‘mycelia house’ is a functional and minimal container for mushrooms

caity duffus created a functional, and simple vessel to grow and display mushrooms within the home.

c duffus edited by lynne myers August 6, 2021 2 min

designer caity duffus created ‘mycelia house’, a functional, and simple container that showcases the beauty of mushrooms and supports their growth within the home. the product’s aim is to reconnect humans with their innate nature, through the display, caring for, and nourishment of mushrooms as a living entity and as a food source.

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all images courtesy of caity duffus
mycelia houses growing pink oyster mushrooms

caity duffus believes that as humans have evolved to live in urban areas and by experiencing the covid-19 pandemic they are craving a deeper relationship with themselves, the natural world, and their daily routine. she wanted to create a product that users can connect to and emotionally relate with. with trends arising in the localization of food production and DIY alternatives, as well as a love for houseplants, the concept for mycelia houses was manifested.

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beautiful textures of pink oyster mushrooms

as naturalist erin verinder puts it ‘we are waking up from a long slumber of disconnectedness. remembering that we are made up of the same materials as nature. there is simply no separation’. even though mushroom grow kits are currently sold to a diy market of hipsters, an opportunity surfaced to design for a new market of higher-income earners who are interested in wellness and are willing to invest in sustainable alternatives. these are creatives who have a love for nature and being outdoors, although they live and work in urban areas and struggle to find time in nature due to their busy lifestyle.

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mycelia houses growing yellow oyster mushrooms

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mycelia houses care instructions

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mycelia houses render in context

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3D printing with terracotta & stoneware clay. lots of testing & prototyping to achieve holes & their placements

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glass blowing process – outsourcing of my design with robert denizen glass

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mycelia houses components

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project info:

name: mycelia houses

designer: caity duffus

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.