Fungus Among Us is an Eco-Parametric architectural system designed by two enthusiastic architects, Eliana Nigro and Marc-Antoine Chartier-Primeau, as part of the PAACADEMY’s ‘Eco-Parametric Structures’ studio workshop with Arthur Mamou-Mani. A first iteration of this adaptable structure was explored on Kongens Nytorv, the King’s Square, in Copenhagen.
The Eco-Parametric Structures workshop organized by PAACADEMY was held from 2nd March to the 13th April 2021 on an online platform. Studio Mamou-Mani is one of the studio workshops at the PAACADEMY with a focus on combining sustainability with parametric design. The studio with the 6 intriguing sessions lead by London based architect, Arthur Mamou-Mani and his team was articulated on the topic of wooden construction 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.
Click here to register and watch the recordings.
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 aggregate 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.
Stay tuned with us to see more projects in the upcoming days from the PAACADEMY’s Eco-Parametric Structures workshop. Click here to register and watch the recordings.
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
Date: 2nd March until 13th April 2021
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