Fungus sounds like the last thing you?d want growing on buildings. In fact, when the word “fungus,” is mentioned in the same breath as “buildings,” most of us immediately think of toxic mold growth, which can rapidly ruin entire structures and harm their inhabitants. But there?s quite literally a whole world of fungus out there ? up to 3.8 million species ? and some varieties have an array of beneficial qualities to offer, including the ability to absorb water, resist flames, and even form masses so solid they?re stronger than concrete. All of these things make mycelium (the root-like vegetative part of a fungal colony, usually hidden beneath the soil) the ideal sustainable building material.

Mycologists have transformed fungi into 100-percent organic and compostable bricks, and a company called Ecovative Design has mixed mycelium with agricultural waste to create a natural alternative to polystyrene and plastic packaging. Now, a group of Indian and Italian architects is demonstrating how mycelium can quickly fill in substrate within a wooden framework to create lightweight, recyclable structures perfect for short-term use as disaster shelters and temporary venues for public events.
Indian architecture studio Beetles 3.3 has collaborated with Yassin Arredia Design to create “Shell Mycelium,” an installation in a Fort Kochi courtyard in the Indian state of Kerala. For this project, mycelium spores were implanted into coir pith, and after...