Master's in Design for Emergent Futures: Research, Design Experiments, & Interventions

DIY
Mycelium
GrowLab
JANUARY 2021 | TERM 2
Keeping your workspace sterile and organized is key to working with
mycelium. The substrates can get easily contaminated by other
bacteria and molds and wil weaken or choke out the desired fungi
species. In my previous experiments, I was working with substrate
that I ordered from the Netherlands. This substrate is known to
grown fast and have low risk of contamination, but I wanted to shift
to using local waste products as substrate for growing mycelium and
localize my production. Because I am based in Barcelona, I identified
some local mushroom growers and spore and grain spawn suppliers
in Catalonia. Next, i set forth creating DIY laboratory space in my
apartment. Unfortunately my space was limited and my air unfiltered
but I made do with some easily accessible and affordable equipment.
My simple and storeable set up allowed me to sterilize, innoculate
and grow Reishi mycelium on a variety of different substrates,
monitor their growth, and grow them into natural fabric (as opposed
to polystyrene) molds.
38 DESIGN EXPERIMENTS & INTERVENTIONS