Bento architecture

“How can we rethink architecture in a world where resources are increasingly limited?”

These are the challenges, architects at Bento Architecture are facing. Their aim is to experiment with more ethical and responsible alternatives and take a fresh look at the architecture of cities and regions. These would be forged with, and from, the living beings who inhabit them and are their constructive fabric. The idea is to broaden the relationship between humans and non-humans, living and non-living.

The latter work with “fungal leather”, grown from mycelium, the root structure of fungi. To create these materials, a fungal organism is grown as a leaf on the surface of a solid or liquid substrate containing nutrients. The mycelium then forms a dense, interwoven network of thread-like structures called “hyphae”, which can bind together to form a material that serves as a durable alternative to animal leather. The advantage of this material is its ability to regenerate. It allows us to think more broadly about the capacity of objects and architectures to develop on their own, gradually detaching themselves from human intervention.

Corentin Mahieu’s table

This year’s edition of Private Choice 2024 will feature a piece resulting from the collaboration between Corentin Mahieu and Bento Architecture. This is the “Accalmie” table, composed of a base in the shape of wooden scaffolding on which a tray of mycelium has blossomed. The piece’s title refers to the stabilized state of living mycelium: after explosive growth, it has entered a state of calm. The species of mycelium used for this object was collected in Belgium’s Sonian Forest (a UNESCO World Heritage site), where it grows naturally on local beech wood.

Accalmie was developed around the “In Vivo” exhibition for the Belgian Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2023. The table was part of the “Entangled Design: Beyond Wood” exhibition presented at the Collectible design fair in Brussels from March 7 to 10, 2024.

Florian Mahieu’s stools

Florian Mahieu designs mycelium stools called “Stool L18”, which follow the same principle as his brother’s table. These creations are the result of a reflection on the idea of “regeneration”. The architects are following a process of reversing programmed obsolescence. They are hoping that living matter, in the right conditions, can continue to grow naturally, to explore new forms. Indeed, life cycles are also cycles of shapes creation.