Unfolding into a playful, ever-growing network of friendly mushroom like objects, Fungus Among Us can be inhabited in multiple ways. These shapes take the form of giant umbrellas, collective sun-bathing lounge chairs, or performing stages set in the city fabric. The wooden structures, composed of bended slats shaped using a simple steaming technique, transforms the urban hardscape into a soft and organic playground inspired by nature.
The intriguing silhouettes vary in scale, some convex, others concave, they invite to retreat from the city buzz, to gather under a graceful wooden canopy, or to simply take a stroll through the multiple paths of this abstract forest.
Why mushrooms? The fungi’s universe fascinates us both at the microscopic level and the macro. As a highly sophisticated natural network, its capacity to interconnect living organisms at the scale of entire forests is astonishing. As a simple, well-recognizable shape, mushrooms are an elegantly engineered reproductive system that aggregates in endless variations, providing the ground to imagine intricate spatial experiences that can operate at multiple scales.
Build as a growth system, Fungus Among Us populates a given site informed by surrounding points of interests, its soft data. Much like a plant seeks sunlight, these structures are shaped by the cultural and social opportunities surrounding them in an organic way, following simple mathematical rules, yet generating intricate shapes and highly versatile clusters.
Based on the striking patterns of mushroom gills, simple twisting and splicing of modular wooden segments provide a sturdy structure without resorting to distinct supporting elements. The continuous curved lamellas render a soft feel, introducing a natural and delicate quality to the urban space, with ever-changing effects of light and shadows.
Special thanks to Aleksandre Andghuladze for help on visualizations, and to Pedro Santiago, Philippe Grasset and Vincent Dellac for support on research.
Arthur Mamou – Mani and his team from Mamou-Mani led 6 intriguing sessions with PAACADEMY’s ‘Eco-Parametric Structures studio workshop on creating an ecological solution through computational design methods. The session focused on developing a parametric, modular and environmentally conscious system in an online studio through interactive workshops and discussions.
Credits:
Studio workshop by PAACADEMY
Studio title: Eco-Parametric Structures
Lead by: Arthur Mamou-Mani and his team
Project name: Fungus Among Us
Students: Eliana Nigro and Marc-Antoine Chartier-Primeau
