Hypha-Lume Pavilion Uses Mycelium Modules to Map Human Movement
A responsive biomaterial structure that transforms visitor activity into real-time light and sound patterns.
1Adaptive Mycelium Modular System
The Hypha-Lume pavilion utilizes reconfigurable mycelium components to create a responsive architectural shell. The structure features three distinct block types with curvatures of 20, 40, and 60 degrees. These tapered biomaterial modules connect around vertical supports, ensuring structural stability while allowing the entire enclosure to be reassembled based on specific site requirements.
2Sensor Integration and Data Mapping
Designed by Darya Holub, Selin Ozasik, Pinak Bhapkar, Nikhil Narendiran, and Baskar Bharathwaj Subramanian, the project functions as an interactive archive. Integrated sensors track visitor paths, pauses, and group gatherings in real-time. This spatial data is then converted into dynamic light patterns and audio, effectively mapping human activity onto the building envelope.
3Daytime Spatial and Structural Balance
During daylight hours, the lightweight mycelium modules form an open enclosure that balances shelter, visibility, and circulation. The varying module heights and strategic openings allow the pavilion to respond to different viewpoints and paths. This organic geometry and modular rhythm define the structure's physical presence before the transition to nighttime interactive illumination.
4Nighttime Visual Interaction Traces
At night, the pavilion transforms into a living archive of collective activity through projected visual traces. Warm illumination highlights the curved geometry, while colored light travels along the connections between modules. These projections display layered traces of previous human interactions, making the invisible history of site occupancy visible at a human scale.
5Materiality and Surface Texture
The open-shell structure exposes the raw, textured surface of the mycelium material. Under illumination, the changing colors register the presence of occupants across the modular surface. This interaction between the organic biomaterial and digital light creates a unique aesthetic where the structural connections serve as conduits for the visual data display.
6Design Team and Project Origin
The project was conceived by a collaborative team including Darya Holub, Selin Ozasik, Pinak Bhapkar, Nikhil Narendiran, and Baskar Bharathwaj Subramanian. The design was submitted through the DIY submissions feature on Designboom. This platform allows independent designers to showcase experimental work, highlighting the growing interest in biomaterial-based architectural interventions and interactive public spaces.
7Functional Versatility of Modules
The modularity of the mycelium blocks provides significant flexibility for spatial configuration. By adjusting the assembly of the 20, 40, and 60-degree components, the pavilion can adapt to diverse site conditions. This scalability demonstrates how biomaterials can be integrated into functional, reconfigurable systems that respond dynamically to their environment and human occupants.
8Implications for Responsive Architecture
Hypha-Lume represents a shift toward architecture that acts as a responsive system rather than a static object. By mapping human movement into light, the pavilion bridges the gap between material science and digital interaction. This approach offers a framework for future installations that prioritize site-specific data collection and sustainable material usage.