saturation of the colors. Conclusions: Depending on the species of fungi used and the stimuli applied by the designer, a wide variety of textures, shapes, and colors can be propitiated, generating new product languages and artifacts where their aesthetic qualities are maintained over time.