For their work with bio-materials, or Bioterials as they call them, redhouse studio and principal architect Christopher Maurer were mentioned in a recent article for EARTHER.com titled The Cities of the Future May be Built of Mushrooms. While maybe not mushrooms per se, redhouse is doing exciting research and projects that use mycelium, the threadlike branching hyphae of fungi (think mushroom roots), to bind together waste organic matter like straw, corn stover, or sawdust. Some commercial manufacturers are already making materials for packaging and textiles (ecovative design and Mycoworks) using mycelium. redhouse looks to incorporate the natural abilities of the bioterials to insulate, provide structure, and resist fire to make whole structures.
Material samples for testing.
Having worked in Africa for number of years in under-served communities redhouse hopes to develop techniques that address food security, water security, and economic opportunity, simultaneously with creating eco-friendly shelter. Mushrooms provide high protein food source with minimal energy and resource input and the waste from growing mushrooms can be used to make shelter and filter water and soil. See redhouse’s BIOSHELTER. They are working with local chef, and fellow fun-guy, Jeremy Umansky of Larder Delicatessen to find palatable outlets of the gourmet mushrooms that are not always prized in the developing world.
Interior of bioshelter.
Their newest project could use your support. In BIOCYCLER, redhouse imagines recycling homes entirely. By grinding up lumber, drywall, and insulation of demolished homes and using it for substrates for bio-binders, redhouse can save material from landfills and create new and green building materials directly on site. See their KICKSTER to learn more.
