Olivia Zheng, Architectural Design and Fiber , 2025
Project Overview
I am intrigued by the hydrophobic and lightweight properties of mycelium, which make it perfect material for functional and sustainable design. I want to explore the these two characteristics of mycelium by making a daily object, which vase has became perfect choice. By combine a geometry and organic shape, I like to use beaker and growing bag from the lab as the mold of the vase.
Process
Mix hemp with water well in a bag and autoclaved the mixture.
Break some grown Ecovative oyster mushroom and transfer them into a blender.
Blender the mushroom blocks with rice flour juice.
Add blended mixture to the previously autoclaved hemp and mix then well.
Carefully adding mixture to a new bag with a beaker in the center.
Seal the bag with heat.
From the outside of bag, pressing the mixture until it’s firmly and the shape that you want.
Allow the mushroom to grow in the incubator until the bag has grown to desire state .
Remover the beaker from the bag and return the bag to incubator for additional growth to achieve a leathery look of the surface.
Finally, remove the mycelium from bag and bake it.
