Abstract

Growing architectural shelters by manipulating plant growth is not a new design strategy. It is easy to find many examples in traditional architecture or arborsculpture and tree shaping. However there are more sophisticated ways of programming matter to grow 100% organic and disposable architectural devices or usable structures, not only generating cero waste, but also nutrients for the environment. This work explores the possibilities of a material developed by Ecovative Design, which is actually being used for insulating and packaging purposes, to generate usable structures and shelters shifting its scale and slightly modifying its composition. Two different prototypes are designed and fabricated. The first one is a modular component whose topology and geometry can be modified to get more complex structures by aggregation. The geometries of this structures are tested using Ecotect to determine their behavior in terms of solar acces, lighting and thermal insulation. The second one is a thermal insulating structural wall prototype meant to build 100% disposable organic architectural shelters.