The installation includes bulk materials made from mycelium — the root network of fungi — as well as leather produced by microbes, genetically engineered to self-pigment. It showcases both finished materials and those still in formation, responding to and interacting with their environment, while creating new biological niches. These materials span size and scales, from the molecular to architectural.

The installation envisions the future architectural potential of these materials, moving beyond the biomorphic clichés of biomimetic forms which mimic biochemical processes. Instead, it prototypes a new biological craft, with a formal architectural language derived from computational parametric design. This approach integrates densities of different materials, tailored to their forms and scales of production.

The exhibition also features experimental materials still in development. These include bacterial-produced cement within novel casing vessels, cellulose formed by microbes into complex emergent shapes, and a bacteria-based latex material coated with bacterial spores that change shape in response to humidity. Others include biologically active ceramics, embedded with good bacteria that are beneficial for the health of humans and the buildings they live in. These innovations evoke a future where buildings self-construct using both hard and soft tissues and remain dynamically alive to their environment.

The experiments presented in this exhibition are the result of unique collaborations between molecular and microbiologists, material scientists, designers, and architects. This work has been supported by UK Research and Innovation, including funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), University College London, and Northumbria University.