Open Lab Abend: Growing Architecture – Co-Designing with Fungi

In this workshop, we dive into the interconnected world of fungi and their mycelium. Together with architects Dimitra Almpani-Lekka and Natalija Miodragović, we explore the properties and behaviours of mycelium in nature and architecture, to speculate about future relations and applications: Could the buildings of tomorrow be grown in collaboration with plants and fungi? Can fungi help us build life-supporting networks in the cities to maintain natural resources and the local biodiversity? How can co-designing and co-habiting with a living organism transform our experience of future architecture and our relationships with other species?

Natalija Miodragović and Dimitra Almpani-Lekka are researching architects who within the framework of "Matters of Activity" experiment with fungal material systems in the architectural context. The research is supported by the Biomaterials Lab of the Applied and Molecular Microbiology department of TU Berlin.

Cooperation

CollActive Materials is an experimental laboratory of the Berlin Clusters of Excellence »Matters of Activity« (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin) and »Science of Intelligence« (Technische Universität Berlin), funded by the Berlin University Alliance. The aim of the project is to develop Speculative Design as a new approach for knowledge exchange between research, society, and design, thus making joint encounters possible on equal footing.

As an experimental, transdisciplinary project, CollActive Materials brings material everyday practices from diverse social contexts into open conversation with approaches in research.

Workshop instructors

Science communicators Antje Nestler and Kristin Werner are connecting science and society at the research cluster Matters of Activity. Within the co-design project CollActive Materials, they explore how people from research and society can engage in conversation through speculative design. Their colleagues Eva Bullermann and Julia Blumenthal support them in this endeavor.

Natalija Miodragović and Dimitra Almpani-Lekka are a researching architects within the Matters of Activity framework. They experiment with the use of fiber and fungi-based composite materials in the architectural context, especially in public places.

Credits photo: Myko.Plektonik - An Exploration of Fungal Growth on Structural Textiles. Copyright: Natalija Miodragović & Dimitra Almpani-Lekka, »Plektonik« group, Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«. Assisted by MA Student Andrija Mihailovic. Supported by the Department of Applied and Molecular Microbiology at TU Berlin.

Information

• Venue: Workshop Futurium Lab (-1)
  
• Admission: Free of Charge
  
• Event language: English
• Maximum number of participants: 30
  
• Conditions of participation: no prior knowledge required
• Age recommendation: from 14 years and older
• The workshops in the series are independent of each other and can be attended individually

Accessibility

• We are a wheelchair accessible venue.
• Spaces without seating are available for wheelchair users.
• An induction loop system is available.
  
• People with visual impairments are welcome. We will request guide dog assistance if you need it.

The future is for everyone! The Futurium wants to be accessible to everyone.

If there are any other access needs on your part, please feel free to let us know. We will try to meet them: info@futurium.de

All information on accessibility can be found here.

Photo & Video

Photos will be taken during the event. If you don’t wish to be pictured, please let us know in advance.

Tickets

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Due to the limited number of seats, only one ticket can be booked per person.