0.5: Inspirational Visit

We began the course with a visit to the Natural History Museum and Berlin Botanical Garden, immersing ourselves in the diversity and complexity of life across scales. Surrounded by specimens, fossils, and ecological displays, we studied the patterns, structures, and relationships that have evolved over millions of years. This inspired us to look beyond form and focus on the processes and systems that sustain ecosystems.

From these observations, each of us selected a specific ecology as inspiration and developed an algorithmic logic that translated its natural behaviors into rule-based growth systems, laying the foundation for our design explorations.

1. Initial Research

In the initial research phase, we explored various types of fungi, focusing on their forms, behaviors, and ecological roles. Mycorrhizal fungi, with their vast underground networks, acting as the “internet of the forest.” We also studied Physarum polycephalum, a slime mold known for its efficient, adaptive pathfinding abilities.
Both organisms demonstrated remarkable examples of cooperation, adaptability, and mutual benefit in nature. Their ability to form intelligent, self-organizing systems inspired us to place fungal logic and symbiotic relationships at the core of our design direction.

2. Concept Development

In developing our concept, we initially set out to design something that directly mimicked fungi, aiming to replicate their underground networks and symbiotic exchanges. However, the complexity of working at such a small, hidden scale, combined with the technical challenges of simulating and fabricating subterranean systems, led us to shift our focus above ground.
Drawing on the logic and behaviors we had studied in fungi, we reimagined our design as a prosthetic-like add-on system for trees: a structure that could grow, adapt, and evolve alongside its host.
Using biomaterials and 3d-printed modular components, this symbiotic form would protect the tree, create microhabitats, and foster ecological interactions, acting as a visible mediator of the invisible relationships that sustain forest ecosystems.

3. Technical Approach

Our technical approach began with a customized fungi-inspired growth algorithm, modeled after how Physarum spreads, seeking connections, avoiding obstacles, and self-optimizing. Using Grasshopper, we created an agent-based growth pattern that generated a shell with an organically grown character.

A 3D scan of a real tree provided the base geometry, ensuring the lattice could wrap and adapt to its natural form. We chose to 3D print the structure in UPM Formi, a sustainable bio-material, producing a lightweight, porous lattice, merging algorithmic logic with material adaptability to echo natural symbiotic systems.

4. Project realization

In the project realization phase, we began experimenting with 3D printing to understand the material properties and structural behavior of UPM Formi. We started at a 1:25 scale, testing the material’s flexibility, overhang support, and overall feasibility before moving to full scale.

Early attempts at 1:1 printing faced challenges, including warping and instability, which required multiple iterations. Eventually, we settled on a successful approach: printing the components in planar sections and bending them afterward to conform to the tree’s geometry. This method allowed us to maintain structural integrity while demonstrating the concept in 3D space.

5. Final Outcome

The outcome of the project is a modular, speculative 3D lattice structure that wraps around a tree trunk and evolves with it, offering multiple layers of value. We called it The Biomorphic Shell.

Ecologically, it creates micro-habitats for birds, bees, insects, or mosses, fostering biodiversity and making visible the invisible relationships within ecosystems.

Structurally and functionally, it protects young or vulnerable trees from environmental or mechanical damage, adapts to different tree sizes through its modular system, and bends and grows over time to enable long-term coexistence.

Speculatively, the project invites new narratives of care, symbiosis, and entanglement with nature, repositioning design as a tool for subtle, invisible support, a quiet, fungi-inspired logic of care that blends practical utility with conceptual reflection.

6. Challenges and Further Research

The project faced challenges such as designing for fungi underground, material and fabrication limitations, multiple iterations to fit trees, translating organic growth into structural stability, and adapting 2D logic into 3D shells. 

Further research could explore 3D spatial growth algorithms, integrate sensors or mosses for interactivity, develop adaptable connection mechanisms, and experiment with biodegradable or flexible materials. 

Collaborating with ecologists, arborists, and biologists would also enhance the project’s ecological impact, bridging speculative design with real-world applications.

Final Words:
This project taught us to design with nature, embracing complexity, adaptability, and ecological thinking. We are grateful to our instructors for their guidance and support, encouraging us to experiment and push the boundaries of design.