MOGU AGENDA // LONDON DESIGN FESTIVAL 2019 / How to make biodesign a commercial reality?
We were @LDF 2019 to discuss how biomaterials could have real impact and offer a concrete market alternative. In the hope of shaping a more resilient world, brands and designers are harnessing the material properties of microorganisms like bacteria, fungi and algae. Whilst biomaterial experiments are generally very interesting, they will only truly disrupt the market when they are scalable and able to compete commercially. In MOGU we faced the challenge: now we are on market with Mogu Acoustic panels that represent today the most sustainable solution dedicated to acoustic comfort.
LDF19 offered a rich programme of workshops and lectures. A great platform from which designers can freely express opinions, they posed questions and sought answers around subjects ranging from the future of technology to the future of materiality. Here, Maurizio Montalti, cofounder of Mogu, talked about the challenges of ‘making biodesign a commercial reality.’ Developed for interiors, the material is ‘grown’ to suit the application. When soft and foam-like, the mycelium – fed on upcycled textile lint – is used SP_LDF_19 as acoustic panels. When hard and highly dense, they can be coated and used as flooring tiles. During his speech Montalti revealed that his tiles were the first fire and moistureproof mycelium-based products available on the market, which meant that they could be rolled out across architecture and interior projects.