Bio-indicating Matter

This research explores the potential between mycelium structures and bioplastic gel coatings to imbue architectural surfaces with sensing capabilities through color change. Harnessing the hybridization of responsive biomaterial systems, which support carbon-positive frameworks for architectural materials, holds promise for creating bio-intelligent systems that benefit both environmental and human health. Bio-Indicating Matter demonstrates pH-sensing in biomaterial research, exploring how architectural surfaces can serve as interfaces for indoor ecological sensing. Integrating color-changing bioplastics with indoor mycelium wall surfaces enables the detection of water damage and alerts to microbial activity, fostering proactive and intuitive responses to maintain indoor environmental quality.
Expanding on the computational shaping of wall surfaces responsive to the thermodynamics of airflow, these hybrid biomaterial systems can effectively mitigate potential microbial growth on substrates by integrating material properties and surface geometry. The project aims to develop contamination-responsive landscapes within architectural systems, acknowledging the natural presence of microbes in indoor environments while focusing on mitigating harmful factors. It expands design opportunities for user interaction with indoor space dynamics and suggests the deliberate reintegration of natural processes within built environments. This paper offers a framework for shaping architectural biomaterial surfaces while promoting healthier indoor environments and attuning human intuition to intimate ecological processes through shape and color expression.