Developed over five years by Sydney designer Caity Duffus, Mycelia House is a home cultivation system that includes a 3D-printed terracotta vessel for growing oyster mushrooms.
Earlier this month, Caity spoke at ‘Sensing Technologies’, a Sydney Design Week event hosted by Powerhouse Museum at the Advanced Manufacturing Readiness Facility in Bradfield, curated by Keinton Butler, Industrial Design Xchange (IDX) and Ed Ko.
She shared her experiences with ceramic 3D printing as both a prototyping and production method, through the lens of Mycelia House as a case study.
“I feel incredibly lucky to be have been part of the Carl Nielsen Accelerator Program with the Powerhouse Museum. This experience really accelerated the development of my project, and provided me with the resources and tools to create my own studio practice, purchasing my own ceramic 3D printer, which has given me the ability to both prototype and now go into production on a smaller scale,” says Caity.
“I use an extrusion printer that works by extruding clay, layer upon layer. The build plate moves around the x and z axis and the syringe with clay moves vertically up the y axis. I have a 3D PotterBot Micro 10, which uses a mechanical ram. It’s an entry level desktop printer, and sits within my studio on a desk.”
For the project, Caity also had to learn about mushrooms and how they grow.
“I’ve reached out to a lot of people in the 3D-printing community, here and overseas, and to other people in the mushroom-growing community to get a sense of the industry, meeting people doing great things and building my skills in those areas.”
The resulting design creates an ideal environment for mushrooms to thrive, ensuring fresh air exchange, humidity retention, water application, and exposure to natural or low light.
Mycelia House also addresses food waste through encouraging people to grow their own. “When we grow our own food, we are less likely to throw it away and to use it in more creative ways. We also produce only what we need, rather than purchase in excess based on cost,” says Caity.
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