Joshua English of okom wrks labs is a regenerative materials researcher and designer who has developed the strongest mycelium composite on the planet.
What does this mean, exactly?
Well, it means harnessing the self-replicating wonders of mycelium in order to create 1:1 replacements for materials that have historically led to deforestation.
It means building houses, furniture, boat hulls and even spaceship hulls out of mushroom mycelium instead of the increasingly rare tropical hardwoods, toxic industrial wares, etc. that are currently employed.
Joshua has pioneered a patent-pending mycelium based biocomposite called 'zerø-frm' with structural, load bearing properties…a monumental leap forward in the field, to say the least.
zerø-frm uses low-tech means of creating load-bearing, structural components from 3 simple ingredients: mycelium, hemp hurd, and organic cotton.
I ask Joshua if it is a pie in the sky fantasy to imagine a future where the world is quite literally made out of mycelium - you paddle your mycelium-composite canoe down the canal, disembark and walk up your mycelium dock into your cozy little okom-wrks zerø-frm structural insulated panel derived cabin, and lay down on your mycelium bed to dream of sweet little birds singing in joyful harmony!
Spoiler alert - No, it’s not a fantasy world we’re talking about here, it’s the future of regenerative design.
As Joshua himself states, “Science fiction always drives science."
The potential impact of this kind of revolutionary and truly regenerative building material cannot be overstated.
In this episode we touch upon Joshua's adventures in the world of mycelium-based biocomposite design, the future of regenerative building materials, the need for regional and circular economies, and other key players in the world of mycelium-design including Ecovative and MycoWorks.
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