Date of Submission
Spring 5-9-2023
Degree Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Architecture
Department
Architecture
Committee Chair/First Advisor
Michael Carroll
Abstract
How can we utilize the bio-materials, Mycelium and Bamboo, in architectural design?
Our everyday usage of materials consists of synthetic polymers that do more harm to our environment and our well-being. Consequently, increasing CO2 emissions, harmful toxins, and long-term pollution. We must strive to find alternatives, such as using mycelium, a natural polymers, to raise social awareness, benefit our well-being and develop applications to create a circular economy to eliminate waste. This thesis proposes a framework system using natural polymers to reimage our everyday materials and offer a sustainable alternative. Developing an architectural guide accessible for individuals without prior knowledge of construction. The guide would include feasible techniques and locally sourced components that generate innovative solutions. This material study will be multidisciplinary research on two natural polymers, Mycelium and Bamboo. For this reason, Mycelium is excellent for its performance in compression deploying into a Bamboo structure frame, as bamboo is great in tensile structures. Thus, promising a new bio-degradable architectural paradigm shift in which we use mycelium to literally grow materials instead of traditional, industrial and energy-laden processes in the manufacture of materials.