Growing matter(s) at Milan Design Week

Debuted at Milan Design Week, Growing matter(s) explores the design potential of mycelium, a bio-based material. Made up of 80 unique mycelium spheres—each with its own organic shape and variation—the installation highlights the material’s versatility and the need for a new understanding of design aesthetics.

The spheres were formed using a blend of organic substrates—hemp, flour, sugar, and beer dregs—combined with two mycelium strains, Pleurotus Eryngii and Pleurotus Ostreatus, each selected for their unique properties. Over several weeks, the mycelium colonized wooden molds, shaping the structure from within. While some spheres were dried to ensure stability, others were left active, showcasing the material’s ongoing transformation and responsiveness to factors like humidity.

Every element of the pavilion reinforces its circular design principles. The mycelium spheres are fully biodegradable, decomposing at the end of their lifecycle. The scaffolding structure, meanwhile, is entirely borrowed, and will be reused following Milan Design Week.

If you would like to know more about Growing matter(s), visit the project page.

The pavilion is designed by Henning Larsen in collaboration with Politecnico di Milano’s Material Balance Research Lab, with support from the Ramboll Foundation. Project management and additional sponsorship are provided by RIMOND, while mycelium production is handled by Spore.nl and scaffolding engineering by Di Falco srl.

The pavilion will be open to the public throughout Milan Design Week, from April 7–13, 2025, and one week after, until April 20^th.