Interdisciplinary paradigms with mycelium: submerged liquid fermentation as a space for design inquiry

Abstract

This article explores submerged liquid fermentation (SLF) as a space for design inquiry in the development of mycelium-based materials. Despite its considerable potential for producing novel biofabricated materials, SLF remains largely underexplored within biodesign research. Drawing on iterative experimentation cycles and learnings in a laboratory environment, the study investigates how design-led approaches can contribute to techno-scientific biofabrication processes while critically examining the opportunities and constraints that arise when working with SLF-derived mycelium biomass. Framed through material-driven design methodologies, the research demonstrates how technical performance can be integrated with sensorial and expressive material qualities through collaborative practices between designers and scientists. By positioning SLF as both a biotechnological process and a creative material practice. The study contributes to broader discussions on the expanding role of design in shaping emerging biofabrication technologies across industrial and creative domains.