|Digital Matter
|Claycelium
Chitosan as the future of water filtration system
|Team
Justin Sheinberg Mert Gönül
|Faculty
Areti Markopoulou, David Andres Leon, Raimund Krenmueller, Nikol Kirova
|Project year
2018-19
Claycelium is a research project with an inter-disciplinary approach, combining areas such as material science, computational design, architecture, agriculture cultivation and robotics. Claycelium began as an idea of creating an all natural, zero or negative emission, building material that could be used in the fields of architecture and agricultural production in urban areas around the world. The objective of the research is to increase the structural properties of clay through means of natural living reinforcement and to use this composite material as a way to create food producing architecture. soil and transfers Co2 to the surrounding plant life.
The research focuses on using mycelium to strengthen clay and create a framework for urban agriculture. It aims to apply experimental parameters in an algorithmic design for an agricultural pavilion, to be built using on-site additive manufacturing.
Utilizing mycelium, the fungal network’s vegetative component, facilitated the objective. This mycelium network acts akin to supportive cables, binding materials together. Through the fusion of mycelium and nutrients to expedite growth within clay, Claycelium emerged. Beyond structural reinforcement, mycelium within Claycelium accelerates plant growth naturally, particularly suitable for urban cultivation. This architectural approach doesn’t imitate nature; rather, it embodies nature itself.
The material research primarily aimed at promoting mycelium growth, its reaction, attraction, and spread. Subsequently, the focus shifted to testing material consistency for additive manufacturing and assessing material compatibility between mycelium and clay. Experimentation involved phases such as growth attraction, substrate, dispersion, viscosity, and cavity. The provided recipes represent successful outcomes from various experiments. The final recipe was selected for its superior performance across all categories.
The prototypes were evaluated for material viscosity, design porosity, mycelium growth algorithm, and mycelium aided designs. To enhance porosity, the team explored concepts such as spatial lattice and environmentally designed openings through additive manufacturing techniques. Unlike conventional layering methods, their approach involved the extruder moving outward, creating cavities to facilitate oxygen flow. This innovative technique notably accelerated mycelium growth within the clay. The algorithm employed focused on creating long, tight crevices to further expedite mycelium growth, providing optimal conditions with moisture, darkness, and warmth.
Claycelium, formed by combining coffee grounds, sawdust, clay, water, and mycelium, has proven to excel in agricultural production and possess enhanced strength compared to standard clay used in construction. Through experiments measuring growth, viscosity, and plant growth, this composite material consistently surpassed expectations. Employing additive manufacturing facilitated the creation of uniform prototypes for structural testing, revealing a 19% improvement in tensile strength due to mycelium infusion. Unlike traditional clay that dissolved within 5 minutes in submersion tests, claycelium exhibited prolonged durability without complete dissolution. Notably, claycelium significantly increased agricultural output, making it an ideal material. It is zero waste, locally sourced, natural, resilient, and high-performing. Beyond its structural properties, claycelium integrates itself into the community as more than just a building material—it becomes a living part of it.
