Mycelium as Samorost by Buřinka
A combination of nature,
strength and beauty
Introducing Samorost – another in a series of innovative projects by building savings bank Burinka (meber of Erste group), which sees mycelium as a huge potential and the future of modern and, above all, sustainable construction.
When you say mushrooms, most of us think of a mushroom in the forest or a stir-fry. But fungi are far more complex organisms, far stronger than most of us think. There are about six million species in the world, and they’re practically everywhere. They are wonderful in all that they can do, and impressive in all that they can be used for, or made into. In our project, we are focusing on the use of mycelium, which, as a system of interwoven filaments, together with organic waste, can create new and unexpected materials. Can you imagine planting a flower in a pot made from mycelium, sitting in a chair or picking up a book from a shelf created by the interwoven fibres of mushrooms? Science fiction? A joke? No, that’s reality.
What is mycelium?
The mycelium is the part of a fungus that remains hidden in its substrate. Here it lives its own life, spreading and connecting and integrating the different parts of its environment with its filaments, called hyphae. It is a system of interwoven fungal filaments that grow through the soil in networks up to tens of kilometres long. The mycelium can be thought of as the roots of a plant, except that roots have only a few centimetres of fibres per cubic centimetre of soil, whereas mycelium has tens or even hundreds of metres.
It grows and expands in its environment, looking for any patch of its substrate from which it can draw energy that it can use in some way. It joins the parts together to create solid formations. It acts as a natural glue.
The first building made of mycelium is growing in the Czech Republic
The SAMOROST House, which is currently under construction in the Czech Republic, demonstrates different ways that mycelium can be used in sustainable construction. The SAMOROST House visually resembles two parasol mushrooms growing in the wild. The mycelium is suitably complemented with other natural materials, especially wood.
Properties of mycelium
Mycelium has one amazing property. When you crush it and put it in a mould, it stays alive. It sticks out its hyphae from the individual parts, which scout around and connect to the hyphae next to them. They recognise each other because they form one organism. The mycelium then grows back together to form an object in the shape determined by the mould. Subsequent drying or heating kills it and stops it from growing any further. You then obtain a finished product ready for further processing (impregnation, dyeing) and use. We want to focus on the use of this material in the construction industry due to its properties such as strength or excellent insulation.
From this natural material, which we first allow to live, grow and strengthen, then crush it and give it a specific shape, we can produce virtually anything. It is also not unrealistic to use it as an ecological alternative in construction. And that is the kind of research we now want to encourage, to get clearer ideas and insights into how mycelium could be used in construction.
We have a long way to go, lots of tests and trials, ideas, successes and missteps. But that’s the way it should be, and with all this we enter into this new project. Follow us and keep your fingers crossed!
To be used in the construction industry, the material needs to be professionally lab tested in areas that are critical to the industry. That’s why we put the mycocomposite through the necessary tests during the summer of 2023.
Bedroom – a place of rest, relaxation and peace
All enhanced by minimalist design, purely natural materials, and a round skylight, which is not only a central source of light, but above all a window to the sky, allowing a view of the drifting clouds and glittering stars.
Designblok 2023
For us, the year 2023 was all about the material. This was the year we set ourselves the goal of introducing mycelium to the general public. A unique experiential exhibition of interior elements made of mycelium helped us achieve our aim – to underline the exceptional properties of mycelium and confirm its use in construction and design.
We were able to present several types of interior accessories:
- Lights and shades
- Coffee table
- Shelved cabinet
- Table and stool collection
- Acoustic panels
- Room divider
The exhibition was also supported by Jitka Nováčková (model, influencer, and campaigner for the environment and sustainability) who introduced this unique material and interior accessories to her followers on social media.
If you missed the exhibition at Vnitroblock, cheer up: you can see the products in the catalogue!
The people of the project
Building savings bank Burinka (meber of Erste group)
Monika Kopřivová, Ondřej Zahořík
Monika: Why do we support this project? Because we like timeless ideas and we are visionaries who want to set trends in modern and sustainable construction. We enjoy working with people who are not afraid of unconventional ideas, who are passionate about them and who can push them further. And we share this enthusiasm and we are giving it a chance to take shape.
AMI Communications
Ivana Čechová, Kristýna Vinopalová, Tomáš Fiala
Tomáš: Together with the team at Buřinka, we like to invent things that at first look like science fiction, but in the end turn into something real. For example, a real 3D printed house or a building material that grows by itself. Unconventional ideas deserve unconventional communication and that is something we enjoy. Our role is not only to convey information about the mycelium to the media and the public, but mainly to spark curiosity and evoke emotions. It worked great for Prvok and Samorost definitely deserves even more attention. This material will literally put you on your… well, on your chair that grew out of mushrooms.
MYMO
Matěj Róth, Jakub Seifert, Kateřina Sýsová, Jiří Vele, Karolína Petřeková a Tomasz Kloza
Matěj: My long-term goal is not to do science for science’s sake. To study lichens in Antarctica and talk about how we will terraform Mars in 200 years – that doesn’t satisfy me. I need to apply my knowledge and skills here and now. Biotechnology is a very underrated field in the Czech Republic and I would like to change that. Fungi are beautiful organisms with enormous potential. I want to build a biotechnology base in our country for design and architecture from mycelium. And that’s why I see a lot of sense in the Samorost project.
National Technical Library
Natálie Budilová, Martina Břeňová
The National Technical Library (NTK) runs National Centre for Information Support of Research, Development, and Innovation (NCIP). This centre’s Corporate Services Department manages thematic ‘information nests’ on current trends, and presents comprehensive information, including research outputs, on sustainable mycelium-based building materials in its new ‘Smart Materials’ information nest. At the same time, NCIP is hosting an exhibition of the SAMOROST project ‘Into the Depths of Fungi’.