When Buildings Begin to Breathe: The Rise of Mycelium Materials

What if Buildings Could Breathe, Heal, and Biodegrade Like Leaves? Welcome to the Mycelium Revolution in Architecture

When we talk about the "buildings of the future," have we ever imagined walls that breathe, ceilings that self-heal, or structures that decompose naturally like fallen leaves when their life cycle ends? This vision is no longer confined to science fiction - it’s becoming a reality, thanks to a remarkable organism found beneath the forest floor: fungi.

In early 2025, a study published in Cell Reports Physical Science unveiled the potential of mycelium - the underground root-like network of fungi responsible for nutrient cycling - as a next-generation building material. By engineering scaffolds made of mycelium, researchers successfully created a structure that remained mechanically stable for over four weeks at 30°C, offering promising evidence for its viability in construction.

This is not just a green fantasy - it’s a radical, interdisciplinary innovation at the intersection of materials science, bioengineering, and climate resilience. Mycelium-based materials can be used for insulation, interior design, and even structural components. Their production process emits almost zero carbon, they are highly moldable, and can be produced locally. Unlike carbon-intensive concrete or steel, mycelium materials can be “grown” and eventually “return to nature,” embodying the core principles of biocircular design.

“We found that mycelium scaffolds are very useful for controlling internal material architecture,” said Chelsea Heveran, assistant professor of engineering at Montana State University and co-author of the study. “We created geometries similar to cortical bone, which could potentially be applied in other forms of structural design in the future.”

This is the exciting frontier of Engineered Living Materials (ELMs) - materials embedded with living cells, capable of self-repair, responsiveness, self-organization, and the formation of complex structures. While already being explored in fields like medicine, sensing, and environmental remediation, their application in architecture signifies not just a material upgrade, but a fundamental rethinking of how we build.

Amid climate change, resource depletion, and urbanization, cities worldwide are searching for more resilient and sustainable architectural solutions. From Amsterdam’s eco-community De Ceuvel, to experimental buildings certified by the Living Building Challenge (LBC) in the U.S., to Singapore’s City in Nature strategy, mycelium and other bio-based materials are being woven into the vocabulary of future architecture. Their low-carbon footprint, ecological compatibility, and biodegradability align seamlessly with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) around circular economy, sustainable cities, and climate action.

Moreover, the rise of mycelium is spurring new social dialogues. Some architects are now collaborating with local agricultural or forestry sectors to cultivate mycelium using organic waste, fostering local circular economies. This approach, dubbed the “localization of materials,” helps reduce emissions from long-distance transport while strengthening community resilience.

Of course, challenges remain: structural durability still needs long-term validation; large-scale applications are scarce; and building codes have yet to adapt. Yet from technological innovation and cultural imagination to policy reform, mycelium is gradually taking root in how we envision the architecture of tomorrow.

Perhaps in the near future, buildings will no longer be lifeless shells but living, evolving organisms, harmonizing with their ecosystems. In that world, we may stop asking how long a house will last - and instead ask how it will grow and adapt alongside the environment.