2019
MCU
Mycelium Construction Unit
Object, Materials exploration, Concept
The traditional cinder block is one of the fundamental components to the concept of "structure", so we created a completely biodegradable and sustainable version of this symbolic artifact. We want the MCU to challenge the materials and techniques that we commonly use to construct our environments, and introduce sustainability on the foundational level of planning and creation. As the climate crisis escalates, and as the fractures from industrialized society grow, this piece serves to remind us that we must question the synthetic and embrace the strength of nature.
Mycelium is sometimes described as the root system for mushrooms. Mycelium grows by consuming and decomposing organic matter, developing a dense web of hyphae and binding the substrate into a solid mass. The MCU is made from mycelium grown on a hemp substrate, around an embedded wooden structure for added compressive strength.
↑ The mould filled with inoculated substrate.
It’s strong as hell. Let’s grow.
