Would You Live in a House Made of Mushrooms?

What if the homes of the future weren’t just smart or green — but alive?

Last week I read about an ambitious initiative in Angola: using 3D-printed concrete to address the housing crisis. A promising idea, especially in a country with a severe housing deficit, but one that left me wondering: is concrete — even when 3D printed — still the best we can do?

Don’t get me wrong — 3D printing in construction is a revolution. It speeds up production, reduces waste, and allows architectural freedom that traditional building methods simply can't match. But the materials? They're still rooted in the old world: heavy, energy-intensive, and not exactly friendly to the environment.

So here’s my question: can we take the tool — the printer — and feed it with something better?

That’s where the dream begins.

Imagine a future where we use bio-based materials in construction: not just natural, but regenerative. Materials like mycelium, the root system of fungi, which grows rapidly, absorbs carbon, and decomposes naturally.

Today, mycelium is already used in packaging, fashion, and acoustic panels. Could it one day be 3D printed into entire homes?

The technology isn't there yet — not entirely. But research is moving. Some labs are already experimenting with printable bio-composites. If we can control shape, load-bearing capacity, and durability, why shouldn’t we print a home made of mushrooms?

Yes — it sounds radical. But then again, so did the idea of concrete homes built by a robotic arm, just a few years ago.

I believe architecture and urban planning must now do more than just adapt to sustainability standards. They must lead.

We have a climate crisis. We have a housing crisis. And we’re entering a new era of economic migration, urban inequality, and digital transformation.

We don’t just need faster houses.

We need better systems:

• Buildings that work with nature, not against it.
• Urban environments that absorb shocks — economic, environmental, social.
• Materials that can be produced locally, with low emissions and high circularity.

We need vision — not slogans.

And this is where the role of planners, designers, investors and policy makers becomes critical.

Sometimes, our biggest obstacle is not technology — it’s inertia.

• Inertia in regulation.
• Inertia in thinking.
• Inertia in what clients are willing to fund.

But there’s a growing community — and I’m proud to be part of it — that believes in shifting that inertia. Through ideas. Through dialogue. Through bold, responsible experimentation.

I’m not saying we should all go build mushroom houses tomorrow.

But I am saying this: the next time we’re planning a new neighborhood, a housing project, or a regeneration scheme… Let’s ask the question: could we do this differently? Because sometimes, radical innovation starts with radical imagination.

I’d love to hear from you:

🌱 Do you think the future of construction is bio-based? 🏗️ Would you live in a house made of mushrooms — if it were warm, safe, and beautiful?

Let’s talk. Let’s build. Let’s imagine forward — together.

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📝 Written by Alberto Zancanella — Export Director and advocate for sustainable innovation in architecture, construction and global business strategy.