Philip Ross Molds Fast-Growing Fungi Into Mushroom Building Bricks That Are Stronger than Concrete

Mycologist <a href="http://philross.org/">Philip Ross</a> is seriously into <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/mushrooms/">mushrooms</a>, but not as a food -- instead, he uses fungi as a building material. Beneath the surface of the ground, fungi form a wide network of thin, rootlike fibers called mycelium. That part of the fungus isn't particularly tasty, but Ross discovered that when dried, it can be used to form a super-strong, water-, mold- and fire-resistant building <a href="http://inhabitat.com/materials/">material</a>. The dried mycelium can be grown and formed into just about any shape, and it has a remarkable consistency that makes it stronger, pound for pound, than concrete. The 100% organic and compostable material has even piqued the interest of NYC's MoMa PS1, where the award-winning <a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/hy-fi-tower-made-of-self-assembling-mushroom-root-bricks-rises-at-moma-ps1/" target="_blank">Hy-Fi Mushroom Tower pavilion</a> is currently being built.

We discovered Ross' unique mycelium material at <a href="http://theworkshopresidence.com/">The Workshop Residence</a> in San Francisco's Dogpatch neighborhood during <a href="http://www.aiasf.org/">AIA SF</a>'s month-long <a href="http://www.aiasf.org/programs/architecture-and-the-city/">Architecture and the City</a>festival.

"I want to demonstrate how you can create this kind of fabrication using local agricultural waste," <a href="http://www.foodrepublic.com/2012/08/20/artist-phil-ross-wants-build-your-house-out-mushro">Ross told Food Republic</a> regarding his Workshop Residence furniture.

A variety of different lacquers and finishes can also be applied to the outer layer of the brick to seal it and give it a glossy finish.

The exciting thing about mycelium is that it can be used to build virtually anything.

At the Workshop Residence Ross is erecting a small laboratory in which he will grow mushrooms that will be used to produce a series of chairs and stools.

The lab was still under construction when we visited, but some of Ross' completed works were on display.

In many of Ross' creations he grows the fungus into a brick, which becomes super hard and surprisingly lightweight once it dries.

"It has the potential to be a substitute for many petroleum-based plastics. It’s left the art world and seems to have entered a Science Fiction novel or something like that," explained Ross in <a href="http://glasstire.com/2012/09/08/the-future-is-fungal-interview-with-phil-ross/">a recent interview with Glasstire</a>.

In 2011, Ross applied for a patent for the use of mycelium as an organic building material (the patent is still pending).

Ross isn't just interested in mycelium's potential as a building material, though -- he also uses it as a medium for fine art.

His work has been on display at several at museums around the world, and his work is currently part of the “<a href="http://millergallery.cfa.cmu.edu/exhibitions/intimatescience/" target="_blank">Intimate Science</a>” exhibition, which opens at <a href="http://www.realartways.org/" target="_blank">Real Art Ways</a> in Hartford Connecticut in November.

The fungus can be trained to grow in almost any shape imaginable.

In <a href="http://philross.org/projects/mycotecture/#projects/mycotecture/">Mycotecture</a>, one of his most ambitious structures, Ross grew the fungus Ganoderma lucidum (or Reishi) into bricks at the <a href="http://www.farwestfungi.com/" target="_blank">Far West Fungi</a> mushroom farm in Monterey, California, and stacked them into an arch.

These structures were exhibited at the Kunsthalle Düsseldorf as part of the 2009 Eat Art exhibit.

This structure was grown from the fungus Ganoderma lucidum.

Mushroom bricks stacked atop one another.

Tiny mushrooms sprout from the organic, compostable building material.

These mushroom bricks can even be built into the shape of arches.

The structure is held together using chopsticks.

The mushroom bricks are also edible, although they might not taste very good.