Since its launch in 2007, New York-based Ecovative Design has garnered a lot of attention for creating building and packaging materials with low-carbon footprints by mixing agricultural waste with mushroom-derived mycelium. Instead of ending up in landfills, these materials can be composted and reused as soil nutrient.
Last summer, Ecovative Design applied its cradle-to-cradle process to produce 10,000 organic bricks that were used to build Hy-Fi, a three-tower structure that was installed in the courtyard of the Museum of Modern Art’s PS1 site in Long Island City, N.Y. Ecovative was assisted by architect David Benjamin of The Living design studio (acquired by Autodesk in July), structural engineer Arup, environmental engineer Atelier Ten, and SCAPE Landscape Architecture.
Sam Harrington, Ecovative’s Building Products Manager, says the bricks were made by combining chopped corn stalks with specially formulated mycelium. The mixture was packed into molds—which can be of any shape—where it self-assembled and solidified into a lightweight, low-cost object. The molds, made from reflective plastic supplied by 3M, were used (with bricks inside them) to accent the tops of the towers. The towers were demolished in September, and the bricks were composted.
Harrington says the lifespan of these organic materials, which Ecovative has dubbed “Myco Foam,” is similar to that of softwood. “If untreated Myco Foam (in the shape of a brick, or anything else) is kept dry and clean within a building assembly, it will last indefinitely. If it’s chipped into small bits, and mixed with moisture and active soil biota, it will compost in a few months.”
Harrington says Ecovative Design’s primary focus is to use ag waste to make rigid-board insulation.
Read about more innovations from BD+C's 2014 Great Solutions Report
Related Stories
BIM and Information Technology | Mar 11, 2015
Google plans to use robots, cranes to manipulate modular offices at its new HQ
Its visions of “crabots” accentuate the search-engine giant’s recent fascination with robotics and automation.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Mar 11, 2015
Foster + Partners wins bid for 2022 World Cup centerpiece stadium in Qatar
Norman Foster described the design as “an exciting step forward in stadium design—it will be the first to break the mold of the free-standing suburban concept, and instead anticipates the grid of this future city.”
Architects | Mar 10, 2015
German architect Frei Otto named 2015 Pritzker Architecture Prize laureate
The news comes a day after the visionary architect, 89, died in his native Germany.
Modular Building | Mar 10, 2015
Must see: 57-story modular skyscraper was completed in 19 days
After erecting the mega prefab tower in Changsha, China, modular builder BSB stated, “three floors in a day is China’s new normal.”
Sponsored | Metals | Mar 10, 2015
Metal Building Systems: A Rising Star in the Market
A new report by the Metal Building Manufacturer's Association explains the entity's efforts in refining and extending metal building systems as a construction choice.
Retail Centers | Mar 10, 2015
Retrofit projects give dying malls new purpose
Approximately one-third of the country’s 1,200 enclosed malls are dead or dying. The good news is that a sizable portion of that building stock is being repurposed.
Retail Centers | Mar 10, 2015
Orlando's Skyscraper to be world's tallest roller coaster
The Skyscraper is expected to begin construction later this year, and open in 2016. It will stand at 570 feet.
Museums | Mar 9, 2015
Architecture based on astronomy principles for new planetarium in Shanghai
The ancient Chinese civilization left some of the earliest records of humans studying the stars and skies. To exhibit this long history, a new planetarium and astronomy museum is planned for construction in Shanghai.
Architects | Mar 9, 2015
Study explores why high ceilings are popular
High ceilings give us a sense of freedom, new research finds
Cultural Facilities | Mar 9, 2015
London council nixes plans to rebuild the Crystal Palace
Plans for the new Crystal Palace Park were scrapped when the city and the project's developer could come to an agreement before the 16-month exclusivity contract expired.
