From mushroom spores to modern structures w/Dr. Mercedes Garcia Holguera
Mushroom bricks sound like something out of science fiction, but they are more than just a fantasy, they're a biomimetic masterpiece. Biodegradable, eco-friendly, non-toxic, waterproof, fire resistant, and grown from mycelium. Outside of construction, it's being used as packaging, replacing styrofoam and polyurethane; in fashion it's a substitute for leather; in acoustic treatment as an alternative to cork or foam. Dr. Mercedes Garcia Holguera, Assistant Professor of Architecture at the University of Manitoba breaks down the science of mushroom bricks and how we can use them to stack the future of construction in our favour.
Read MoreBioplanning a greener future/Dror Benshetrit
Urban planning is a negotiation between the bold dreams of the built environment and the delicate balance of the natural one. Urban growth is exploding: by 2060, the global building footprint is projected to double. But instead of wreaking havoc on biodiversity with every new development, interdisciplinary artist Dror Benshetrit of Supernature Labs has a greener idea: bioplanning. An approach rooted in nature, bioplanning is the idea that maybe humans don’t have it all figured out. It’s the concept that Mother Nature is a brilliant urban planner and she’s happy to share the IP when it comes to efficiency and conservation. So, who are the brave souls ready and willing to take one big leaf forward?
Read MoreTeaching old wood new tricks w/ Eric Law
Wood isn’t what it used to be. Virgin lumber is generally less dense and grown faster than wood that was harvested from natural old growth forests. But logging what’s left of those old growth forests isn’t a sustainable option, so why not reclaim old lumber when buildings are torn down? Until now that process was labour intensive and expensive, but Eric Law and Urban Machine have developed robots that are making reclaimed lumber into the building material of choice, and that might just change the way we build new buildings entirely.
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