Fungal Mycelium on Plant Fibers

Dimitra Almpani-Lekka, Natalija Miodragović, and collaborators Exzellenzcluster Matters of Activity Futurium May-August 2024

Research Insight

The project »Myko.Plektonik« investigates how fungal mycelium could be used as a raw material in architecture. Architects Dimitra Almpani-Lekka and Natalija Miodragović are experimenting with various plant tissues as a basis for growth. These special yarns (»Plectonic«) are mixed with wood fibers and woven using KemafilⓇ technology. KemafilⓇ is a sheathing process for fibers developed by the Saxon Textile Research Institute.
Dimitra and Natalija use a fungus called Fomes fomentarius (tinder fungus), which grows naturally on weakened deciduous trees. The fungus is undemanding in terms of its growing conditions and has useful properties for buildings. For example, it helps regulate sound, humidity, and temperature. Dimitra and Natalija are also investigating how fungi and plants can purify soil and water.

The project aims to show how other living beings can change the way in which we live. We can learn from them and work with them to make our environment sustainable. The project balances work in the laboratory and the needs of industry, and similarly the needs of fungi and those of architects. Special thanks go out to Prof. Vera Meyer’s team at TU Berlin for their support in the laboratory and in researching Fomes fomentarius.

Researchers:

Natalija Miodragović & Dimitra Almpani-Lekka, with the support of Prof. Vera Meyer and the Applied and Molecular Microbiology Department of TU Berlin.

Structural textiles: Natalija Miodragović, Nelli Singer, Daniel Suarez

Accompanying project: Object Space Agency  Myko.Plektonik

Collaboratively developed scenarios and prototypes

© 2025 CollActive Materials