On May 24, companies that develop and apply innovative lightweight solutions were honored for the first time in Berlin with the Lightweight Innovation Award. We won the Construction category with our project MY-CO PRINT! Thanks to our research partners at the Department of Applied and Molecular Microbiology, TU Berlin (Prof. Dr. Vera Meyer) and Stability and Failure of Function-Optimized Structures, TU Berlin, Prof. Dr. Christina Völlmecke), the competition organizers at Innos Global and the city of Berlin for their generous support.
In the project, we developed prototypes for architectural composite components made of a recyclable biopolymer and a fungus-plant composite. Generative design and FDM printing processes were used to design adaptive lattice structures, combined with fungal mycelium materials to create stable insulating components. These devices are suitable for a wide range of applications requiring stability and insulating properties. By digitally optimizing the printed structures in the design process, they are intended to be used only in highly stressed areas (handles, fasteners, suspension). Another significant advantage is that the materials can be easily separated and almost completely composted at the end of their life.