Henning Larsen, in partnership with Politecnico di Milano, presents Growing matter(s) at Milan Design Week - a pavilion that investigates bio-based materials and innovative design aesthetics. 

As an interactive installation, situated in Via Bonardi 9, this exhibit demonstrates the possibilities of mycelium as a building material that is both living and evolving.

Image © DSL Studio

Made up of 80 spheres of mycelium, the pavilion features a unique shape for each sphere due to the natural growth process of the material. Mycelium, in contrast to conventional materials like concrete or steel, does not conform to uniformity. 

Its shape is determined by environmental factors, leading to textures and flaws that defy traditional design norms and honor the sophistication of biological systems.

Image © DSL Studio

The Growing matter(s) pavilion offers a fresh viewpoint on architectural aesthetics—one that welcomes variation, decay, and transformation.

Using organic substrates such as hemp, flour, sugar, and beer dregs, which were chosen with care, the spheres were cultivated and inoculated with two strains of mycelium: Pleurotus Eryngii and Pleurotus Ostreatus. 

Image © DSL Studio

The wooden molds were colonized by the mycelium over the course of several weeks. To ensure structural stability, one set of spheres was dried while the other was kept alive, permitting the material to evolve naturally.

Each component of the pavilion strengthens its circular design tenets. Mycelium spheres decompose completely at the end of their lifecycle, making them fully biodegradable. Meanwhile, the scaffolding structure is fully borrowed, intended for disassembly, and will be reused after Milan Design Week.

Image © DSL Studio

How do we design with materials that change over time?

Henning Larsen, in partnership with Politecnico di Milano’s Material Balance Research Lab and with support from the Ramboll Foundation, designed the pavilion. 

RIMOND offers project management and extra sponsorship, while Spore.nl manages mycelium production and Di Falco srl handles scaffolding engineering.

Image © DSL Studio

Image © DSL Studio

Image © Studio Laura Elise

Image © Zoey Kroening

Image © Zoey Kroening

Image © Zoey Kroening

Image © Zoey Kroening

Image © Zoey Kroening

Image © Zoey Kroening

Image © Piercarlo Quecchia, DSL Studio

Image © Piercarlo Quecchia, DSL Studio

Image © Piercarlo Quecchia, DSL Studio

During Milan Design Week, from April 7 to April 13, the pavilion is accessible to the public and will continue to be open until April 20.

Project facts

Design: Henning Larsen, in partnership with Politecnico di Milano (Material Balance Research Lab)

Sponsor: Ramboll Foundation

Sponsor and project management: RIMOND

Mycelium production: Spore.nl

Scaffolding engineering: Di Falco srl

Size: 24m2

Year: 2024-2025

The top image in the article © Piercarlo Quecchia, DSL Studio.

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