© Zoey Kroening
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https://www.archdaily.com/1029599/growing-matter-s-pavilion-henning-larson-architects
© Zoey Kroening
Text description provided by the architects. In collaboration with Politecnico di Milano, Henning Larsen unveils Growing Matter(s) at Milan Design Week (Via Bonardi 9) – a pavilion exploring bio-based materials and new design aesthetics. This interactive installation showcases the potential of mycelium as a living, evolving building material. The pavilion is composed of 80 mycelium spheres, each uniquely shaped by the material’s natural growth process. Unlike traditional materials such as concrete or steel, mycelium defies uniformity. Its form is shaped by environmental conditions, resulting in textures and imperfections that challenge conventional design standards and celebrate the intelligence of living systems.
© Piercarlo Quecchia
© DSL Studio
A new aesthetic for circular design – The Growing Matter(s) pavilion proposes a new perspective on architectural aesthetics: one that embraces variation, decay, and transformation. The spheres were cultivated using carefully selected organic substrates-including hemp, flour, sugar, and beer dregs-and inoculated with two mycelium strains, Pleurotus Eryngii and Pleurotus Ostreatus. Over several weeks, the mycelium colonized wooden molds. One set of spheres was dried to maintain structural stability, while the other was left alive, allowing the material to evolve naturally.
© Zoey KroeningEvery element of the pavilion reinforces its circular design principles. The mycelium spheres are fully biodegradable, decomposing at the end of their lifecycle. The scaffolding structure, meanwhile, is entirely borrowed, designed for disassembly, and will be reused following Milan Design Week.
© Zoey Kroening
© Zoey Kroening
A journey in bio-based materials – Growing Matter(s) builds on Henning Larsen’s commitment to material innovation. Previous explorations include the 250m2 extension of Feldballe School in Denmark (designed with wood, seagrass, and straw), the timber-constructed BESTSELLER Logistics Centre West in the Netherlands, World of Volvo in Gothenburg, and the Fritz Hansen Pavilion at Copenhagen’s 3daysofdesign.
© DSL Studio