The BioKnit Prototype brings together biotechnology, digital fabrication, and computation in the production of a monolithic free-standing biohybrid structure. BioKnit was not grown in the lab. Instead the team’s expertise with living materials enabled the growth stage to take place in “The OME” an experimental test bed in Newcastle.

The prototype is composed of mycelium, cellulose (produced by bacteria), and 3D knitting (knitted from wool and linen). These materials have a dramatically lower environmental impact compared to conventional construction materials and provide the opportunity to radically rethink how we build.