Blast Studio, a London-based design Studio, has developed a new 3D printing method that uses mycelium -- the asexual roots of fungi -- to 3D print a "living" architectural column. The biomass structure, called the stump, is more than two metres tall and has been algorithmically designed to provide both strength and the necessary conditions for the mycelium to grow.

Blast Studio co-founder PaolaGarnousset said: "our idea was to create a new kind of multifunctional organic living structure -- one that can both grow mushroom crops and function as a column structure. In the future, we plan to be able to 3D-print a living structure in situ and inoculate it with different varieties of mushrooms, some with high structural resistance and some that are delicious and edible."

The design studio hopes to scale up this unique project and eventually 3D print a large pavilion and entire building so that the urban environment can actually support the people who live in it.

A 3D printed tree stump. Photo from Blast Studios.

How are stumps created?

To 3D print stumps, BlastStudio first minces used coffee cups, boils them, and mixes the pulp with mycelium to create a printable biomaterial. The biomaterials are then fed into a custom extrud-based 3D printer to produce ten individual column modules. When stacked on top of each other, these modules form tree-shaped columns.

Interestingly, the geometry of the structure is generically designed as a series of miniature pockets that capture water. These are areas where the hypha is allowed to grow and expand.

Garnousset explains: "In order for the mycelium to grow well, it needs a humid environment away from airflow, like in the bush where it naturally grows. We were inspired by the shape of cacti, which can successfully grow in the desert by capturing water from the wind and creating shade in their folds."

Fungal growth also benefits from the action of paper cup pulp, which is used as a nutrient source. Over time, the mycelium consumes the chopped paper cups and takes over the posts, at which point it can begin producing edible mushrooms.

Mushrooms that grow on the surface of tree stumps. Photo from Blast Studios.

From food sources to architectural elements

Once the stump has served its purpose as a food source, it can be dried at high temperatures to kill the fungus and solidify the structure into a load-bearing building element. Blast Studio claims that the resulting inactivated biomaterial will be similar in strength to medium-density fiberboard (MDF), while also having insulating and flame retardant properties.

"Due to the elasticity of the material, the column is very light, and it compresses and bends very well, "Garnousset added. In small structures, such as houses and small buildings, concrete can be replaced by mycelium."

Best of all, when the stump reaches the end of its useful life, it can be recycled and simply reprinted. Blast Studios is developing a self-healing version of the structure that still contains living mycelium that can regrow over cracks to cover any external damage. The next step for the design studio is to 3D-print a large tree pavilion by the end of the year, which will be made up of multiple tree stumps.

BlastStudio also created a blue version of the stump that was stained before 3D printing. Photo via Blast Studio.

The design freedom offered by additive manufacturing makes the technology well suited for abstract architectural applications. Just recently, Swedish architects DavidAndreen and Ana Goidea designed and 3d-printed the Meristem wall, a 1.25 x 2.1 x 0.7m structure that integrates several functional features. This includes pipes for electrical wiring and water flow, a complex ventilation network, and a surface structure that has been computationally optimized to enable the walls to serve as a habitat for urban wildlife.

Elsewhere, Sardinian architecture firm MASK Architects recently designed what it claims is the world's first series of modular houses 3D printed in steel in the city of Orani, Sardinia. The project, named Madre Natura or Mother Nature, will be built using a new steel 3D-printed "exoskeleton" building system called EXOSTEEL.