Project Overview

Architect / Team:
The Living (David Benjamin, New York)
Collaborators:
Ecovative Design (mycelium biomaterial company)
Exhibition:
Young Architects Program 2014, MoMA PS1, New York
Project Type:
Temporary pavilion / Large-scale mycelium architecture

Hy-Fi was the winning proposal of MoMA PS1’s 2014 Young Architects Program.
Built entirely from biodegradable mycelium bricks, the structure represented a radical shift away from industrial construction toward materials that are grown rather than manufactured.
The pavilion demonstrated how biological processes and regenerative systems can shape the future of architectural design.

Material Innovation

Mycelium Bricks

• Developed with Ecovative Design using agricultural waste such as corn stalks
  • Bound together naturally by mycelium (fungal root networks)
  • Provided a lightweight yet structurally expressive module for building

Zero-Waste Production

• Bricks contained no synthetic binders, toxins, or industrial adhesives
  • Fully compostable and biodegradable after use
  • Fabrication relied on low-energy biological growth rather than heat or chemical processing

Circular Construction

• After the exhibition, all materials returned to the soil
• The project produced no architectural waste, modeling a regenerative building cycle
• Showcased how future cities might adopt living materials within circular economies