The Growing Pavilion

The Growing Pavilion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nci6KsL_QvA

The Growing Pavilion is an ode to biobased materials. It stands as a necessary and viable solution for reducing the rising impacts of climate change and the use of fossil resources.. By combining research and art, we brought our vision to life.
The pavilion is made up of five grown core raw materials: wood, residual flows from the agricultural sector, mycelium, cattail and cotton. With every material, we show the natural raw material as much as possible. We use them in a way to emphasize their own, distinctive identity. In this way, the pavilion acquires a unique, organic texture, color and experience. Besides showing the beauty and strength in the construction of the pavilion itself, we fill the interior of the pavilion with grown design objects to show how beautiful biobased furniture, lamps, cabinets and other objects are.
The Growing Pavilion was built on many years of research. We have documented and showcased our research process in different ways, aiming for full transparency. F.E. in the “Materials Atlas”, we share the collection of all materials found and used. But also in short animation and documentary videos. Through this, we wanted to show how far we could go, with the ambition to reach fully biobased creations. But also what the near future would bring. However, it takes more than good materials to make large-scale applications possible. Think of sufficient raw materials, appropriate regulations, innovative designers and open minded consumers. With The Growing Pavilion we also put this conversation on the agenda and facilitate this conversation, because this is essential to achieve the desired change in thinking and doing.
Materials are shown in such a way that they emphasize their beauty and strength as much as possible. People became curious about the special design and unknown use of materials. They asked questions and were drawn in, where we could tell them more about the materials, but also about the usefulness and necessity of biobased construction. By telling our story in many different ways, we have touched a wide audience in the head and in the heart. We introduced them to and made them think about biobased construction and design.

The producers and designers of the materials we use have become more widely known and have a broader network. They have seen interest in their material rise.

We still receive questions on a regular basis of students, designers and media about the creation process of the pavilion. The Growing Pavilion is subject in a large number of scientific, design, interior magazines.
Reception
Architizer – A+Award finalist in the Architecture+ New Materials category
STARTS Prize – Honorary Mention 2021
Dezeen Awards – Highly Commended: Small Building of The Year 2020
ARC20 – Innovatie Award
75.000 visitors at Dutch Design Week 2019
500.000 visitors at Floriade Expo 2022
Including policy makers, students, builders, banks, housing corporations, architects and daily visitors.

People
An essential part of our vision is to map and share the growth opportunities of the different materials. The Growing Pavilion engages citizens through aesthetics, educational programs, and storytelling. Information boards, videos, The Material atlas, tours, and other initiatives provide visitors with insights into the benefits and beauty of biobased building. By showcasing biobased materials as more than just a sustainable alternative, the project encourages a shift in perception and promotes a wider acceptance of these materials.
A main goal is to work open source. We have included all the knowledge we have gained in our search for biobased materials in a Materials Atlas that is still accessible to everyone online.
The Growing Pavilion was a statement and call for bringing together a network of innovative designers, to collaborate and accelerate the transition.

Planet
The facade of The Growing Pavilion is made of mycelium. Mycelium is a mixture of the spawn of the Reishi mushroom and plant remains. In the Netherlands, these are mainly remnants of locally growing crops such as hemp, cattail and mace. During the production of one ton of mycelium, two tons of CO2 are captured from the atmosphere. The pavilion also consists of grown core raw materials such as cattail, wood, residual flows from agriculture and cotton. The use of biobased materials has resulted in a saving of 24 tons of CO2, which is what an average Dutch person emits in about 2.5 years. In addition, the pavilion is 95% circular, so most of the pavilion can be reused or returned to nature.

Profit
The project emphasizes the importance of a biobased economy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and materials. The Growing Pavilion gave mycelium as potential building material a great boost in the building industry. Still after five years the project can be listed as innovative. Currently, the first start ups are working on bringing mycelium building systems to the market.

#mycelium #biobasedmaterials #biobasednetwork

www.thegrowingpavilion.com

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The Growing Pavilion promotes industry practices through materials, techniques and innovation, knowledge sharing, creating awareness and collaboration.
The pavilion is a showcase for biobased materials in building, with the aim of encouraging the wider use of these materials in the industry. Materials such as mycelium, wood, residual flows from agriculture, and cotton are used innovatively to demonstrate the structural and aesthetic possibilities of biobased construction. The focus is on using materials in their most natural form to emphasize their inherent beauty and unique properties. Instead of trying to make biobased materials resemble conventional materials, the Growing Pavilion embraces the organic texture and color scheme of these materials, introducing a new aesthetic to construction. In creating The Growing Pavilion, we challenged material producers and designers to further develop and innovate their materials to make them suitable for application in construction. The project emphasizes the importance of collaboration between designers, builders, material producers, and researchers to accelerate the transition to a biobased economy. The focus on circularity and the use of residual flows from agriculture stimulates innovation in the development of sustainable material cycles. The pavilion demonstrates how waste can be transformed into valuable building materials, contributing to a more circular economy.
The Growing Pavilion also serves as an educational platform to disseminate knowledge about biobased materials and the need for sustainable building. An open-source "Materials Atlas" documents the materials used and shares knowledge about the possibilities and challenges of biobased construction. Visitors can find information about the materials used, the benefits of biobased building, and the principles of a biobased economy. At the same time, this transparent approach promotes collaboration and accelerates innovation in the industry.

The Growing Pavilion contributes to the restoration and stabilisation of natural ecosystems in several inspiring ways. Through promoting a biobased economy, capturing CO2, focussing on circularity and upcycling of materials and by raising awareness.


The project emphasises the importance of a biobased economy, in which renewable, biological materials replace fossil fuels. This shift reduces dependence on finite resources and helps to reduce CO2 emissions, a major factor in climate change and ecosystem disruption. The pavilion's facade is made of mycelium, a material that absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere during production. By using biobased materials such as wood, agricultural residues, and cotton, 24 tonnes of CO2 were saved compared to traditional building materials. Next to this, the pavilion is 95% circular, meaning that most components can be reused or returned to nature. This minimises waste and promotes the sustainable use of resources, reducing pressure on natural ecosystems. In the pavilion we also used residual flows from agriculture. By upcycling these residues into building materials, their value is increased and the need for new, environmentally harmful materials is reduced.


The Growing Pavilion serves as an educational platform to raise public awareness of the possibilities and benefits of biobased materials and construction. By showcasing the beauty and functionality of these materials, the project inspires a change in thinking and consumption patterns, which can contribute to a more sustainable society and the preservation of ecosystems in the long term.

Storytelling and imagination are at the heart of all projects we develop. The Growing Pavilion makes complex bioeconomy concepts accessible and engaging by creating a multi-sensory experience that combines aesthetics, functionality, and storytelling.
The striking architecture and innovative use of biobased materials, such as mycelium and agricultural residues, attract visitors' attention and spark curiosity about the underlying principles. Instead of presenting biobased materials as merely functional alternatives, the pavilion highlights their inherent beauty and unique texture, creating a new aesthetic that captures the imagination. Visitors are invited to touch the materials and experience their texture, creating a direct and personal connection with the biobased elements. This tangible experience helps to translate abstract concepts into a concrete reality that people can understand and appreciate.
Visitors can learn more about the stories behind the materials, the design processes, and the broader context of the bioeconomy on different levels. For example through guided tours, information boards, videos, and a "Materials Atlas,". These stories bring the concepts to life and make them relatable to a wide audience from designers, material producers and builders to a more general audience. By enabling people to experiment, learn, and ask questions, a deeper understanding and appreciation for biobased solutions is cultivated.